Wim Labat, the creative force behind the artist name Blackbird Motion, hails from Oostkamp, Belgium. His musical identity is closely tied to his roots, even reflected in the town’s coat of arms, which features six blackbirds.

From an early age, Wim developed a deep passion for music. His tastes evolved from dance and house toward a broad and lasting love for folk music, later expanding into Americana, blues, funk, soul, and early jazz. An extensive collection of CDs and LPs continues to fuel both his inspiration and listening pleasure.

Alongside his career as an IT specialist, Wim spent years experimenting with music creation on the computer. This led to two early albums, Moving On (2002) and Dreamscapes (2013), which were self-released among friends. These projects were largely built around cutting and pasting samples.

A few years ago, Wim consciously chose a new direction. Investing in a keyboard and professional music software, he immersed himself in the craft of composition and production. Writing music and learning the technical side of production became a parallel journey, shaping a more personal and hands-on creative process.

That long-term evolution now comes together in his new album, Ground Breaking, set for release soon. The title reflects both Wim’s own transformative journey and the idea of shifting ground beneath one’s feet, a metaphor for moments of change in life. The album features ten tracks, including pieces inspired by the NASA DART mission (Didymos), the heat dome phenomenon (Heat Dome), and the N50, the lifeline of Oostkamp. Musically, Ground Breaking moves through ambient, relaxation, cinematic, and electronic soundscapes, inviting the listener into an immersive and reflective world.