Phoenician Drive releases new EP 'Glow'

PHOENICIAN DRIVE is a sextet formed in Brussels in 2016, mixing rock and oriental traditional music where oud, derbuka, and rek confront distortions and pop sounds. In the footsteps of previous East-West musical mixes of the 70s such as Erkin Koray or Orient Express, and under the influence of the German kraut-rock scene (Neu!, Can, Faust, ...), the Brussels collective makes zig-zags across the Mediterranean without ever planting its flag.

In 2017, their debut EP 'Two Coins' released on EXAG' Records (EU) and Stolen Body Records (UK) attracted significant attention on the rock and world music scenes. Then, in 2018, Phoenician Drive released their self-titled debut album on EXAG’ & SK Records and also had the opportunity to collaborate with Belgian contemporary dance choreographer Wim Vandekeybus writing the music for his show “Trap Town”.

In the spring of 2019, the group decided to take a step back and work on an acoustic live in order to return to the very roots of their approach and revisit their repertoire. The band toured exclusively with this acoustic format from 2021 to 2022.

In early 2021, Phoenician Drive started to work on electric songs again with a new element, drummer Jérémie Mosseray (Belgistan, Bernard Orchestar, Applause). These sessions gave birth to a new EP called 'Glow'. The disc was recorded and produced in Brussels during 2022 by Tom Stadnicky and will be released in spring 2023 on EXAG' Records. This new EP has more vocals and resonates with brighter tones compared with the previous releases. It is nonetheless a direct reaction to the difficult context of these last two years of confinement and isolation. Hence the title 'Glow': a call for emancipation, generosity and all forms of freedom.