Bewilder

Bewilder is a new band, albeit with several familiar faces. After working for over a year on their debut Dear Island (Excelsior Recordings), the band started off great with performances at Into The Great Wide Open, radio and tv shows, and a Dutch clubtour in fall 2015. Dear Island was very well received and was declared album of the week by VPRO’s 3voor12, Best Dutch Album 2015 by national newspaper Trouw, second best Dutch album by national newspaper Volkskrant while their song The Unknown ended number #1 in IndieXL End of the Year’s Top100 Single Chart. The album Dear Island is also nominated for a Dutch Edison Award.

Dear Island is an album full of unexpected turns; you never know how a song will end. This fits the Twin Peaks obsession which all band members share and that sometimes can be recognised in the gently sloping synthesizer sounds of Arjen de Bock. It's as if soundtrack compositor Angelo Badalamenti is secretly looking over his shoulder. The other band members, drummer Bram Hakkens, bass player Jeroen Overman and guitarist Arjan Kamphuis add elements of swing and rock to the intriguing compositions.

Bewilder songs can be recognised by a groovy, vivacious indie sound. The songs never end the way they started. 'They are as ominous as the first sip of your favourite cocktail. It tastes familiar, but it might just end up somewhere unknown', Westerik comments. 'Until now we haven't played the same show twice.'