Jan Verstraeten - “GOODBYE WORLD”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Mother Falcon, The Family Crest, Andrew Bird

Embellishing his classic pop sound with full orchestration, Jan Verstraeten is going big according to the two tracks previewing his debut full-length VIOLENT DISCO, intricately composed with sky-looking ambition. “GONE GONE GONE” is a throwback R&B joint emboldened with strings and horns - note how Verstraeten keeps orchestral instrumentation at a higher volume than the guitar/percussion backbone of the track to really emphasize this calling card. Latest single is “GOODBYE WORLD”, a bouncy, jazzy number of escapism with layers of melody across the fascinating constructed song. It’ll be interesting to see how Verstraeten interprets these songs live, but if the Belgian artist brings some of this orchestral accompaniment Stateside, look out for an incredible showcase of chamber pop at SXSW this year. (Kevin McStravick)

2020 Review: Orchestral chamber folk artist Jan Verstaeten forgoes acoustic guitars for string and horn sections, offering full compositions around his moody indie rock songs. These aren’t just instrumental flourishes, rather Verstraeten puts together complex movements as the heart of his songs, not just accompaniment. The Belgian artist released his debut EP Cheap Dreams last year and followed by cinematic singles “Milky Way” and “Tropical View”, evolving from the droning passion of “Moon Face” through jazzy crooner “You” to the aforementioned “Tropical View”, a track that moves from bouncy verses to a lush and powerful coda.