The imaginary suitcase is the one we all carry, the one that contains our secrets, our dead illusions and those that still breathe, and the memories of our fantasized lives.

The Imaginary Suitcase is also the third incarnation of Laurent Leemans, singer and guitarist of Ceilí Moss from 1996 to 2015 and before that singer of the arty-new wave group La Vierge du Chancelier Rolin in the 90s.

Cracker sang "what the world needs now is another folksinger like I need a hole in my head" and they were not wrong, but in 2012, the longing to bring to life some songs that had not found their place in the repertoire of his previous groups ended up winning over the apprehension of becoming the umpteenth silly sod who hoots his moods on two and a half chords and makes you understand what Schopenhauer meant when he spoke of boredom as a metaphysical experience ...

This is how Laurent began to produce music without artifice but rich in intensity, built around a deep, strong and versatile voice (think of the son that Ani DiFranco and Leonard Cohen could have had), at times caressing, at times ominous, at times scratchy, carrying razorsharp lyrics about life, death and the creepy moments in between, posed on deceptively simple chords of acoustic and electric guitars or autoharp with a little percussion to deliver a surprisingly strong, generous and layered sound for a single man.

This project, started as a simple recreation and from which Laurent did not expect much except the selfish pleasure of bringing personal songs to life, has taken on a rather unexpected scale. After cutting its babyteeth in open mics and open stages of the kingdom (strange and unsettling at first to find yourself alone on stage when you've always had half a dozen excellent musicians to lean on!), concerts began to follow, then laudatory articles and enthusiastic comments in the blogosphere, and let's not forget the occasional cooperations with Jean-François Durdu (from Ceilí Moss, Camping Sauvach and Bow), Marc Gunn (from the Brodbingnagian Bards), Jessica Kilroy, Seesayle, Formiga & Cigale, Tiny (from Doosra), Marieke Lightband or Florence Estragues. You could say that TIS has become a bit of a cult band, with an audience that may not be huge in size, but is immense in its affection and loyalty. May they all be thanked!

Shortly after the release of the album The Gods gave you victory today only to make your final defeat more bitter in march 2021, the feeling of having brought all that Laurent could bring in a totally solo formula grew stronger and stronger. Chance or fate then set the singer Janaina Costa (OK Lion) on his path. For a little more than a year now, The Imaginary Suitcase steps on the stage as a duet, with amazing results. The voices of Janaina and Laurent blend and complement each other wonderfully. During the first months of this cooperation, TIS worked a lot of covers (a good way to musically get to know each other), but new 4-handed compositions will soon emerge ...

Since 2012, The Imaginary Suitcase has released nine albums, one live and three singles and played close to 400 concerts all over Belgium and more occasionally (for the moment, hehe ...) in the Netherlands and in the North of France.

To appropriately celebrate the 10th anniversary of TIS' first recording, Laurent has invited a few traveling, playing ... and drinking companions to revisit a few of his classics. The EP Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further is the result, available since the end of November 2022, and includes cooperations with Seesayle, Martin Van de Vrugt, Lady Lullaby, Janaina (obviously) and Laurence Bouvin. An EP that is intended as both a closure and a teaser.

More than ever, to be continued ...