Ao Mar, by Ão

Ao Mar

by Ão

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Black vinyl with printed inner sleeve

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€26 EUR or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Comes in a digipack

Includes unlimited streaming of Ao Mar via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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€15 EUR or more

1.	Meninas 02:53	buy track
2.	Outra 01:18	buy track
3.	Mulher 04:49	buy track
4.	Mãe 00:44	buy track
5.	Avó 03:34	buy track
6.	Speak 04:28	buy track
7.	Guardar 04:02	buy track
8.	O 00:58	buy track
9.	Vazio 05:02	buy track
10.	Crowd 03:39	buy track
11.	Caixinha 01:21	buy track
12.	More 05:07	buy track

about

No-one sounds quite like Ão, the Belgian fourpiece that in just a matter of months went from well-kept secret to sparkling jewel in the crown of Belgian music. Frontwoman Brenda Corijn, Siebe Chau, Jolan Decaestecker and Bert Peyffers masterfully blend saudade, indie, electronica, global and folk into a unique sound that not only appeals to an ever-growing fanbase, but also receives widespread praise and extensive airplay on radio and streaming services. Their debut album ‘Ao Mar’ (‘To the sea’) is set for release on 6 October.

Recorded partly in Belgium and partly in Portugal, ‘Ao Mar’ follows the undercurrent of the sea with its vast, timeless, and rugged character, yet also its reassuringly calming presence and immense healing power. Themes include how it feels to be a woman, the longing for both distance and closeness, and of course saudade, the Portuguese/Brazilian feeling of melancholy, nostalgia and longing. ‘And just like the sea, sometimes I’m ebb, and sometimes I’m flow’, Corijn explains.

Musically, comparisons inevitably point to Madredeus and Lhasa De Sela, or more recently FKA Twigs, Arooj Aftab and James Blake. But Ão is very much a band with its own sound, making ingenious, multifaceted tracks and captivating acoustic songs. Corijn entwines her warm voice with Chau’s southern guitar, Decaestecker’s ambient sounds and Peyffers’ eclectic percussion, drawing on her Mozambican-Portuguese roots for her lyrics. Other sources of inspiration include tales of her mother, a trip to Morocco, Elena Ferrante’s acclaimed novel My Brilliant Friend and Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story.

The fresh summer vibes of single ‘Meninas’ kick off the album, followed by the chilling synth theme of outright classic ‘Mulher’. ‘Avó’ is heart-warming and clever electronica, ‘Crowd’ and ‘Guardar’ show that the band can be intimate as well, and songs like ‘Vazio’ and ‘More’ exhibit the very essence of Ão: intoxicating lyrics bathing in an overwhelming blend of saudade, electronica and indie. ‘Ao Mar’ is a breathtaking debut album, taking you on a marvellous trip along Ão’s vast soundscape.

If the album is already impressive, live Ão is something else, a mind blowing and immersive experience, as showcased on various summer festival stages. Now they’re getting ready for the tour supporting the release of ‘Ao Mar’, playing amazing venues in Belgium later this year, and hitting the rest of the European roads in 2024.

credits

released October 6, 2023

Recorded at Het Depot, Leuven (BE) and at KASK, Ghent (BE)
Composed by Jolan Decaestecker, Bert Peyffers, Siebe Chau, Brenda Corijn
Written by Brenda Corijn
Produced by Jolan Decaestecker, Siebe Chau
Mastered by Thomas Harsem at Interval Mastering (SE)

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about

Ão Brussels, Belgium

Ão is a young and exciting Belgian fourpiece blending saudade, indie and subtle electronica, topped off with the phenomenal voice of frontwoman Brenda Corijn. Drawing on her Mozambican Portuguese roots, Corijn sings in Portuguese and English, her lyrics entwining with Siebe Chau’s southern guitar, the ambient sounds and production of Jolan Decaestecker and the eclectic percussion of Bert Peyffers. ... more

shows

May 2

Gebouw T

Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands
May 3

Labadoux Festival

Ingelmunster, Belgium
May 10

EKKO

Utrecht, Netherlands
May 18

Chassé Theater

Breda, Netherlands
Jun 28

Place du 1er-Mai

Clermont-Ferrand, France
Jul 5

Gent Jazz

Ghent, Belgium
Jul 5

Wilde Weide

Kraggenburg, Netherlands
Jul 6

Brosella Jazz Festival

Brussels, Belgium
Jul 12

Minnewaterpark

Bruges, Belgium
Jul 12

Cactus Festival

Bruges, Belgium
Jul 19

De Kouter

Ghent, Belgium
Aug 1

M - Museum

Leuven, Belgium
Aug 2

Grote Kaai

Lokeren, Belgium
Aug 29

Into the Great Wide Open Festival

Vlieland, Netherlands
Sep 18

Reeperbahn Festival

Hamburg, Germany
Oct 3

Cactus

Bruges, Belgium
Oct 31

Wilde Westen

Kortrijk, Belgium

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