Best Kept Secret 2023 blokkenschema dag 1 - vrijdag 9 juni 2023

Tuareg blues pioneers Tinariwen are as much a movement as a band: always on the move – for better or worse – using their craft as a means to bridge multiple generations and nationalities. Their unmistakable grooves sprung like roots in Mali as a radical new sonic form, fusing traditional folk movements and Western influences melted in unprecedented fashion. Tinariwen live are as urgent as they are a balm for body and spirit.

With The Strokes, Julian Casablancas' livewire energy serves as a steady conductor within the band's repertoire of hits. With his other outfit The Voidz, he gets carte blanche to spread his unique brand of chaos any direction he wishes. That situation makes for volatile live shows that veer from VHS-warped psychedelica to radiant baroque pop. No band on this bill will blend sinister with sweet in such eye-popping fashing as The Voidz, which somehow is the only certainty one can expect.

No band crystallises modern pop culture quite like The 1975. Led by the ever-charismatic Matty Healy, their achingly human anthems razzle and dazzle under a backdrop of new wave, electronic music and synth pop. Healy’s outlandish wit, searching sincerity and flair for dramatics convert even the group’s biggest detractors to devoted fans. And with The 1975’s long-awaited return to Best Kept Secret, we all become part of the band.

Over the past three decades, The Chemical Brothers have simply been inescapable. Imagine ruling a solar system that includes tracks like 'Galvanize' , 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' and 'Block Rockin' Beats' – a sonic playground that's any dancefloor cosmonaut's wet dream. Indeed, The Chemical Brothers will never not be the coolest club colossus around the block, and they have the mind-altering, audiovisual live set to prove it.

Instrumental guitar duo Hermanos Gutiérrez travel through deserted landscapes haunted by drifters, dreamers, travellers, and lost spirits that gravitate towards their music. As two brothers, the combined playing of Alejandro and Estevan feels like an intimate secret language: even at their quietest you can imagine whole cinematic worlds within their sublime compositions. Their magical debut LP 'El Bueno Y El Malo' was produced by none other than Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

Personal Trainer is all your favorite indie acts smashed into one band, led by the always affable frontman Willem Smit. Comparable to James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Smit is both Personal Trainer's bandleader and its biggest music fan in the room. Personal Trainer is love, chaos, unpredictability, and camaraderie. Not to mention hands down the best indie rock outfit in The Netherlands.

Ceci n’est pas un DJ. They’re better than that. In fact, they make the best dance music this side of the Beekse Bergen. At the very beginning of their career Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul already played The Floor (then named Stage Four). A performance that still sends a smile to everyone who was there (looking at you James Murphy). Such an honor to have them back with a – yes – DJ set!

From guitar hero to bedroom producer; Ruban Nielson is not only preposterously talented, he remains a magnetic blend of contradictions. Indeed, no one outside of Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has been as prolific in fusing the sensory power of psychedelic music with the punch of pop and funk. Once again, Unknown Mortal Orchestra brings its vim and vigor to Best Kept Secret.

Some pop artists become more candid and revealing over time. Caroline Polachek seems to go the opposite direction: with each new release since her days performing in Chairlift, her mysticism and magnetism only expands. Hit singles such as “Billions” and “Bunny Is A Rider” are sublime sonic nirvanas to indulge and get lost in. Under the spell of Polachek’s operatic voice, towering stage presence and shapeshifting pop smarts, Best Kept Secret becomes her own private island.

Three days. Three wildly different shows. It is time to colour it in. BKS is proud to present this very special project by one of The Netherlands’ biggest bands. Across our three day infinity, De Staat will perform three separate and unique shows. Each its own colour, its own state of mind, and its own setlist. Three different stages. No song repeats. So strap in, and revel in this opportunity to shed your true colours and commit to Red, Yellow, and Blue. What is it going to be?De Staat – Red It’s the end of the line: waves of Red will absorb you into its swirling mass. No time to think, heads will roll on this dark side of the spectrum. What more have you got left in the tank? Because with this one, De Staat is coming for your energy surplus. What’s that? Look at me!

The range of emotions Silvana Estrada displays is nothing short of a wonder. The Mexican singer-songwriter can be inviting and tender at one moment and make the hairs stand out on the back of your neck the next. Estrada's lauded debut 'Marchita' is an enchanting rollercoaster ride of emotions, exhuming the sweetest desire and the deepest despair, pierced by her poetic, arresting delivery. A natural performer if there ever was one.

Gretel Hänlyn's melodic pop is enriched by her maroon-toned voice, a voice that oozes cool and wisdom beyond her years. With a big co-sign from Mura Masa under her belt, she quickly answered the buzz as today's it-girl of the indieverse with a slew of can't-miss tunes. Gretel's music instills infinite jolts of joy, suspense and intrigue, fully spreading her wings as a commanding storyteller.

Viral rap duo sensation Joey Valence & Brae answer the question: what if the Beastie Boys had been Gen Z-ers? Like any successful hip-hop act, the duo's music draws inspiration from the things they love most. In this case, old-school hip-hop, pop culture and video games. Joey Valence & Brae’s tracks are packed with nerdy references, performed with an infectious flow and enthusiasm.

As Billy Nomates, Tor Maries forges the static and discord of the world into her distinct brand of survival punk, confronting subjects like mental health, class division, small town life and dead end jobs with unflinching honesty. After breaking out with her defiant, bare-bones self-titled album, followup 'CACTI' explores a much broader palette of touchstones, channeling folk, synth pop and indie rock.

Sudan Archives has elevated her status from indie promise to burgeoning star in the blink of an eye in the wake of her breakthrough LP 'Natural Brown Prom Queen'. Brittney Parks proves that you can marry virtuosity and pop fireworks effortlessly: her classically trained violin chops and electric stage hijinks both bring the house down. Her songs cover as much ground as you'd expect: from African folk to mainstream hip-hop.

As one of the most impressive and electrifying performers in Europe, Sylvie Kreusch isn’t shy about sending the emotional pyrokinetics sky high, exhuming all the forbidden passages of heartbreak with a playful curiosity. When you use the burning of Notre Dame as a metaphor for a doomed realitionship, your flair for theatrics speaks for itself. Kreusch is a magnetic stage presence who can wrap any onlooker around her finger.

Portugal-born, Denmark-based producer/songwriter Erika de Casier’s ‘Essentials’ summons the right kind of nostalgia; nimble R&B tunes reminiscent of Aaliyah, Sade and Brandy, updated with a contemporary flair. Upon the album’s release, De Casier became a word-of-mouth pop sensation, drawing praise from Dua Lipa and spawning a Twitter stan account. Her excellent follow-up ‘Sensational’ weaves quick-witted plot lines of botched dates and dodgy liaisons.

Whether he spins behind the booth or behind the scenes, South African DJ Shimza's mission is to open doors; whether it's between types of people or types of music. His dazzling DJ sets are consistently the stuff of legend, showcasing an outstanding ability to seamlessly cut, loop and fuse across genres and styles. A fun loving soul who dips from dancefloors into philanthropy with that same carefree joy.

The nightlife isn't just about escaping; some club music intersects cultural expression and collective momevent in more spiritual ways. Few artists symbolize this idea better than Rotterdam-based producer Philou Louzolo, who weaves vital new threads between ancestral African sounds and the trailblazing mindset of the present. His groundbreaking album 'African Gold' offers newfangled house and techno cuts with joy and creativity in spades.

From day one St. Paul has been and still is the dedicated host of The Floor. Inviting all the guest DJ’s and artists. Writing their bio’s. Making them peanut butter sandwiches. Playing before, in between and after. But most of all fulfilling his mission in life; showing that there is only one style of music that truly matters. Good music.

It is an incredible achievement how Jungle By Night is maintaining their status as premier festival act. No matter the crowd, they’ll make them dance. So. Start making sense. Time to invite percussionist Tienson and keyboardist Pyke for a hyper kinetic DJ set that will no doubt reflect their journey as a group, from those organic funk, afro and jazz grooves to a more electronic sound. No hammock needed on this Odyssey!

As young as she is, Maey has more soul than many so-called arrived DJ’s. The quiet presence of this talented producer and selector suits her sets of organic hip hop & supreme R&B. When Maey is behind the decks, Little Simz, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, BXKS and The Streets become one. Check her on Operator, marvel at her own productions, and make sure you’re right there on the dancefloor.

Ghent-based duo Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul 's 2022 masterpiece Topical Dancer is proof that activism and floor filling fun don't have to be mutually exclusive. Brain-teasing club bangers, strip-strutting electro funk, plus a viral hit that glitches out Adigéry's hysterical laughter: the inventive ways this duo sweeps crowds off their feet are both endless and endlessly entertaining.

Never in the spotlight. Always behind the scenes. These two music obsessives are comforting mainstays in an ever changing pop cultural landscape. Ferry is head honcho of Excelsior Recordings. And Gijsbert, a journalist for De Volkskrant. Both with a no nonsense attitude, and both with an ear for beauty. Luckily for us, the one part of the body that keeps on growing. Expect an hour of Teenage Kicks and Supersonic Britpop.

God is a DJ, female and arrives on a bike. Fleur du Bonheur has got it all covered. The Tilburg resident is as much a DJ as she is a selector. Somewhere in between disco, house and organic grooves she finds her shtick. And her vinyl. One nation under a groove. Or as she would have it herself: bringing vibes to dance fleurs!

The Floor is incredibly psyched to have Terr. The Berlin-via-Brazil DJ and producer has made some of the best post-pandemic ravey disco tunes out there. This Is Only For Tonight is a first rate banger that unites indie kids as much as clubheads on the dancefloor. Made for Best Kept Secret, made for The Floor. She will be playing directly after her personal heroes, The Chemical Brothers.

Riptide is as much in love with synthpop as synthpop is with Riptide. Stemming from the glory days of the electroclash movement, he floats comfortably in the open space between disco, pop and indie. Always with a quirky, novelty feel. His remix for Rocket To Uranus has reached a cult status, but it’s his current edits of artists like Froukje, Jackie Moore and Personal Trainer that shows his full blossoming potential.

The Job & Fred Band is Fred Tratlehner (De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig) and Job de Jong, two souls eager to explore to tragi-comedic side of life. Marrying their own flippant roots in Dutch pop with Britpop-stylings, the Job & Fred Band write songs that make listeners bawl and bust a gut in equal measure. Someone had to invent Dutch-sung cry-on-your-shoulder-and-let-it-all-out pop sooner or later, right?

Melbourne-based outfit Glass Beams named their debut LP 'Mirage', which makes a ton of sense. Watching three mysterious golden masked musicians churn out strangely alluring psych rock jams does indeed have the quality of some surreal fever dream. Their inventive mix of Indian disco, kraut rock, jazz and raga funk can sound both floor-filling and utterly hypnotic. The choice to either move your feet or let your mind swirl into Glass Beam's mesmeric grooves is what you call a win-win.

Irish DIY punks M(h)aol (pronounced "male") are as much a social experiment as they are a sonic experiment. The group's breakthrough album 'Attachment Styles' addresses subjects like gender, relationships and trauma with exuberence and urgency. Their chaotic music sprawls over into the visual and cinematic, with songs often taking surprising left turns. Group therapy in the shape of a kickass band, what more do you want?

The ultra-catchy, razor-sharp indie-punk of Wodan Boys strikes like a gigantic lightning bolt up your behind. When the world is on fire, the whole plug-and-play mentality seems to be the most sensible reaction by Pavlov's law. The band seem to agree: "We're not vegan, didn't have a hard childhood, and yet we're fully aware we're all on the same sinking ship." That's what you call a statement!

Brash, catchy and slightly risque, New York City's cumgirl8 write synth punk bangers that explore the space between romance, masochism, pleasure, narcissism, and the balance of how much we give and take in our relationships. A range of electroclash thrill rides that serves you the right mix between imminent danger and ultimate freedom – exactly the kind of band you cherish from the starting gun.

A trailblazing figure in Dutch radio and media, Vincent Reinders – affectionately known in music circles as Venz – has many fingers plunged in the proverbial pie. The marks Venz made both globally and locally make for a daunting headcount; his now-defunct platform 22Tracks was a hot selector for the best club sounds, being ahead of the curve in the advent of curated radio. His own Club RadioRadio has branched out into different avenues too, including a radio station RadioRadioFM. It goes without saying: we are fans of Venz.

Being a drummer, Yòp is naturally intrigued by driving and hypnotic sounds, with a focus towards the left field and rhythmic spectrum of dance music. Surfing through the outer limits of soul, blues, jazz, experimental electronics, house, acid, EBM and percussion, he's always searching for that sweet trance-like state. A sonic soul search for fun in the darker places.

No genre immediately feels as tingly and exciting as Amapiano, an ocean-deep house variant that’s laced with subtle Afrobeat influences from Johannesburg. It’s become its own world with its own distinct affluence of producers, DJs, dancers, kings and queens. The undisputed high priestess of Amapiano, however, is Unruly Phoenix, who has long reigned supreme at underground romps in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, sharing the decks with godfather Waxfiend and unleashing her own unique productions within the scene.

A hard-to-pin-down musical mind, Monty DJ continuously transforms his musical vision. While releasing more playful sounds via his label Flippen Disks, his DJ-Sets move between sounds from all over the place: synth-wave, digi-dub, fractured electronics, oddball pop, various shades of modern house and techno, you name it. Monty DJ is in deep with radio station RRFM and Amsterdam night club Radio Radio for good reason; an authority in club culture if there ever was one.

Starting off playing bass and studying classical music, Retromigration branched out as a scene-stealing alchemist of jazz, hip-hop and house music. This fast-rising German-born, Dutch-based producer and DJ has been carving out a name for himself in the last year by producing his signature raw sound, informed by his Nigerian and Ghanaian roots. In his relatively short career, Retromigration already made waves with releases on some of the hottest labels and platforms.