Sometimes you know within the first second that something special awaits you. That you've discovered an artist who follows his own path, even though he doesn't yet know where the journey will take him. Iskander Moens is one of those people.

 

As a young twenty-something, he had the opportunity to travel across Europe with the choir ensemble Collegium Vocale Gent, where he explored his love for Bach under the guidance of Philippe Herreweghe. He also composed vocal music for Dionysos Now!, drawing more inspiration from polyphonic music.

 

Iskander studied classical piano for six years at MUDA in Ghent. There, he delved deeper into composers like Bach and Debussy and was challenged to play compositions that in some cases were already several centuries old. In classical music, you have to follow the score, and your maneuvering space as a performer is limited. But at the same time, his love for pop music also emerged. "There, I had more opportunity to express myself, and no one dictated how I should sound. There, improvisation had free rein, and freedom beckoned." First in the assertive tuxedo-rock band HYPER!, where he was a singer and bassist for eight years, and currently in the fusion band Shikata Ga Nai. Playing with the pedal to the metal. He recently obtained his master in Music Production at the Conservatory of Ghent.

 

In his solo work, the tone is different. More subtle. More thoughtful. More authentic. More personal too. In recent years, Iskander, now transformed into Iskander Moon, frequently sought the anonymity of the big city and moved for longer periods to Berlin, Gothenburg, New York, and Florence. Places that stimulated him. The multi-instrumentalist honed his skills in singer-songwriter cafés at open mic nights. Writing a song and then performing it live a few hours later for an audience that gives immediate feedback. Nothing up his sleeves, no tricks. In short: the perfect litmus test.

 

With his debut single "Saturday Silence," released in September 2023, Iskander showcased his talents for the first time. It was something to behold, with a pop appeal that surprised both friends and foes. 

 

"People who have already seen me perform in Belgium probably associate me musically with more complex projects, but I have always primarily seen myself as a songwriter and storyteller. I love studying preludes and fugues by Bach, but I can just as easily enjoy a great Taylor Swift song."

 

"Saturday Silence" received airplay on the biggest Belgian radio stations such as Studio Brussel, MNM, Radio 2, and on Spotify, the song is approaching a million plays.

 

And now there's "Are You Lost Here?" (released on [PIAS]), an EP with seven songs and a bonus track that makes an impression. The songs testify to talent: they tell a refined story and wrap themselves more in silence than bombast. Music like a blanket to wrap yourself in. As if a door to another universe opens, where you as a listener willingly get lost.

 

With his EP, Iskander Moon delivers an impressive calling card. He is anything but lost. On the contrary: you can feel in everything that the chosen path is the right one. Where it will lead him remains an open question for now. But that the destination is worth it is beyond any doubt.