BRUUT! - Machine (2024)

A lot has happened in the past year surrounding the Amsterdam formation BRUUT!. The group, known for its virtuoso, genre-bending mix of musical styles and influences, ranging from jazz and Afrobeat to drum 'n' bass and rock, underwent a transformation in several areas and now presents the new album 'Machine'.

Early bassist Thomas Rolff decided to take a different path after fourteen years of loyal service, which not only provided the band with a new bassist, but also a completely new sound. With the arrival of Sean Fasciani as the new guardian of the low-end, other musical influences seeped into the band and with that the sound of BRUUT! considerable.

Together with producer Frans Hagenaars, the band started working on that new sound. They all agreed on one thing: they did not want to make the same record as their previous album 'Zest', but they did want to continue the course that had been introduced there. That course had already been extensively considered. Hagenaars put the band on the right track by reducing the story to its essence: what makes BRUUT! actually BRUTAL!?

The conclusion? BRUTE! was to stand for genre-transcending, instrumental, partly improvised music where craftsmanship and playing pleasure predominate. The Amsterdammers have sometimes lost sight of that fun in recent years. It was time for a change.

In the autumn of 2023, the band isolated themselves on Vlieland to work on the new record in an empty De Bolder. The silence and spaciousness of the Wadden Island had a refreshing effect and enabled the group to fully focus on the music.

The experience of Hagenaars, who has already helped countless acts get the best out of themselves, gave the band new inspiration and opened creative windows that they had not known were there until then. This created a sound for 'Machine' that, compared to previous records, which often drew inspiration from the work of other artists, much more from the collective BRUUT! has sprouted. During the rehearsals, their own musical arsenal was rediscovered and new ideas and perspectives emerged. Joost Oomen lent his voice and poetry for the new album -- the first time the band has made a guest appearance on the record – and for the first time in the existence of BRUUT! the band also recorded a cover, 'In Bloom' by Nirvana. This also broke with the tradition that all song titles on their albums consist of one word, indicative of the new direction.

That's how BRUUT! express themselves again in the salty sea air. An imposing, well-oiled machine, without ever becoming static or stiff. The Amsterdam quartet thunders on with renewed energy and enjoyment of playing.

With their virtuosity and impressive craftsmanship, BRUUT! for years every stage has been effortlessly transformed into an alternative nightclub in Manchester, somewhere in the mid-90s, where the influence of The Chemical Brothers and Trentemøller is mixed with the sound of icy East German organs and cheap toy synthesizers.