DAAU

Career

DAAU debuted in 1994 with a self-titled acoustic album on the label Jack&Johnny, which also released early material by Zita Swoon and dEUS. The band recorded a version of dEUS's cult hit "Suds & Soda". In 1996 Sony Classical signed the group, re-released the debut, and issued the follow-up We Need New Animals in 1998, recorded in the Spanish village Ronda and introducing vocals, electronics, drums, and guitar. The band supported 16 Horsepower on a European tour. Low sales led Sony to move the group to Columbia Records, which released Life Transmission in 2001 before dropping them later that year. Despite modest sales, DAAU had small radio hits and toured extensively in the Benelux, playing large crowds at Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop. In 2002 the band founded its own label Radical Duke and released an EP of music composed for the dance play Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain, also known as Colours, followed by a compilation Ghost Tracks. Two years later DAAU returned to an acoustic approach with Tub Gurnard Goodness, which included a cover of Radiohead's "2+2=5". On tour the group expanded to a sextet with a new rhythm section. The album was released in Europe, and the band played concerts in Germany, Czech Republic, and France with electro dub crew Ez3kiel, appearing at Hungary's Sziget festival and Denmark's Roskilde Festival. In 2006 the sextet released Domestic Wildlife, after which bassist Fré Madou left. The Shepherd's Dream followed in 2010 as a quartet. In 2011 Simon Lenski composed and recorded the soundtrack for the short film Motor by Dutch filmmaker Simone Bennett, for which a special electric twelve-string violin was built by experimental luthier Yuri Landman. DAAU received a Magritte Award nomination for Best Original Score for their work on Last Winter.