Meet Apollo dazzles us in their enlightening new single, ‘Awaken’!

It isn’t too often that you come across a track that has the power to embed itself within your consciousness so powerfully. This track sounds like something you’d imagine hearing in your dream state. ‘Awaken’ is an intimate, ethereal jazz-soul composition that makes you want to gently pinch yourself and remind yourself that what you’re hearing is real!

Meet Apollo moves between jazz, soul and R&B. Formed in 2023 by musicians Daniël Daemen and Pleun van Dieren, the group was inspired by the intimate, acoustic atmosphere of the Tiny Desk Concerts and by a long-held wish to write and share their own music with fellow musicians who wanted to join the journey. ‘Awaken’ marks their second release after ‘Wat Je Met Me Doet’.

‘Awaken’ opens with soft piano notes & Pleun’s tender vocals singing, “I’ve been awakened, I’m awake in all my dreams, all my dreams have awakened me, and all I’m taking, is my dream’s melodies, all my dreams have been taking me…”

We’re left awe-struck with the depth and meaning of her words paired with a softly building soundscape. It hits you like a soft, fragrant spring breeze; her words and the delicate instrumentation caress you soulfully.

Standing tall at over 5 mins runtime, ‘Awaken’ is a track that makes you lose track of time and space. Somewhere around the halfway point (we had to open our eyes to check!), we’re treated to an ever-so-slight change in tone, tempo and instrumentation. We love how the group seamlessly moves from one gorgeous arrangement to the next.

It speaks volumes to Apollo’s meticulous production and recording process. Daniel Daemen confesses, “The recording process for Awaken was a blend of spontaneity and precision. Most of the music was recorded live in one day, capturing the band’s natural energy and interplay. The saxophones were added the next morning with multiple melodic layers. The vocals were recorded later in my home studio, surrounded, as written before, by the quiet of the countryside. For the faster phrases in the bridge, we used vocal alignment to keep the phrasing tight while maintaining a human feel. Our pianist re-recorded his part at home after he heard my vocal tracks on an upright piano with exactly the warm, intimate tone the song needed. The mixing process was a collaboration between me and producer Dave Menkehorst.”

Ultimately, ‘Awaken’ is part blessing, part heartfelt affirmation of all the essentials in this life. To quote a saying from ‘The Little Prince, ‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye’

Meet Apollo are crafting sublime, soul-awakening soundscapes, timely reminders to us all to quietly shift our awareness within and discover an infinite reserve of love, light and peace.

We feel truly blessed to have had the privilege to listen to this beautiful piece of music. We hope it brightens your day just as much as it did ours.

Stream ‘Meet Apollo – Awaken’ on Spotify here: