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The Ark Of Joa

The Ark of Joa is my project to explore how live electronics can breathe along with a band, instead of locking it into click tracks and backing tracks. It grew over a series of residencies, out of artistic research into “band intuition”.

Live electronics as an extra musician

In The Ark of Joa, live processing acts as an extra musician. Bert Hornikx and I drive the electronics, while the bassists shape the effects as they play. Meanwhile, the drums set the tempo and trigger the samples. As a result, the whole band shares control over the technology. The sounds listen and respond in real time, creating a fluid landscape where jazz, IDM and alternative pop meet.

Expect a concert where time stretches and contracts. Above all, the human core stays audible within an impressive wall of sound.

The band

Joachim Saerens, keys & electronics and programming

Dré Pallemaerts, drums
Dré is one of Belgium’s leading jazz drummers, with an international career and a strong interest in electronic music. He has been an inspiration and a steady support since the start of my career. In The Ark of Joa, he drives the band’s shared pulse and steers the tempo of the electronics from behind the kit.

Dries Laheye, bass, electronics (STUFF., Selah Sue)
Dries combines deep groove with sound design and synth bass. We toured together with Selah Sue and connected on both a musical and a human level. In the band, he anchors the responsive layers and locks in the timing with the drums.

Fré Madou, double bass, electronics (Voodoo Sessions, Chantal Acda, Daan)
Rooted in jazz and free improvisation, Fré moves easily between acoustic sound and processing. We studied together at Lemmens and have played in many formations ever since. I’m also a regular at the Voodoo Sessions he curates at Café Des Arts, a free haven for experiment where musicians of all backgrounds and generations meet.

Bert Hornikx, electronics & programming (HRNS, Het Nieuwstedelijk)
Bert is the technical brain behind The Ark of Joa. A longtime friend and musical partner, he’s also my other half in HRNS and knows my sound like no one else. I bring him a question or a problem, and he turns it into a tool we can use on stage.

The Ark of Joa live