WAAN is the brainchild of saxophonist Bart Wirtz and keyboardist Emiel van Rijthoven. Together with bassist Matteo Mazzú and drummer Mark Schilders, they shape a sound that blurs the lines between electronic and acoustic music, dancefloor energy and jazz improvisation.
WAAN is the brainchild of saxophonist Bart Wirtz and keyboardist Emiel van Rijthoven. Together with bassist Matteo Mazzú and drummer Mark Schilders, they shape a sound that blurs the lines between electronic and acoustic music, dancefloor energy and jazz improvisation. Since their debut, WAAN has become known for a raw, adventurous style—merging groove-based electronics, atmospheric melodies, and improvisational freedom. In the studio they work closely with producer Oscar de Jong (Kraak & Smaak).
Their debut album Echo Echo (Sonar Kollektiv, 2023) received international acclaim, two Edison Jazz Award nominations, and airplay on BBC shows hosted by Jamie Cullum. The album led to an extensive tour of festivals and venues including Paradiso, Bimhuis, Transition, So What’s Next, Amersfoort Jazz, RAUW, InJazz, Eurosonic, Jazzahead (DE) and more. In 2024, WAAN released a live EP, capturing the tension between acoustic interplay and electronic textures on stage.
Now WAAN are releasing their second album We Want WAAN (January 23, 2026) on Sonar Kollektiv. The writing process began in the summer of 2024 on the Dutch island of Texel, where Wirtz and Van Rijthoven retreated into nature. Out of spontaneous jams and explorations, the sound shifted toward something freer, rougher, and even more rhythmically daring. Returning to Eminent Studios in Leiden with Mazzú and Schilders, the band shaped these ideas into a new body of work. Once again produced with Oscar de Jong, the record is marked by sonic layering, bold grooves, collaborations with Ivy Sole (US), and string arrangements. The album artwork is created by Braulio Amado.
With We Want WAAN, the quartet expands their sonic universe: bold, restless, and brimming with curiosity. It is music that speaks to both the body and the imagination—a call to listen, to move, and to experience the full spectrum of sound that WAAN continues to explore.
