New adventures of Flemish siblings Hartwin & Ward Dhoore...
Siger: Rodeland
Known for their innovative instrumental compositions rooted in Flemish traditional music, siblings Hartwin & Ward Dhoore have been roaming international stages together for over 15 years. They have been the well-oiled machine behind award-winning bands & projects such as Trio Dhoore, Estbel and The Flemish Folk Caravan, just to name a few. Throughout the years, the brothers managed to create their own musical identity which attracts many listeners far across the Flemish borders.
With concerts all over Europe, The UK, and North-America and performances at festivals such as Celtic Connections (Scotland), Underneath the Stars (England), Folk Alliance International (USA), Rudolstadt Festival (Germany) and many more, the brothers have established a wide fanbase on which they have built a strong carrier. Today they are performing as a duo under the name Siger.
This record is a tribute to the beautiful ‘Rodeland’. After more than fifteen years of making music together in various bands and projects and many international performances, 2021 felt like the right time to return to their roots, to the place where it all started.
Acoustic fragments and ideas found their way through spontaneous sessions around the parental home’s kitchen table, walks in places they hadn’t been since their childhood and rediscovering local food and drinks that make the heart sing. All of that is woven into the music on this record, which came together very spontaneously. An album that reflects a journey of discovery to places the brothers are very familiar with. Enjoy your musical journey through ‘Rodeland’.
Viorel: Flandriens
Viorel has a passion for balfolk: music, made for dancing, performed by folk-flandriens Hartwin Dhoore on diatonic accordion and Jeroen Geerinck on acoustic guitar.
They both have been playing as solo artists all across Europe for many years, Viorel is now a new "etappe" in their musical journey. From their years-long friendship, they found inspiration in each other’s persistency to keep making new music, even in the challenging period of 2020-2021.
Spontaneity and purity is key when making music together. With a brand new repertoire, they aim for a true connection with the dancers: into the "core of balfolk" according to Viorel.
Their debut “Flandriens” includes 11 original gentle balfolk tunes that reflect the energy of their live performances. The newly composed melodies on this album are the result of co-writing sessions in the spring of 2022. Although Viorel pursues a sound close to the acoustics of their instruments, their playful arrangements bring a subtle flow to the repertoire. A fresh-sounding record, co-written by two passionate musicians that know their craft.
Zonderland
Zonderland is an audio-visual project which combines Lander Cardon’s visual art and Ward Dhoore’s accompanying soundtracks.
Lander and Ward met 12 years ago in LUCA, school of arts. This was the starting point of a shared admiration for each other’s work. Since then, they have discovered a mutual appreciation for aesthetics, simplicity and the beauty of the transience of human existence. Throughout the years they have developed a strong friendship as well as a deep artistic connection. There was a strong desire to start a project together in which they would showcase this strong connection and mutual inspiration for one another.
The project really set off when the corona pandemic hit the country and the connection with the audience was at a standstill. Besides their shared passion for melancholia, the two men were inspired by the water, a timeless yet allconnecting element that eventually became the main thread of their first collection: ‘Oeverloos’.
Both the music and the paintings will primarily create an atmosphere of nothingness. The world seems uninhabited, yet some human interaction can be found. A sculpture or architectural element will arouse curiosity and invite people to take a stroll within the painting. Lander and Ward continue walking on this path whilst creating the music/art. It is a stroll that starts from the desire to explore, to stare and listen to new parts of the Zonderland universe.
Zonderland was created as a means of expression and inviting people into the world of these young artists. Literally translated, Zonderland can be seen as ‘without land’, but with a clear motive and urge of creating one. Such is their desire to share this first piece of art with everyone who wants to enjoy it.
"Oeverloos is an ode to both the mystery of water and the unlimited. It is a tribute to friendship. Two soulmates who felt like creating a new world in the midst of crisis.” (De Standaard)
Photo Credits:
(1)-(2) Siger,
(3)-(4) Viorel,
(5ff) Zonderland
(by Studio Trad).
