Tomàn

Tomàn is a Belgian post-rock group from Lo-Reninge, active since 2001. The band consists of Senne Guns, Bram Pauwels, Lode Vlaeminck and Wouter Vlaeminck. Earlier line-ups included Jens on bass, who later leaves and is replaced by Senne in 2007.

Style and releases

The group’s music is described as both indie and post-rock. Its debut album, Catching a Grizzly Bear, Lesson One, appears in 2005 on Zeal Records and receives critical attention. A second full-length, Perhaps We Should Have Smoked The Salmon First, follows one year later. The record is made at De Studio with Dirk Miers, who also plays trumpet on the album, and is mixed at home by Wouter Vlaeminck. Many of the songs are first tested live before recording.

Live work and collaborations

Tomàn perform at venues and festivals including 4AD, AB, Muziekodroom, Rijdrop, Rhâââlovely festival, Dour festival, Feeërieën festival, Cactus club, Indie Music Festival, W2, De Brakke Grond and Motel Mozaïque festival. They support acts such as Karate, Death Cab for Cutie, The Album Leaf, Logh, b fleischmann, The New Year, 65daysofstatic and The Berg Sans Nipple.

In June 2005 the band records a silent session for the Studio Brussel programme Duyster. A reworked version of Manta appears on the Duyster II compilation. The band also records a session for the VPRO programme Dwars in Amsterdam, is invited to appear on Miso’s charity mixtape Mixtape Number One, and contributes a Raymond van het Groenewoud cover, 2 Meisjes, for Poppunt’s anniversary compilation and concert.

Tours and other recordings

After the second album, Tomàn goes on its first European tour with Madensuyu, playing in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Luxembourg. The group also has an early demo recording titled It’s Important for the Experiment That You Continue, and still performs some of those songs live.