DAAU

The Profile

DAAU (Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung) is a Belgian ensemble from Antwerp, formed in 1992, built around violin, cello, clarinet and accordion. Their music fuses classical technique with klezmer, jazz, rock energy and electronic touches. Named after a passage in Herman Hesse’s Steppenwolf, they issued their self‑titled debut in 1994 and expanded their palette on We Need New Animals (Sony Classical, 1998), later returning to an all‑instrumental, high‑impact sextet on Domestic Wildlife.

Antwerp-based, instrumental core of violin/cello/clarinet/accordion; name taken from Hesse’s Steppenwolf. Covered dEUS’s “Suds & Soda” as a b‑side. We Need New Animals (1998, Sony Classical) introduced electronics and drums; Domestic Wildlife features the group as a sextet with added double bass and drums. Their style spans classical, klezmer, jazz, reggae/dub, electronics and rock.

Belgium’s DAAU fuse classical instrumentation (violin, cello, clarinet, accordion) with klezmer, jazz, reggae/dub, electronics and rock intent. Reviews celebrate their instrumental power, from the sextet punch of Domestic Wildlife to the genre-hopping flair of Tub Gurnard Goodness. We Need New Animals marks their Sony Classical era and the introduction of electronics and drums. Their name comes from Hesse’s Steppenwolf, and their dEUS “Suds & Soda” cover is a touchstone.