Premiere: Rapidman – Slechgaan

Rapidman is a new jazz band from Ghent, Belgium, featuring a bunch of top musicians who earned their spurs with bands like Flat Earth Society, Arno, Nordmann, Arsenal, Isolde, Soulsister and so on. So feel free to call it a supergroup. A supergroup consisting of Peter Delannoye, Mirko Banovic, Rob Banken, Dries Geusens and Matthias De Waele. A supergroup, and not just anyone! The group name? You won’t forget that once you get to know the unique sound of this fivesome; the band is in fact much more than the sum of the individual parts: 1+1+1+1+1=Rapidman.

Rapidman is a collective that can show you every corner of the room without losing control, and that constantly makes you feel it sizzles and grinds. With bursting energy, lilting lyricism and catchy melodies, the quintet seamlessly merges the jazz tradition with diverse influences from rock and experimental electronic music.

The men are inspired by analogue soundscapes and want to create an innovative cinematic trance in the listener, and describe their sound as ‘freedom, individuality, strong lilting melodies underpinned by an imaginative groove, modelled with wild, undefined and dreamy electronics.’ Their first EP “Gafanoto” was released in November 2021 via Solidude Records / N.E.W.S. Distribution on all major digital platforms and gave a clear view of the kitchen. A tasty main course, while waiting for the dessert.

That dessert is now available, in the form of the new single “Slechgaan”. This one is reminiscent of a quiet version of bands like Snarky Puppy and Forq, but leaning towards the more experimental playing of Miles Davis, Andrew D’Angelo and Nils Wogram. A first album (vinyl and digital), which also includes ‘Slechgaan’, is on its way and will be released at the end of March. “Slechgaan” will officially be released on Friday, but Maxazine wouldn’t be Maxazine if we could let you hear this great song a day earlier. With artwork by Artwork Domenique Brouwers, this is a single that sounds like it looks: Complex but flowing lines that culminate in a smoothed whole with its own face.

Rapidman’s “Slechgaan” is now premiering here on Maxazine.