The musical universe of HAEVN brings together the contrasts of singer Marijn van der Meer and composer Jorrit Kleijnen. The Amsterdam-based duo found solace in music and shares this gift with the world through their cinematic, emotional sound, which thrives on the dynamic between Marijn’s rural tranquility and Jorrit’s urban energy.

There are moments when music is more than just a melody. It is a feeling, a refuge. In 2021, in a world that suddenly came to a standstill, HAEVN found a way to capture precisely this feeling. The result is “Up Close,” a concert experience created not for the grand hall, but for the soul.

When the pandemic forced them to take a break, they turned the silence into creativity. They created a space where their music could exist in its purest form—without the noise of the world, without applause, just for the moment.

For “Up Close,” HAEVN arranged their songs specifically to be accompanied by live strings and a choir. The strings lent the music a special depth, while the choir created moments of beauty with its harmonies. In this intimate setting, surrounded by warm light, a concert film was created that focused on closeness. The camera work was deliberately used: with changing perspectives, it not only captured the action, but also focused on the artists and created the feeling of sitting in the same room with them.

The sound has now been reworked for this Blu-ray release: the new immersive mix in Dolby Atmos was a conscious decision to make the intimacy of this moment even more accessible, tangible, and immersive. The listener is transported directly into the center of the music, into a three-dimensional experience where melodies and sounds come from all sides and you can let yourself be embraced by the music.

“Up Close” is HAEVN’s response to a time of distance: a work that creates closeness and proves that music can give a feeling of connection even in the greatest silence.