ORT019 : Northern Escorts / Impeccable Class

Artwork & Cover concept by Ian Dykmans

ORT019 : Northern Escorts / Impeccable Class

Northern Escorts is a Belgian experimental rock band formed in 2016 by Sigfried Burroughs, Teun Verbruggen, Thijs Troch, Jan Daelman.

Influenced by modern times and a passion for contemporary avant garde, their music searches through some sort of bizarre confusion between jazz and violence combined with their love for electronics.

They establish a brute but balanced musical form, assaulting the body and scraping the skull.

Teun (1975) first picked up the drums by age of 8. After getting fed up with having to play always the same fills in rock bands he was getting interested in jazz-and improvised music. He went to the concervatory of Brussels were he took lessons with Hans Van Oosterhout. Since graduating from this school in 1999 he started working as a sideman in lots of different bands and musical Styles. His searching for a personal touch and wanting to explore all possibilities of playing music and drums, his lack of boundaries and styles and trying to find fresh sounds and freedom in collectif improvisation made him work (and still touring) with (among others):

Alexi Tuomarila 4tet and Trio, Jef Neve Trio, FES, VVG trio, Karanova (featuring Kitchen Motors from Iceland and Mauro Pawlowski), Molo Trio, Jambangle, Rackham, Pascal Schumacher 4tet, “4”, JojoBa, Streams,Silent Song, Jozef Dumoulin Trio,...

Thijs Troch is a Belgian piano player, mainly active in improvised music.

He plays in bands such as : Keenroh, Jukwaa, Kabas, Glin Fraktion, Hypochristmutreefuzz, Northern Escorts, Residuum Free Unit, Bulliphant,...

Jan Daelman is a Belgian flute-player.

He plays in bands such as: Keenroh, Kabas, Glin Fraktion, Northern Escorts, Residuum Free Unit, DST Trio, The Milk Factory, ...

Sigfried Burroughs (1987) is a musical centipede and multi-instrumentalist graduated from The Royal Conservatory of Brussels in June 2016.

Especially known as drummer in popular rock formations such as Kapitan Korsakov & The K.  Frontman and co-founder of ONMENS, where he lends his voice to the unique mix of beats and electronics.

He's recognized as a musician who's hunger for experiment is insatiable.

Active in various jazz projects: JUKWAA (drums); Northern Escorts w. Teun Verbruggen (vocal/bass); Residuum Free Unit w. Dirk Serries (drums:noise/electronics); Burroughs & Crane w. Mattias De Craene (drums), Kleedje w. Elias Devoldere (drum-duo). He recently became a fixed member in FÄR and started working for the Ghent based booking/management bureau Live Fast Die Young, besides Joppe Behaeghe. They'll put up their own LFDY record label in September 2017. Burroughs also runs TAPIR Promotion, an independent music promotion agency.

As a part of his final project at Brussels Conservatory, he set up his formation Glin Fraktion. An avant-garde ensemble which explores different aspects of contemporary music.

Besides band formations he's also deeply interested in noise, electronics, recording and producing.

Thijs Troch : Synth
Jan Daelman : Sax & Violin
Teun Verbruggen : Drums & Electronics
Sigfried Burroughs : Vocals & Bass

Recorded by Nicolas Lefèvre at Sunny Side Inc. Brussels, Belgium
Performed live, February 2016
Mixing, Editing & Mastering by Joe Talia, Melbourne, Australia
Cover photo by Ian Dykmans with Myriam Clericuzi, "la femme arbre"

The vinyl is on sale at Rat records here.

The band in action

The band relaxing

Digital release on the 19th of May 2017.

Track listing:

Side A: "Je choisis la facon dont je m'habille"

Side B: "Le laquais doit couper les etoiles"