WAAN – Been Blue feat. Ivy Sole

WAAN represents the coming together of accomplished saxophonist Bart Wirtz and keyboard magician Emiel van Rijthoven. As a pair of self-confessed tech nerds hailing from The Netherlands, the duo finally released their debut album Echo Echo via Sonar Kollektiv in 2023 — some thirteen years after their initial meeting. The profoundly positive response to the LP sent this high-tech jazz outfit on a journey they hadn’t quite anticipated. Echo Echo received widespread support in national newspapers and on international radio shows, and was twice nominated for an Edison Award — the Dutch equivalent of the Grammys.

Looking for fresh inspiration, Emiel and Bart retreated in July 2024 to a house on the peaceful Dutch island of Texel, where they began shaping what would become their sophomore album We Want WAAN, due January 23, 2026.

The third single from the album, Been Blue, sees WAAN team up with Philadelphia-based rapper, vocalist, and producer Taylor C. McLendon — better known as Ivy Sole. A key voice in the global movement of non-binary artists, Ivy Sole brings their signature blend of lyrical depth, poetic cadence, and emotional clarity to the project. The result is a genre-defying fusion of hip-hop, jazz, and electronic textures.

“We made an agreement for the new album,” explains Bart. “Whatever the track needs, we give it. That resulted in strings on some songs, percussion on others — and vocals on this one. The heavy beat of bass and drums, complemented by atmospheric synth layers, felt like the right foundation for a voice. We’ve followed Ivy Sole’s work since Overgrown, and when we reached out, the combination just felt right. The fact that Sole’s voice had recently deepened gave the collaboration a uniquely powerful character. Been Blue became a moment where WAAN and Ivy Sole truly merged.”

That fusion of Sole’s commanding verses with Bart’s swirling sax, Matteo Mazzù’s basslines, Mark Schilders’ tight drums, and the duo’s hypnotic synth work creates a deeply affecting 21st-century hybrid — equal parts jazz, rap, and sonic experimentation. It’s a track that lingers long after it ends.

“Been Blue” is out October 30, 2025, with the full album We Want WAAN arriving January 23, 2026 via Sonar Kollektiv.

https://sonarkollektiv.lnk.to/WeWantWAAN