Bandler Ching

Hailing from Brussels, Bandler Ching is originally a creation of musical ideas from composer and saxophonist Ambroos De Schepper (Kosmo Sound, Azmari and Mos Ensemble).

Flawlessly blending contemporary jazz, electronics, trap, hip-hop and global beats, the sound is based around the freedom of expression and improvisation and performed with astounding conviction. With the help of Federico Pecoraro (ECHT!) and Olivier Penu (Kel Assouf), the three idiosyncratic artists come together to express their musical identity to dazzling effect.

After a period of exploration, the former quartet (with Alan Van Rompuy on keys) released their debut album ‘Coaxial’ in January ‘23, via the groove-obsessed Sdban Ultra label. A hypnotic trip through each band members’ musical fantasies, the band have their roots in jazz. “We start from Jazz and we give it our own attitude with improvisation and a lot of freedom and eventually mix it with influences such as electronics, beats, hip-hop etc,” says De Schepper. From the free-spirited beauty of ‘You Call It’ and pulsating, loose beats of ‘Awpril’ to the luminous ‘Dag na Naamdag’ inspired by warm winter memories and wild summer dreams, De Schepper gives the sax a new place in its musical sphere. The album title refers to the band members' various musical influences that coalesce around one artistic centre. That centre is ‘Coaxial’ – a distinct sound with a clear identity, yet versatile and difficult to categorise. Elsewhere, the bass-heavy ‘RoodGroen’ features Vieze Meisje (performer Maya Mertens) while the sonoric mayhem of ‘Smooch’ mutates without border – mischievous, dynamic and unpredictable at the same time. ‘Rave Fever’ is rich cataclysm of sound and rhythm while the intriguing ‘You Have Got Me’ and album closer ‘Kitsune’ showcase the magnetic soundings of Bandler Ching.

The trio is currently working on their second album, which is set to be released in September ’24.

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