Jozef van Wissem (NL)

Jozef Van Wissem is an avant-garde composer and lutenist who plays a unique, entirely black Baroque lute. His timeless music is often described as hypnotic, minimalist, and hauntingly atmospheric, combining beauty with a dark, meditative quality. His lyrics have a mythical, Christian character, exploring themes such as love, faith, and the afterlife, often with a repetitive, mantra-like quality. He builds a bridge between classical traditions and modern sounds such as drones, electronics, field recordings, and vocals. “The lute is like a part of my body,” Jozef Van Wissem says of his relationship with his instrument. “It’s the complexity of the instrument that drives me, because there is always something new to discover.” The Quietus has called him “probably the most famous lutenist in the world.”