Flatland Prayer tells stories through the unraveling of American mythos. Blending folk, jazz, bluegrass, indie, and spoken word, their work sits at the intersection of narration and sonic experimentation. Flatland Prayer’s retro-futurist sound is at once innovative and eerily familiar—an exploration of the myths, folklore, and contradictions that shape modern America. Placing collaboration at the center of their artistic practice, the trio has featured artists such as Brad Mehldau and Joris Roelofs. As winners of Keep an Eye: The Records, they have just released their second record, FANATIC.

Flatland Prayer’s work is entirely conceptually driven. Each performance unfolds with the pacing of a film or staged production, weaving improvisation, spoken word, and literary structure into a cohesive arc. Their most recent program, FANATIC, premiered at Bimhuis on January 6th, marking the anniversary of the Capitol riots, with a subsequent performance on the night of Trump’s second inauguration at TivoliVredenburg. The work examines the rise of the American far-right alongside the left’s response to Trump’s re-election, juxtaposing two forms of political fervor within a single artistic frame. Here, Flatland Prayer stands as both interpreter and innovator, dissecting cultural narratives as they create new ones. Their work challenges, provokes, and reframes: a musical inquiry into the stories a nation tells about itself.

Flatland Prayer’s lineup follows their genre-crossing musical approach. Leading from the back of the ensemble, bassist River Adomeit’s songwriting is lyrically poetic yet conversational, blending a wryness and melancholy reminiscent of artists such as Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. Rooted firmly in this folk tradition, Adomeit employs recurring metaphors and motifs to make the personal, universal. Together with vocalist Līva Dumpe and trumpeter Antonio Moreno, the three orchestrate new and old stories with craft and precision.

As an extension of their trio, Flatland Prayer places collaboration at the center of their creative practice. For their 2025 live performances of FANATIC, the group featured acclaimed Dutch bass clarinetist Joris Roelofs, while their Like Staring Straight Into the Sun tour incorporated live visuals by Scandinavian artist Bjørk Semey. Looking ahead, the ensemble continues to approach Flatland Prayer as a collaborative platform, inviting other like-minded voices into their evolving artistic world.