H31R
Building on a mutual desire to bridge the gap between hip hop and electronic music, H31R (pronounced heir/air) creates an enigmatic but complementary sonic experience that pushes the fickle boundaries of genre. The duo, consisting of producer and composer JWords and Brooklyn rapper/vocalist maassai, both grew up listening to a variety of genres and are using the sounds of their youth to expand on the potential and style of their own music. Their debut ve·loc·i·ty (2020) showcased a speed and grit not heard before in underground music. Its singular amalgamation of hip hop and electronic music, further characterized by flecks of jazz, juke, Jersey club and boom bap, noted a direction in music unbound by the confines of genre. The album’s enigmatic sound paired with a collage of self-affirmations caught wind from the likes of Pitchfork, The Wire, Brooklyn Vegan, Okayplayer, Cabbages and Bandcamp, who called ‘ve·loc·i·ty’ “a marvel of momentum”. Their latest album, HeadSpace (2023), confidently expands their electronic rap vision, featuring wonky, out-of-this-world tracks with a wildly futuristic vibe.
Kabeaushé
The beholder of softness, the embodiment of cuteness known for oozing sass galore on sweaty dancefloors; the dangerously extravagant Kabeaushé. They are crafting a sound of their own, infused with pop sensibilities that go from Prince to Bollywood and Tyler, the Creator. Future or intelligent pop is probably the best way to describe their music, a rare bird in the African music landscape. The show is a hybrid of music and theater, developed for months in Kampala together with a creative team. They like to explore themes of softness and cuteness, making music that is both gentle and highly invigorating with a show aimed to draw the audience into a hypnotic dance frenzy.
Maria Iskariot
Maria Iskariot is the patron saint of questionable behavior. It's semi-mature female punk rock from Belgium. Hopeful hopelessness in noisy verse, chorus, verse. Love for the unloved, figs after Easter, but primarily a genuflection to the sinners. The songs deal with growing up, no longer being able to distinguish between good and bad, being confused by oneself and the conditions of these times. It's about wanting to be different but not knowing how - and ultimately realizing that we ourselves are benevolent assholes.
FIEP
FIEP writes captivating, distinct indie pop anthems that are both outgoing and introspective. Veerle Suzanna Driessen’s songcraft has a distinct ear for great hooks, but also a unique narrative quality. Her music reveals the inward thoughts as frequently as the outward scream: the restlessness, the doubts, the musings and – most of all – the dreams. On stage, Veerle captures these dreams along with her band FIEP into an energetic, powerful and outstanding live performance.
Peuk
A cigarette is something you casually toss aside or crush underfoot after deriving pleasure from it. Short drags, long pulls, deep into your lungs and your brain. Then it's onto the ground, off to chase the next rush. Coincidentally, that's also how you can describe the music of Peuk (Dutch for cigarette). This three piece enjoys laying a layer of tar on your soul and is as addictive to listen to as nicotine. Think Hole, think Pixies, think Sonic Youth, think The Breeders.
Porcelain id
Rwandan artist Porcelain id, aka Hubert Tuyishime, burst onto the scene in 2020 with a unique blend of raw vocals and emotional depth. They effortlessly switch between Dutch and English, crafting lyrics about identity, gender, and racism. Influenced by artists like Destroyer, Bon Iver, and Daniel Johnston, their music has made them a standout talent in Belgium. While their debut ‘Mango’ was a concept EP about queerness, police brutality and identity, follow-up 'Reprise' is an intimate and poetic state of affairs. It's highlight? Vlaanderen, a heartfelt gospel song sung in Porcelain id's Flemish accent and a poignant ode to life's struggles, echoing their own childhood challenges as a black and queer individual. Their debut album Bibi:1 (2024) is an eclectic infusion of inspired folk with raw soul and edgy electronica, and already acclaimed as utterly unique and ahead of its time. The kind of record people later make documentaries about, so make sure to not miss this live.
Knives
After building their sound in their shared house in Bristol, Knives have taken a noisy leap into the UK alternative circuit. They have thrived playing shows alongside flagship punk bands such as Mclusky, CLT DRP, Tokyo Horror, LIFE and Enola Gay. The band invites you to embrace the fury with their explosive EP What We See In Their Eyes (2024). From addressing the ongoing challenge of homophobia and queerbaiting within the music industry, to delving into the core of punk and its accompanying hypocrisy, Knives urges listeners to join them in confronting those they oppose. Fueled by powerful basslines, gritty riffing, and vocalist Jay Schottlander’s unique, venomous shouts reminiscent of a punk town crier, their EP amalgamates elements of post-punk, hardcore, rap and noise into an electrifying blend that sparks most-pit inducing euphoria.
swim school
Swim School absorb influence from a wide range of genres; from 90's grunge to modern indie and dream-pop. Taking inspiration from bands and artists such as Foals, The Cure, Slowdive, Ben Howard and Paolo Nutini. Frontwoman Alice Johnson mentioned in an interview that Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell was her inspiration for being in a band, with Swim School being the "Tesco value" version of that. In our humble opinion, they’re a whole lot more than that. Their newest offering, the EP Making Sense Of It All (2024), is emotionally charged indie pop perfection, that alternates between melancholia and euphoria. With a simmering cover of Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind’.
Mula B
Mula B, also known as the rapper from The Hague, is fiercely ambitious. Not only did he introduce the trap genre to the Netherlands with his own label, Wilde Westen, but his 2016 mixtape 'Drugs&Geld' has attained cult status and is still regarded as influential within the Dutch hip-hop scene. On his latest album 'Narcopop' (2023), he takes a completely different path and breaks all musical boundaries. The album combines trap and hip-hop with influences from pop, rock, and jazz, under a layer of exceptionally sharp lyrics that sometimes catch you off guard. Mula B elevates street life to pure art. No wonder that the album was chosen as the best Dutch hip-hop album of 2023 by Parool and made it into the top 10 album releases worldwide on Spotify.