Donder

With De Wonderen, Donder returns once again to the essence of the trio. The album was recorded on a slow summer day in July 2023 in the old theatre hall of KC Nona in Mechelen. Besides the room’s lively acoustics and the conscious choice for an upright piano, the recording is characterised by the usual unorthodox playing techniques and carefully documented imperfections.

In contrast to their previous record Het Verdriet, which emerged from a research project on Flemish (folk) music history, this time the premise was to compose and collect new material without any concepts or limitations. The result is a chaotic blend of abstract and melodic work featuring both solos, duos and trios, two covers of pop songs and some occasional whistling and Norwegian lyrics. 

De Wonderen is a testament to the small wonders found in everyday life. As Guy Peters writes in the liner notes: “With this album that bubbles with percussive ideas and unpredictable contrasts, you are once again reminded that beauty is more striking when you have to wait for it, or find it in unusual places.”