Mattias De Craene ft. Black Koyo

• Gent Jazz
  Thursday 16•July•2026
  22:50•

Mattias De Craene (MDCIII, Nordmann, solo) has embarked on a fascinating journey in recent years, exploring jazz, electronica, drone, and other genres. In his latest collaboration with Gnawa trio Black Koyo, he steps into a sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive.

The project emerged from his travels in Morocco and his wanderings around Brussels. In Morocco, he immersed himself in local musical traditions; back in Belgium, he began collaborating with artists from Essaouira and Brussels—home to the largest Gnawa community outside Morocco. In Hicham Bilali, Ismael Akhraz, and Marwan Abantor of Black Koyo, he found his kindred spirits.

They weave a rich, trance-inducing dialogue where instruments like the guembri, qraqeb, call-and-response vocals, saxophone, loops, and electronica converge. The result is a sound that feels like an organic meeting point between tradition and experimentation

The first single was released last week, and is taken from the upcoming album—mixed by pioneering Norwegian producer Jan Bang, which is set for release in April on W.E.R.F. Records. Moulay Abdelah Chrif. 

For fans of: Róisín Murphin, Moondog, The Alan Parsons Project, Connan Mockasin