Nienke Leone
Fred Gata
Fred Gata sits somewhere between soul and hip-hop, warm tea and a smoky Sunday night. His voice pulls you in, his lyrics make you stay. Since casually bagging both the jury and audience prizes at Sound Track 2023, he’s been sharing stages with big names and giving the spotlight to new ones. No smoke machines or over-rehearsed moves, just presence, straight-up honesty, and the kind of energy that speaks for itself. Fred makes space for feeling, for dancing, and occasionally, for just the right amount of chaos.
Hiltje
Hiltje blends emotion, melody, and a healthy dose of weird into something strangely irresistible. He broke out with the jerseyclub banger Iedereen Is Onzeker - an anthem for overthinkers who still love a good dancefloor - and kept the momentum going with the genre-bending EPs Hillside and his latest, Brokken Piloot. Mixing raw trap with dreamy pop, Hiltje lays it all out: loneliness, growth, and trying to figure it all out (like the rest of us).
Niels Orens
Niels Orens is an electronic music producer with a knack for blending acoustic and electronic textures into a soundscape that feels deeply human. With deep basslines, warm cello harmonies, and a classical heart beating beneath rich electronic layers, Orens invites you into a sonic world where emotion takes the lead. His introspective yet dynamic live sets blur the lines between acoustic and electronic, calm and chaos. Following the release of his 2024 EP s/low nights, Orens continues to carve out space for reflection in a fast-paced scene. Fresh from collaborations with Max Cooper and performances across Europe, his AV live show will be featured at Hit The City.
Violent Magic Orchestra
Violent Magic Orchestra (VMO) is the ultimate extreme visual art music project where techno, black metal, industrial, and noise converge into a blinding spectacle of sound and light. Imagine black metal meets Kraftwerk, or a blackened Aphex Twin, VMO is both and beyond. Known for their ferocious energy and staggering power consumption VMO delivers an electrifying audiovisual experience like no other. Their past collaborators include members of The Body, Sunn O))) and Mayhem, with releases on labels like Deathwish’s Throatruiner and Never Sleep (Gabber Eleganza). From Berghain to Roadburn, DARK Mofo to CTM, and now Hit The City. Brace yourself as the doors of the DEATH RAVE swing open
Combi Magnetron
Combi Magnetron is made up of four dry-humored friends and, like the name suggests, a combo microwave that loves hurling bapao buns and noise at your head. With a raw mix of grind, mincecore, and absurd humor, their music is as chaotic as it is fun. Think of it as a one-of-a-kind cooking show where the drummer suddenly dives into the crowd and steamed buns go flying. Definitely something you’ve got to experience at least once.
Waterschade
Waterschade is a young punk band from Haarlem, fusing raw hardcore energy with riot grrrl attitude. Their live shows are pure, unfiltered chaos with blistering riffs, pounding basslines and relentless screams. Here to make you move, but they’re not afraid to speak out, tackling sexism, racism and everyday struggles head-on in their lyrics.
High Hi
Emerging from Belgium's fertile underground with the quiet assurance of those who know exactly what they're doing, this trio has methodically carved out a space where atmospheric experimentation and razor-sharp pop sensibilities coexist in perfect equilibrium. The Antwerp-based trio debuted with a dreamy, shoegaze-infused style that evolved across releases into a nuanced balance of introspection and accessible hooks.
Julia Adriana
What started in a student room in Rotterdam with just an acoustic guitar has grown into a warm blend of indie, pop and folk. Inspired by artists ranging from Joni Mitchell and The Eagles to Dutch legends BLØF, singer-songwriter Julia Adriana crafts songs filled with melancholy tones and enchanting harmonies. Her single Where R U Now was featured in Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist in both the Netherlands and Belgium. Her new EP Homemade Love is coming soon, and you can experience it live at Hit The City!
Casey MQ
Casey MQ mixes pop sensibility with classical training and a sharp ear for electronic production. After releasing his debut album babycasey in 2020, he’s collaborated with artists like Oklou, Eartheater, and Shygirl, and co-founded the queer virtual club Club Quarantine during lockdown. His latest record Later that day, the day before, or the day before explores memory and identity through rich, genre-blending songwriting. Expect a live show that’s honest, layered, and full of unexpected turns.