WAAN Return With “Talking Trees,” a Mesmerizing Prelude to Their Next Chapter

Following the critical success of their 2023 debut Echo Echo, Dutch duo WAAN reemerge with “Talking Trees”, the first single from their forthcoming album We Want WAAN, due January 23, 2026 via Sonar Kollektiv.

With this new track, Bart Wirtz and Emiel van Rijthoven continue to dissolve the boundaries between the electronic and the organic, crafting music that feels alive, breathing, and deeply human. “Talking Trees” is a slow-burning, melancholic ballad rooted in trip-hop and jazz, its tape-saturated drums grounding layers of synth warmth, plaintive saxophone, and the ghostly presence of an EMS Synthi. As the piece unfolds, it’s overtaken by evolving electronics and processed cello, pulling the listener deeper into an introspective, cinematic world.

Inspired by the silent communication of white pines — trees that signal to one another through the air and underground fungal networks — “Talking Trees” becomes a sonic metaphor for connection, empathy, and quiet resilience in uncertain times.

The release marks the next evolution of WAAN’s acclaimed sound, which first captivated listeners with Echo Echo, earning two Edison Award nominations, widespread international radio play (including Jamie Cullum’s BBC Radio 2 show), and performances across Europe at venues like Paradiso, Bimhuis, and Transition Festival.

In the summer of 2024, the duo retreated to the remote Dutch island of Texel, immersing themselves in nature to begin shaping We Want WAAN — a record that leans further into rhythmic experimentation and collaborative openness. Produced alongside longtime creative partner Oscar de Jong (Kraak & Smaak), the album reflects a sound world that is freer, rawer, and filled with wonder.

“Talking Trees” was recorded at Eminent Studios in Leiden, mixed by de Jong at Kraak & Smaak Studios, and mastered by Max Gilkes. The track features Marta Arpini (vocals), René van Munster (cello), Matteo Mazzù (bass), and Mark Schilders (drums), alongside Wirtz and van Rijthoven on saxophone, keys, and vocals.

Both haunting and hopeful, “Talking Trees” offers a compelling glimpse of what’s to come — a soundscape where nature, emotion, and technology intertwine in the unmistakable world of WAAN.