Quiet
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Quiet is my most personal album to date. It wasn’t composed in a burst of inspiration, but shaped slowly — in moments of stillness, acceptance, and deep reflection. This music doesn’t seek to impress or overwhelm. It listens. It breathes. It invites you to slow down and step into a quieter state of mind.
I hope that listening to Quiet can become a small ritual for you — a way to grant yourself a moment of peace when the world feels too loud.
Quiet is released on limited edition vinyl, carefully pressed to preserve the full depth and acoustic richness of the music.
Side A
The journey begins with Let Me Be Quiet, a piece about the comfort of silence — and the unease that arises when it's misunderstood. It captures the tension between staying in the background and being pulled into the spotlight. With shifting dynamics and flowing motifs, the music mirrors the ripple effect of being asked to speak when all you want is to listen.
From there, A Quiescent Mind deepens the theme of introspection. Inspired by the lingering melodies of Chopin, it evokes a mental space that isn’t empty, but calm — where thoughts drift gently in and out. Its structure is simple, but intentional, inviting the listener into a place of fragile clarity and soft awareness.
They Make Life Sparkle follows as a burst of light and warmth. Written after the birth of my second grandchild, it celebrates the disarming joy children bring into the world — their spontaneity, innocence, and effortless ability to brighten a room. The music opens modestly with solo piano, then gradually expands into a full quartet, before gently folding back in on itself — like a memory you want to hold on to just a little longer.
Side A closes with There Is Beauty in the Cracks, a piece inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi — the practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, the music highlights them, weaving tension and resolution into something delicate and luminous. It’s a reminder that imperfection, when embraced, can be the most beautiful part of a person.
Side B
Side B opens with Avoiding the Friction, a reflection on the subtle inner conflict between standing up for what feels right and staying silent to preserve peace.
The music carries this hesitation — fragile yet persistent — with contrasting string textures that pull gently in different directions, like the quiet dialogue running beneath the surface of so many interactions.
Next comes After All Is Said, a meditation on the kind of connection that no longer needs words. It’s about sitting side by side in shared silence, without pressure or performance. A calm presence. Each phrase is a gesture of trust — not empty, but full of meaning.
The album closes with I’ll Wait Until Tomorrow, a piece about emotional restraint — the quiet decision to postpone a difficult conversation, not out of indifference, but out of fear that speaking up might make things worse. It’s about knowing something needs to be said, yet holding back. The music, brought to life by the haunting voice of Ellen Soens, balances tension and tenderness — an honest portrayal of that space between knowing and acting, feeling and expressing.
If vinyl isn’t your thing, Quiet is also available as a high-quality digital download. Listen to all the tracks here!
Acknowledgments
Quiet features the exceptional musicians of the Sun Sun Sun String Orchestra - Jeroen Baert, Yumika Lecluyze, Karel Coninx, Séraphin Stragier. Additional session musicians - Jasmijn Lootens and Vincent Werbrouck.
Vocals by Ellen Soens on I'll Wait Until Tomorrow.
The album was recorded at Room13 Studio by Ward Neirynck, and mastered by Gert Van Hoof at Cochlea Mastering, capturing every nuance with intimacy and warmth.
The cover features artwork by my longtime friend and photographer Jacques Vermeulen, from his series C# Variations — a visual counterpart to the emotional textures of this album.
They Make Life Sparkle (live)
This was the very first track I wrote for my new album Quiet. It’s inspired by the irresistible charm of babies and toddlers — especially my own grandchildren — and how they bring instant smiles and a special sparkle to everyone around them, simply by being themselves: innocent, authentic, and disarming. This performance was recorded during the "Quiet" pre-release concert on June 14 in Belgium in front of a small audience.
The piece begins with a simple, sober piano melody, then gradually unfolds into a conversation between viola and cello. As it builds, a full string quartet joins in, symbolising how relationships deepen and become richer over time. And then — the children arrive. The music lifts, sparkles, and celebrates the beautiful chaos they bring into the world. In the end, everything gently returns to the beginning, mirroring how children grow up and eventually find their own paths. I hope you enjoy listening to They Make Life Sparkle as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to hear how this all resonates with you.