KAU is a Brussels-based instrumental project centered around a trio of musicians: André Breidlid (drums), Matteo Genovese (bass), and Jan Janzen (synths). With a strong pan-European identity, their music reflects the city that saw them grow up: uninhibited and richly diverse.
Friends since they were 13, and coming from a jazz background, they skillfully blend beat structures with juicy grooves and electrifying atmospheres to make heads turn, while maintaining an organic essence in their sound.
It was on the stage of their high school auditorium that the three Brussels natives first honed their skills. A multi-genre project blending rock, reggae, hip-hop, and groove led them to the finals of the Imagine young talent competition in 2011, where they performed for the first time at the Orangerie in the legendary Botanique in Brussels—and it wouldn’t be the last... This is likely when the true spark was ignited.
Only after completing their formal studies—in biology, international public policy, and aerospace physics—did the three friends seriously pursue their common passion for music. Matteo and André learned the fundamentals of jazz and the art of improvisation at the Brussels Jazz Conservatory. Jan continued his jazz education and studied the educational aspect of music at the Cologne Conservatory. Like a meteorite from the sky, a pandemic forced the entire world into lockdown, providing the perfect opportunity for the three Brussels musicians to reunite and make music together. Just one week in the German countryside at the keyboardist's grandmother's house was enough to get things rolling. The result was a beat tape of 12 ultra-short instrumental tracks, recorded with makeshift equipment, two microphones, and a small mixing console.
Since 2020 and the start of their joint project, the group has continuously experimented and explored the edges of jazz, groove, and dance music to distill their distinctive sound. From the resolutely hip-hop "Beat Tape Vol 1" to the more nu-jazz oriented EP "II" and their latest EP "III" focused on electro effects and textures, the trio constantly seeks to surprise themselves by jamming and improvising for hours until they find the sound that makes them roar. Like mad scientists, they fumble around and always end up finding the formula that hits the mark: a captivating bass line, a tight drum groove, or a simple catchy synth melody—everything is material to develop into a track. They also make their music participatory by frequently inviting talented musician friends like Maxime Dereux (GROUNDS / Hypercontent!), Rebecca Driesmans (BEX), and rapper Jay MNG on their latest projects.
From composition to live performance, KAU operates as a single entity, like a Cerberus, united in their mission. Driven by their passion for music, the Brussels trio gives their all on stage, engaging the crowd in their distinctly sunny and danceable universe—and sometimes its complete opposite. They merge their triptych energy on stage, communicating through their instruments, seeking perfect harmony while allowing the freedom to improvise like true jazz musicians. Their goal is to make their audience's necks move frenetically to their music.
In the summer of 2022, the group secluded themselves in the same German countryside to draw inspiration from the verdant energies and create their debut album, set to be released in late September 2023 on the Ghent-based label SDBAN Ultra, titled "The Cycle Repeats." A new two-track EP titled "Kaugummi / Mad Kau" was released in September 2024.
