Wim Segers (vibraphones, synths) | Bart Vervaeck (el. guitar, pedal steel) | Matthias Debusschere (el. bass) | Falk Schrauwen (percussion, fx) | Frederik Van den Berghe (drums)

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The band’s spontaneous quest for psychedelic sounds and jazz grooves has not stopped expanding since their formation in 2014. After imaginative musical trips to Havana, Mogadishu and Istanbul for previous releases, Compro Oro went looking for sounds and inspirations from other corners of the globe for ‘Buy The Dip’.

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Synthesizers and electronic effects spice up their distinctive musical marriage of vibraphones, electric guitars, jazzfunk rhythms, exotic percussions and dubby bass patterns. Band leader and composer Wim Segers created these new compositions often on piano or vibe sin a more analogue way, leaving enough room for his band mates to colour each track when finetuning the song.

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Apart from those synths and fx, a fair bunch of neo-noir western vibes sprout up on this album as well – think detuned piano’s, flamenco-like guitars, rattling snare drums, and imminent whistles. Add to that some laid back sunny pop sounds (‘Kayak’), off-hook and swaying Turkish psychedelica (‘Karsilama’) and even some haunted, kraut-ish vocal parts (‘Dungeon’), it’s evident Compro Oro has a musical voice without any equal in Belgium and beyond. 

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Compro Oro released their first album ‘Transatlantic’ in 2015, an ode to jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader, an icon of the 1950’s Latin jazz movement. The release received critical acclaim back home, lauded in the press as a drunken mix of Buena Vista Social Club and guitarist Marc Ribot’s, Cubanos Postizos.

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Subsequent live shows have been called a celebration for the hips, the ear and the soul. 2017 saw the release of ‘Bombarda’, a bold EP that sailed South and East of Cuba, incorporating different ethnic rhythms and melodies in elaborate jams. No palm trees and cocktails in Havana this time, but instead dingy basements and LSD in West African cities.

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The critically acclaimed ‘Suburban Exotica’ followed in 2019 with ‘Simurg’, a collaboration with Murat and Esma Ertel from Turkish cult band BaBa ZuLa, earning the band global success, with tastemaker fans including BBC 6 Music’s Gilles Peterson and Stuart Maconie alongside Jazz FM’s Jez Nelson.