Belgian junk jazz trio schroothoop (which translates as ‘junk yard’) bring together multi-instrumentalists Rik Staelens (wind & string instruments), Timo Vantyghem (bass & thumb piano) and Margo Maex (percussion). One night they found themselves jamming on trash cans, buckets and other illegally dumped materials. Soon after, they started building their own DIY instruments, exploring the vast sounds of objects found on the streets of Brussels. Imagine flutes made out of pvc pipes, a trash can drum kit, thumb pianos made out of old kitchen knives, tin can violins, worn-out cutting discs as gongs, and a washtub bass. Wooden crates turn into guitars and lyres, and scrap metal becomes a cimbalom. Delivering their own brand of “junk jazz”, schroothoop literally gives junk a second life by immortalizing a whole range of lost and found objects through music. The Brussels-based group effortlessly incorporates jazz, Northern African music, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, resulting in a danceable and hypnotic trip through the most diverse capital of Europe.
In 2020, schroothoop first emerged with their much-acclaimed and infectious debut album Klein Gevaarlijk Afval (Small Hazardous Waste; released on Rebel-Up). Their new album called ‘MACADAM’ will be out in April via Sdban Records, home of many strongholds in the lively contemporary Belgian jazz and groove scene. Both albums are mixed and post-produced by none other than sound wizard Dijf Sanders.
