Pukkelpop 2024 blokkenschema dag 4 - zondag 18 augustus 2024

Hang Youth is unanimously known as Holland's most important band. They radicalised an entire generation of kids and became the voice of a protest generation. They blocked the A12 motorway, played both Pinkpop and Lowlands, sat in on all those silly talk shows, kicked up a fuss and stole hearts. Now Abel, Kaj, Ben and Nout are banging on, angrier than ever.

In hardcore, the pit can be performative– clapping replaced by stage dives, cheers replaced by back-kicks or circle pitting. But you can always tell the difference between going through the motions and truly visceral emotion, especially while watching a band of Jesus Piece’s pedigree. In a recent NYC appearance, the quintet turned a typically indie live room into awarzone complete with humans as step stools, railings and wall-mounted tables as diving boards, and missiles created from anything not nailed down, including the disco ball.  “The number one thing is the live performance,” says drummer Luis Aponte regarding JP’s venomous live reputation. “You can be in the studio and make that record sound insane but if you’re not giving that same energy, that same feeling when you play live, it just doesn’t matter.”It all comes from a near shamanistic quality in the band, where frontman Aaron Heard uses a manic, livewire vocal delivery ala Busta Rhymes to the orchestrate the crowd’s kinetic energy— pushing further toward utter mayhem and culminating in a show that stands tall among their genre peers and live music writ large. Jesus Piece is a live phenomenon, only possibly held back by a heretofore limited recorded output. Their time has come with So Unknown, the new and second Jesus Piece LP, the follow-up to their white-hot Only Self.So Unknown is their Century Media debut and broadcasts what fans already knew– Jesus Piece is a fully articulated armored vehicle of metallic-hardcore obliteration. Invoking all of the swinging groove of Chaos A.D. / Roots-era Sepultura, the weapons-grade precision of Godflesh and the terror-inducing start-stop rhythms of Meantime-era Helmet, fans have finally ascended to the apex of metal and hardcore– a mix of complex instrumentation that is unafraid to make room for a simple groove. JP has created an effort that never fails to impress, gets to the point and never gets in its own way. And much like their live show, their patented mid-tempo sound is only a jumping off point to chaos- ably utilizing half-speed breakdowns, left-turns into riffage at breakneck speed and moody ambient atmosphere effectively.So Unknown is a cluster bomb of ten hate anthems bursting at the seams with memorable riffs and pulsing with fresh ideas. The record wastes no time from the starting gun, kicking off with a roar from Heard. From there, album highlights like “Gates of Horn” infuse in industrial ambiance juxtaposed against start-stop rhythms that recall classic Ministry, breathing and blasting before merging towards a terrifying, swinging groove. “Tunnel Vision” begins with an atonal riff straight out of the black metal playbook before settling into a piledriving double-kick section and then into a half-speed wrecking ball. “Silver Lining” begins almost deceptively clean with an eerie Coil-esque atmosphere into a minor scale riff, followed byanother mid-tempo steamroller before opening back up into relative calm. “FTBS” is all groove though, a neck-snapping crowd killer that slithers and bangs with notes of Meshuggah until it slows towards a crawl for its final death march.Co-produced and mixed by Randy LeBouef (Every Time I Die, Orthodox) and clocking in at a lean and mean 28 minutes, So Unknown documents the lives of the bands’ five members as they step into life’s abyss and react to the changes. “The making of the record was nothing short of all-consuming. It was an intense and challenging process,” recalls Aponte. “The record reflects a lot of confusion, but also, evolution. There was a lot of uncertainty and emotion during the pandemic– we all changed and grew so much. So if there is a single thought or concept to the record, it’s constant metamorphosis. That’s also how we operated as a band on this LP– spending a lot of time songwriting and fleshing things out as a unit, and then upping our game from there. It’s definitely a reflection of us as more mature, playing the best we’ve ever played and feeling like a real band for the first time.”Jesus Piece is composed of vocalist Aaron Heard, guitarists David Updike and John Distefano, and drummer Luis Aponte. Formed in Philadelphia in 2015, the band released a trio of EPs (the S/T EP, 3 Song Tape and the Malice at the Palace split) before delivering their massive 2018 debut LP for Southern Lord Records, Only Self. The release stood head and shoulders over much of the hardcore and metal crowd, with a diversity that can be credited to the unique approach and chemistry between the members. Hell, even their name bypasses typical hardcore naming conventions and instead originates from a piece of jewelry loved by the hip hop crowd. “It’s been the same five guys from the start,” says drummer Luis Aponte. “That’s extremely rare for any band and it says a lot about us as we’ve been able to progress together. We all have our own lives, our own backgrounds and our own individual style. I think that informs the music that we’ve made from the beginning tonow.”Even with a triumphant new LP in pocket, Aponte is quick to come back to Jesus Piece’s core competency when it comes to the release, and how they work well with one another. “A big goal on ‘So Unknown’ outside of songwriting and technical goals was to capture the same energy on record that we have live- for people to get that sense of urgency and danger.” explains Aponte. “I think that LeBeouf captured that with everything on the record, from Aaron’s vocals to the dynamics and the overall tone. This is as close to a Jesus Piece experience as you’re going to get without standing in front of us.”

Hot Milk are an emo power-pop duel fronted band from Manchester, England. Jim and Han met in a bar in the Northern Quarter in 2016, became fast friends and have lived together ever since. What started over a bottle of wine and an acoustic guitar in their living room, whilst it pissed it down outside, quickly became their vice and way to survive through everyday life. The Manchester weather coupled with their persistent desire to fill a meaning-shaped hole meant that one song quickly turned into fifteen after running home from work during lunch breaks and staying up all night.Singing sad songs with happy melodies, Hot Milk are a celebration of the real. With Fun, Family and Kindness at the forefront of their minds, Hot Milk hope to create an open and warm sphere where everyone is invited.

Motionless In White harnessed the power of an unholy union between industrial metal dissonance, spellbinding gothic pop bombast, and big screen-worthy iconography to emerge as 21stcentury rock’s most iconoclastic and cinematic force. Climbing out of the shadows of the rustbelt in Scranton, PA, the group have tirelessly earned the undying allegiance of a devout worldwide audience one record at a time. With over half-a-billion cumulative streams and views to date, they have notched three consecutive Top 5 debuts on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums Chart and Top Rock Albums Chart with Reincarnate [2014], Graveyard Shift [2017], and Disguise [2019]. The latter spawned the inescapable “Another Life,” which tallied over 100 million streams and counting. Not to mention, Jonathan Davis of Korn, Maria Brink of In This Moment, and Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth have welcomed the opportunity to collaborate. After countless sold-out gigs and festivals, they co-headlined the Trinity Of Terror Tour, selling out venues coast-to-coast. However, everything set the stage for their 2022 opus, Scoring The End of the World. Right out of the gate, the single “Cyberhex” trended Top 10 on YouTube, while the follow-up “Masterpiece” lit up streaming platforms. With guests as diverse Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose, Caleb Shomo of Beartooth, and video game composer Mick Gordon, the album finds the group’s vision magnified wider than ever before with no shortage of teeth, fire, and blood. It’s the dawn of their biggest chapter yet. Motionless In White are Chris Motionless [Vocals], Ricky Olson [Guitar], Ryan Sitkowski [Guitar], Vinny Mauro [Drums], and Justin Morrow [Bass].

Lilihell is a Brussels-based DJ that loves exploring genres across the club music spectrum: from UKG, breakbeat, dance and rave, to hard-hitting bass, vibrant ghettohouse and rapid-fire edits; as long as it’s fun and clubby. She isn’t afraid to take the crowd from recognisable electronic sounds into the darker shades of the leftfield universe, without leaving hints of her formative years in hiphop behind.She's played at all kinds of stages, from underground basements to the big festivals. Her regular shows on Kiosk Radio (Brussels) and guest mixes on ISO Radio (Toronto) and Rinse France (Paris) prove that she has a versatile taste and a strong love for the higher BPM ranges. Lilihell's high-energy mixes heat up the room quickly and make it impossible to sit still.

Odymel is a DJ and producer based in Brussels. His mix of House, Techno, Trance, and Eurodance has made his project explode since he started in the early summer of 2023. His real passion is for melodies and rhythms that can grab and take the crowd into a wild rave experience. Understanding how to get the crowd going, Odymel's tracks aim to create an exciting atmosphere that makes people want to dance until morning. With his eclectic sets, he skillfully navigates through various genres, often surprising audiences and taking them somewhere they didn't expect.

Meet Pegassi, the persona of Sam Huybrecht, hailing from the vibrant city of Antwerp, Belgium. Pegassi’s journey took a meteoric rise when his remix of ‘No Type’ skyrocketed to the #1 spot on Soundcloud’s global charts. His music defies boundaries, seamlessly fusing elements of techno, trance, house & hip-hop, earning support of industry legends including Anetha, Patrick Mason, TRYM,VTSS, Bad Boombox, BLK., Joyhauser, Airod, DJ Boring.... Pegassi graced iconic events like Intercell, Modul’air and Die Rakete. His club anthem ‘Yoyoyo’ transcended genres, receiving support from heavyweights like Solomun and Joris Voorn. With plenty of new music in the works, Pegassi is still just getting started.

Transmitting the glossy textures of techno, trance and experimental music, Anetha whips up bouncy basslines, stomping kickdrums, glorious melodies and a sprinkling of melancholic motifs, gracing clubs and festivals worldwide. Since breaking out on the Parisian scene in 2012, the Bordeaux-based artist has garnered a global audience, delivering lush and luminous sounds with attention to detail, nimble mixing and absolute focus — as one would expect from an artist with an architectural background.2024 marks the release of Anetha’s album on Mama told ya, welding a palette of post-club, techno, nu-wave, rave, and DnB and exploring themes of sustainability, femininity, toxic masculinity and unwarranted opinions in the music industry. In true Anetha style, she conveys these subjects with playfulness and a touch of irony.Several releases colour Anetha’s discography, from her debut EP ‘Ophiuchus’ on Work Them in 2015 to music on her own label, Mama told ya. Launched in 2019, the label platforms rising stars through its catalogue and showcases worldwide.On Anetha’s new label Fané.e, every release follows a seasonal schedule, where tracks will be available to download and stream for a finite period until blossoming once more the following season. The label aims to share genre-fluid productions without the restrictions of a vinyl-led imprint and to cultivate a more environmentally friendly way to consume music.In 2020, Anetha launched the talent agency Mama loves ya to sustainably nurture emerging artists. Actions include implementing eco-riders and publishing an open calendar, helping promoters minimise travel distance between bookings. MLY also works with Greenly to help offset, reduce, and compensate for the agency’s carbon footprint.Born in Bordeaux to nu-wave and electroclash-inclined parents, Anetha later moved to London and then Paris, where shegraduated in architecture. There, she co-founded the Blocaus label and party series, honing her skills as a DJ and producer.A decade later, Anetha is a fully established artist, blurring the lines between art, music, and fashion through her artistry and relationships with designers Marine Serre and Rombaut. If anyone can do it all with poise, it’s Anetha.

Patrick Mason's fierce approach to his life, music and art has helped burn his name into the hearts of all who have caught Berlin’s ‘Techno Extravaganza’ in action. His unrelenting energy, lethal selections and spectacular poses slay crowds and re-purpose the role of DJ — reminding everyone that clubs are for dancingBlending Hypersonics, Hyperactivity and Hyperreality into a singular dimension Patrick Mason is kicking in the fourth wall and closing the divide between dancefloor and DJ booth. All singing all dancing DJ’s? Why not? Isn’t DJing a performance art? The Belleville 3 we’re making music for school dances and Detroit’s future, one doesn’t exclude the other — but fuck history, the future is now and Patrick Mason is riding it like a bitch.Born cutting shapes on the dance floor at Berghain, graduating to ripping the roof off Panorama Bar, Patrick is now burning up clubs from Buenos Aires to Ibiza, leaving clubbers hypnotized. Whether tearing up Awakenings, DC-10, Amnesia, Fuse, Printworks or Tomorrowland with his hybrid sets of techno and house (as seen on Arte Concerts, HÖR and UWS/UNITED WE STREAM) Patrick Mason has designs on your feet, your nights and the future of clubbing.Patrick, who studied graphic design, art direction and fashion design already exhibited his second year semester fashion collection at Berghain and is fast becoming a bona fide fashion icon himself: and he’s not just a pretty face having collaborated on projects with a growing number of partners including Masion Margiela and cult footwear designers, Trippen. In 2020 Patrick became the first out of house creative designer given complete control at Ray Ban, where he reinvented their State Street frame, designed the unique case and packaging, overhauled the marketing and took the superbrand into the luxury segment of the market for the first time. The frames and their Alien egg inspired ‘purse’ sold out in Dover Street Market, London, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo within the first week of launch.Born to a green-eyed Bavarian mother and African American GI father, in a conservative corner of Bavaria, Patrick has spent much of his life subverting perceptions of black masculinity and finds creative empathy with musical coevals Yves Tumor, Mykki Blanco and Frank Ocean — as can be seen in ‘Black on Black‘ a techno-gothic hybrid short film directed by Sergei Rostropovich (Elliot Sumner, Red Axes) the twisted, vac-bed isolation film now seems like a nightmare premonition of life during lockdown.

Indira Paganotto was born in 1992 and is at the moment one of Spain's most iconic and  recognisable artists. Indira has had the most eclectic musical upbringing. Her father, a DJ  in the 80's, was her educator and his collection of disco, jazz, acid house and goa music  was the perfect library for the girl from Madrid. Her sets are full of elegance and effusive  danceability, with a quality selection that brings us from 90's disco to the most current underground techno music. Wherever or whenever, her style is energetic, regardless of  whether it is hard or soft. This energetic eclecticism has become her signature trait,  together with a constant smile! In the last 12 months, Indira’s rise has been unstoppable: from headlining all major clubs  and events, such as Awakenings, Tomorrowland, Circoloco, Amnesia Ibiza, EXIT festival, Pacha Barcelona, Shelter Amsterdam, Fabric London, EDC Las Vegas, Thuishaven, Bar Americas, Nordstern, Cavo Paradiso, DC-10, and many others, Indira’s become a well known name across the globe. With a big support from Charlotte de Witte, Indira has  performed at her KNTXT events globally: Europe, North America, South America.. Often combining very diverse sounds, Indira impeccably manages to capture the  audience’s attention. Her trademark, psy-trance mixed with techno, has nowadays become a synonym for her. In March 2023 she released a collaboration with Nina Kraviz, ‘white horse’, on Nina’s Trip  label. Having launched her own label in June 2022, ARTCORE, there is a busy release  schedule ahead: after the first Guns and Horses, with the next one coming in June 2023. Indira’s future is as bright as her smile: with her energy, her dedication to work and her  flawless skills, she will never let the audience leave feeling indifferently - she is there to make a statement. Wether it’s a 15k capacity mega-venue, an open air festival or a dusty underground club, rest assured she’ll conquer it. 

Geboren en opgegroeid in Limburg, maar tegenwoordig een gevestigde naam in Antwerpen. Faisal is een DJ en producer met Marokkaanse roots. Zijn passie voor muziek werd aangewakkerd door zijn vader, die in de jaren '70 zelf DJ was. Faisal is al jarenlang een vaste waarde op het hoogste niveau. Sinds zijn opkomst rond 2010 draait hij in de beste clubs en op de grootste festivals van de Lage Landen. Hij heeft al verschillende prijzen gewonnen, waaronder de Red Bull Elektropedia Awards voor ‘Best DJ’ en ‘Best Radio’ in zowel 2016 als 2017. Faisal staat vooral bekend om zijn genre-overstijgende sets en brede scala aan invloeden. Zijn verfrissende edits worden wereldwijd door DJ’s gedeeld. Daarnaast organiseert hij zijn eigen evenement FAISAL SELECTS, dat steevast uitverkocht is. Hier nodigt hij verassende dj’s uit binnen- en buitenland en host hij podia op diverse festivals. Naast zijn werk als DJ is Faisal ook een getalenteerde producer. Hij heeft al enkele eigen edits en tracks uitgebracht, waaronder ‘Some Time Alone’ met Glints. Daarnaast co-produceerde hij Sef’s ‘Ik Zou Voor Veel Kunnen Sterven Maar Niet Voor Een Vlag’, dat zowel de Edison voor Beste Album als de 3VOOR12 Award voor beste album van 2023 won. Recent produceerde hij het IJLSAND project van Sef en Abel, dat binnenkort verschijnt. Daarnaast verzorgde hij de muziek voor bekroonde series en films zoals Grond en Santos. Net als Glints maakt Faisal deel uit van het Abattoir Anvers collectief, opgericht in een voormalig halalslachthuis waar de hele crew woonde en werkte. Samen met Glints host hij al zo’n vier jaar Abattoir Anvers, de enige hiphop-show op de Belgische nationale radio (Studio Brussel). Hier ontvangen ze gasten zoals 50 Cent, Loyle Carner, Zwangere Guy, Faberyayo, Sef en veel jong talent.Faisal en Glints hebben hun krachten gebundeld voor het project GLINTSAL. Faisal verzorgt de productie, terwijl Glints de bars en zang voor zijn rekening neemt. De eerste single ‘All Blue Hair’ is al verschenen en dit is slechts het begin!

Enigmatic & esoteric Belgium-based Producer and DJ. Her sets range from playing colorful, eclectic music to playful tunes and hard-hitting tunes.Cementing her place in the music scene by being part of Singapore’s most notorious electronic underground label “Darker Than Wax,” UNOS’ music transcends people onto dance floors and puts them into a trance. She released earlier this year her first EP titled Boodle Fight.She had the pleasure of sharing the decks with influential artists such as CC:DISCO!, Cinthie, Shy-One, Moxie, Jamie Tiller, Dan Shake, DJ Boring, Baltra, DJ EARL, Marco Weibel, Lefto, Ricky Razu, Dean Chew, ALiA and many more.UNOS elevates kinetic combinations of house, techno, breaks, trance, and moody and melodic music designed for dance floors.

A persistent rhythm underpins Ahadadream’s movements. With unflagging energy and passion, the London-based artist manages various facets of his creative self, predominately as a DJ and producer, but also A&R, label-head, event director, and now as one of the leading tastemakers in the UK club scene.Ahadadream’s music is pure percussive energy, club belters full of skittish drum rolls. With menacing, coiled energy waiting to be unleashed, his unique, drum-focused production draws influence from sounds across the UK, his homeland of Pakistan, the African Diaspora and beyond. Ahadadream’s club weapons have become set staples for Four Tet, Skrillex, Dixon, Jamie XX, Bonobo, Laurent Garnier, VTSS and Ben UFO, while his edits have been co-signed by pop royalty such as Rosalía. Noted as “One To Watch” by the Guardian, in review of his most recent EP, Homecoming, they declared, “Ahad Elley had a dream and, judging by his thrilling club music, that dream involved Catherine wheels of polyrhythmic, brash beats, huge horns and neon-bright... truly, the stuff of ravey dreams.”“I think the challenge has always been to describe my music succinctly,” Elley explains. “I borrow elements of sounds from across the globe. I want to create music that can’t be contained inside a box. Although I try to include my Pakistani heritage where possible, it’s never about pigeonholing myself in that.” His recent BBC Radio 1 Essential mix, Mixmag Lab and NTS residency are good jumping off points for those looking to unfurl his varied, but distinctly unified sound.Alongside DJ bookings at the world’s best festivals and clubs, including Glastonbury, Sonar, Printworks, Circoloco at DC10, Fabric, Panorama Bar, Notting Hill Carnival, CTM, Lost Village, Nuit Sonores, GALA, Moonshine, Crssd and more, in October, on the last night of his sold-out residency at East London’s Colour Factory, he played all-night to a rapturous crowd of 1000+, its success spawning his All Night Long tour across the UK later that year.Indeed, when Ahadadream played the closing party of the legendary 6k capacity venue, Printworks, alongside Peggy Gou, Bicep, Roisin Murphy, HAAI and TSHA, it was Ahadadream’s set the Guardian singled out in their coverage: “during a pummelling set of syncopated club bangers from Ahadadream, a robotic voice rings out over the music: Make space ... make space… make space…” The Guardian were referencing Ahadadream’s own track, Make Space, one of a batch of new music he has been quietly working on this summer, amongst sessions collaborating with Skrillex across the A&R and production of his forthcoming album, due at the end of the year.“After meeting at a gig in 2019, Skrillex hit me up out of the blue during the pandemic and we started chatting regularly on Zoom,” Elley explains. “He asked me to send some of my unfinished music to him, and then and there, he put it into Ableton and just started working on it. I was just like, ‘what the hell is going on here?!’ That song is now going to be released as a collaboration later in the year. Since then, we've worked together more and more; we played B2B at the very first Dialled In, and at Printworks’ closing party. I also went out to South America to work on music with Skrillex, where I also opened for him and Fred Again. It’s been incredibly inspiring to learn from him.”Born in Pakistan, Ahad Elley moved to the UK at the age of twelve. After school, he studied Chemistry during the day, whilst DJing and throwing parties at night. He then went on to programme some of Boiler Room’s landmark broadcasts, platforming iconic artists early on in their careers, such as Sherelle and Jyoty.In 2017, he launched More Time Records with Sam Interface. The label has released artists from Ghana, Trinidad, South Africa, Taiwan and more, their music complimented with a distinctive, rugged UK edge, to create a sound unique to More Time. Soundtracking campaigns for Stella McCartney and Apple, More Time has been described by DJ Mag as “the foremost champions for UK club music” and was nominated for their Best Breakthrough Label award.Throughout his life and formative career, Ahad was driven in part to provide representation for other South Asian creatives and artists, something he never saw growing up. In early 2021, this led to the birth of Dialled In, a South Asian creative movement. Showcasing a wealth of talent, Dialled In has, perhaps more importantly, fostered a new community.A resounding success since its inception, Dialled In has hosted festivals, classical concerts, a V&A late, the inaugural Boiler Room Pakistan, and an artist residency in Nepal. “I owe it all to artists such as Ahadadream who have put me forward for so many slots and opportunities”, Surusinghe explained to the Guardian from the Dialled In stage at Glastonbury. “It’s so nice to feel supported by other south Asian artists – that’s what gives me the confidence to keep growing.”Ahadadream has been at the coalface of the UK club scene for several years now; championing new artists, platforming new sounds and quietly, but confidently, supporting everyone else from behind the scenes.

London-based artist I. JORDAN is an unstoppable force of high-energy, high-emotion music, who since deciding to release their own original music in 2019 after a decade of holding down DJ residencies and promoting DIY parties has taken the world by storm. Over the past four years the Doncaster born artist’s ever-evolving and expertly produced releases paired with formidable DJ sets around the world has placed them firmly at the forefront of dance music.It comes as no surprise that 2022 was a massive year for I. JORDAN. Following the release of a collaborative single with hit-maker Fred again.. in February, a nomination for Best Producer at the annual NME Awards, and three North American tours this year alone, they show no sign of slowing down. On top of a jam-packed tour schedule spanning from Marseille to Mexico City; from Primavera to Glastonbury they’ve released a series of three highly emotive and lovingly paired double-singles, all of which reflect a deeply personal twelve-month journey for Jordan and a continued understanding of their ever-changing self. “Always Been” saw the artist announce their official name change and step into I. JORDAN, marking a true celebration of who they are in the moment. The club-ready “Hey Baby” and contrastingly downtempo “I Had the Best of Times” further demonstrated their vast talents as a prominent DJ and producer.Throughout 2021 they appeared on the front cover of both DJ Mag and NME, signed to Ninja Tune for the release of ‘Watch Out!’, and stole the show at many high profile festivals, as well as a four-show residency for Manchester’s Warehouse Project and a pair of ticketed London headline shows. On top of that, they won Mini-Mix of the Year at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards, delivered their first Essential Mix and hosted their own four-show BBC Radio 1 residency, which saw them focus on their own musical journey but also shine the spotlight on their community, with one show 100% focused onnon-binary and trans artists. Prior to this, their 2019 EP ‘For You’ released on Local Action was unanimously praised as one of the best releases of the year. The EP, inspired by growing up queer in the North of England, saw them cap off a flagship year winning ‘Best Breakthrough Producer’ at the DJ Mag Best of British Awards, and ‘Breakout Star of the Year’ on Pete Tong’s iconic BBC Radio 1 show.

salute spent the first 18 years of their life in Vienna, Austria, a city known for its clean streets and beautiful architecture. It was in Vienna as a young teen that they first started becoming enamoured with British dance music via the internet and games like FIFA Street – grime, drum & bass, dubstep, garage – before realising that they too, could make their own beats and sounds. “I was really fascinated by it and at some point realised I wanted to make music like this myself,” they recall. “I downloaded Fruity Loops at the age of 13 and essentially everything started from there.” salute moved to Brighton at 18 before eventually landing in Manchester, where they are now currently based. It was in the UK that they started attending club nights, getting wrapped up in what club culture really meant, on the ground, and swiftly evolving as an artist. They met a network of UK producers, started cultivating a sound. “My only exposure before then had been seeing stuff on YouTube and Boiler Room,” they say, laughing. “Before I moved to the UK, my music was a lot less clubby, a lot less dancey. So yeah, going to grime, garage and dubstep nights had a huge influence on the way I produce and my sound in general.” Scrolling through salute’s back catalogue, you can hear this evolution play out in real time. Their earlier material is often softer, lighter, honey-sweet vocals nestled against lilting down-tempo beats. EPs like Lionheart (2013), Gold Rush (2015) and My Heart (2016) push the vocals and melody front and centre, with the production often flitting between genres: R&B, post-dubstep, dance, hip hop, even jazz and gospel. By the time salute unleashed the Condition trilogy – a three-part mixtape released throughout 2018 and 2019 – they had already began to lean a little more towards the club, although not entirely. Condition is a dance-focussed mixtape, comprised of neat, chopped up electronics and emotive, garage-style samples. With its pitched vocals and colour-soaked pallette, it’s the kind of tape you might listen to on the nightbus home or the morning after, unsure of whether you feel melancholic or euphoric, or somewhere in between. If Condition was for before or after a night out, the music he has made since is for the night itself, the spaces in between. “Want U There” for instance, is a track brimming in upbeat, nocturnal energy, rigorous dance beats and hypnotic samples. salute describes it as “a really energetic, loud track. I don’t think I’ve ever made stuff like this before. I’m not really working with vocalists at the minute – I've gone back to sampling more again.” “It has that speed garage energy,” they continue, adding: “I also listened to a lot of Daft Punk and Ed Banger stuff growing up, “Want U There” is my take on that classic Roulé Records sound. After hitting their stride with some incredible club releases, salute made their major label debut with standout tracks and fan favourites 'Joy' and 'Therapy'. Tracks that soundtracked the post pandemic world and can be heard the world over. salute's music in 2022 has garnered the support of Four Tet, DJ Seinfeld, Floating Points, Mall Grab and more. This has led salute to become something of a cult sensation and this year's standout DJ performer, playing to packed crowds at Field Day, Parklife, Secret Garden Party, Warehouse Project, and an incredible home show at Boiler Room Vienna. An amazing full circle moment that harks back to salute's early days of learning production.

Bibi Seck's thrilling energy and mixing skills have taken Belgium by storm, and she is now conquering Europe. Bibi is the perfect example of a self-made star in the world of electronic music.Her talent and passion are undeniable, her back catalogue is diverse and often surprising and she has a unique ability to connect with the crowd.As a multidisciplinary creative, she blends various influences of electronic music to create a high-energy atmosphere. Her performances are always about fun, celebrating life, love and the uplifting power of music.

Van het Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) is het maar een kleine stap naar een platencontract, en een die Louis De Roo (26) met de vingers in de neus zet. Nu kan hij onder zijn nom de plume Isaac Roux in alle rust werken aan nieuwe songs, een debuutplaat en de gegarandeerde doorbraak naar het grote publiek.Als het LIPA niet meteen een belletje doet rinkelen, weet dan dat dit de befaamde ‘muziekacademie van Paul McCartney’ is. De Roo werd er in 2015 als één van de 100 gelukkigen toegelaten om er vier jaar te studeren, en kon er zelfs met Sir Paul zelf aan nummers schaven. Zijn kennis van het Engels maakt ook sprongen – naar eigen zeggen een van de belangrijkste redenen om naar Engeland te trekken: met een loepzuivere tongval legt hij zijn ziel en gevoelens in zijn songs, verpakt in gitaren die op het juiste moment groots worden. Denk: Bon Iver, Ben Howard, Perfume Genius en My Morning Jacket of, dichter bij huis, Novastar.‘White Rose’ is zo’n song, hemelse indie folk die naar het einde toe breed uitwaaiert, met een vol geluid, maar niet gelikt, net edgy genoeg, en de warme gloed in de karakteristieke stem van De Roo. Het is met White Rose dat Isaac Roux begin dit jaar zegeviert in ‘De Nieuwe Lichting’ van StuBru, en zo in de voetsporen treedt van onder meer labelgenoten The Haunted Youth en Mooneye. Alle radiozenders gaan meteen overstag, tot in Nederland toe, en Spotify aarzelt niet om support te verlenen. Live komt de combinatie van warme indie folk en alternatieve rock zo mogelijk nog beter tot zijn recht en doet Isaac Roux elke keer monden openvallen. Geen wonder dat hij al in het voorprogramma stond van The Haunted Youth, Mooneye, The Bony King Of Nowhere en Portland.Een normaal mens zou dan gaan zweven, maar niet Louis De Roo. Met zijn goedgevulde rugzak en stevig op zijn benen heeft hij alles in huis om de belofte helemaal waar te maken, zonder stappen over te slaan. Daar kan alleen maar meer moois van komen, en in de verte, ergens in 2024, gloort al een spraakmakend debuutalbum.

Sampa The Great is poised to be her highest self. In just a few short years, the Zambian artist (born Sampa Tembo) has established herself as one of global rap’s most compelling and outspoken voices, reaching new levels of recognition and acclaim with the release of 2022’s defining album As Above, So Below.The 29-year-old recorded her sophomore album over the course of two weeks while back home in Zambia during the pandemic. As Above represents Sampa's outside self, while So Below translates the Sampa within, uniting to reveal the highest version of herself— honest, without a mask or role to play. To bring the album to life, she worked with a network of friends, family and Zambian creatives: Mag44 serves as the project’s executive producer and co-producers are Sampa Tembo (her first producer credit), Sam Nyambe, Sammy Masta and Solomon Plate. It’s a homecoming back to her roots as well as a mark of her growing beyond her borders. She is expansive — she transcends genres and expectations — as both an artist and as a woman.The fusion of urgency and poignancy that can be heard on Sampa’s most recent material can be traced all the way back to the start of her career; beginning with The Great Mixtape in 2015, developing beautifully across the Heroes Act 2 project in 2017 and culminating this period with the breakthrough Birds and the Bee9 mixtape in the same year. Netting Sampa the first of two Australian Music Prize wins (making her the only artist to achieve the feat), Birds and the Bee9 established her arrival within the music industry as a game changer for innovative hip hop being produced out of Australia.Releasing her debut album The Return in 2019, Sampa The Great stepped further into the spotlight. The album proved to be a transformational moment for Sampa – in Australia, it earned her four ARIA Awards, her second Australian Music Prize, and the J Award for Double J Australian Artist of the Year, amongst other accolades. Internationally, Sampa was recognised as a BET Amplified Artist of the Month, while also growing in profile through performances on esteemed festivals and platforms including (and not limited to) AFROPUNK, The Roots Picnic, Later…With Jools Holland, NPR’s Tiny Desk…At Home and more.At the end of The Return’s album cycle, Sampa returned to Africa, relocating back to Zambia, where she has been based since 2020. The move informed her next chapter exponentially, forming the basis of her As Above, So Below era: a renewed love for the music she grew up on and reignited vigour to create music that added to her growing legacy.At the centre of Sampa The Great’s artistic identity, is an inherent knowledge of and confidence in herself. The vivacity experienced at a Sampa live show is a pure extension of the personality and strength of the woman behind the music; an artist unafraid to move between sonic genre and mood, Sampa’s infusion of her own brand of boldness with her art, has made her an in-demand name.Recent years have seen Sampa collaborate with the likes of The Avalanches, Baker Boy, Emmanuel Jagari Chanda (WITCH), Denzel Curry and Angelique Kidjo; has appeared on the posthumous ‘Stumbling Down’ with the late Tony Allen in 2020 and lent her voice to younger sister Mwanjé’s forthcoming debut project.The release of As Above, So Below in September 2022 came as a crowning achievement of what was a monumental year of performances for Sampa and her Zambian band, who she was able to thrive with on festival stages including Glastonbury, Coachella, Newport Jazz Festival; before returning to Australia to premiere As Above, So Below at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and The Forum, the latter of which saw Sampa host two special performances in the heart of Naarm (Melbourne), the city that had been so integral in the formative era of her career.A global artistic visionary in the truest sense of the term, Sampa The Great has brought the essence of her culture together with a powerful and forward thinking blend of sonic influences; creating a contemporary sound that has illuminated one of music’s most unique and exciting creative journeys.

“Glass Beams, the enigmatic Melbourne-based band, draws inspiration from their Indian and South Asian heritage, infusing their serpentine psychedelia with cosmic instrumentation and worldly polyrhythms. Their debut 'Mirage,' self-recorded in a home studio, is a captivating fusion of 70s-era Indian classical, disco captured through the lens of DIY electronica."I was looking for new energy & inspiration to write a bunch of new music. I recalled a childhood memory of my parents and I watching a DVD they had bought: ‘Concert For George’ (a tribute concert for George Harrison from the Beatles). George’s long time collaborator and friend Ravi Shanka put an Indian Orchestra together for that concert, and even though I hadn’t even started playing music at the time that I watched this, the experience was very formative.My father was born in India and moved here when he was 17, and after recalling this memory I decided to look up musicians from my father’s hometown and surrounding areas. I found a wealth of Indian classical, disco & freaky jazz music that formed the building blocks for this record. As soon as I had that vision of what I wanted to write and why I wanted to write it, the songs just flowed out."Recognised by industry stalwarts like Gilles Peterson, Glass Beams were named an essential emerging artist by NME 100. Their immersive live performances at Primavera Sound and Best Kept Secret have created waves internationally, where the masked trio cast a hypnotic sonic spell over their audiences.”

Crystal Fighters have always sought to open themselves up to the world. After all, they’re inherently a fusion concept – part British and part Basque; part old and part new; part pop and part traditional. But when the world changed, so did they. Separated on different continents by the pandemic, the band looked inwards, and started to realise what had been missing. Dialling into the energy of their earliest recordings, new album ‘Light+’ is their most inspired, dynamic, and addictive statement yet, the sound of a band utterly renewed.2010’s debut album ‘Star Of Love’ introduced them to the world, succeeded by excellent sophomore set ‘Cave Rave’. A decade of lights, camera, and action followed, with Crystal Fighters becoming used to lives of perpetual motion. “I’m always excited to visit different places,” says frontman Seb Pringle. “There’s always something to learn from different music and cultures around the world.”While this simple message sustains the band, it also pushed them to the brink. At the dawn of the pandemic they were close to burnout, beginning to lose sight of what motivated them. When lockdown came, it was almost blessed relief, a respite from an unwieldy schedule. Drawn to South America by his passion for music, singer Seb sought out the cumbia, champeta and bullerengue rhythms of Colombia. Without a better option as the world started to shut down, he decided to stay put, seeing out the pandemic in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast of the country.  “It felt like living outside of normal time,” he says. “I was on a beach, with not much access to the outside world. It came as a relief, really. I was able to enjoy life, and reflect on my experiences.”Co-writer Gilbert Vierich remained in the UK, while band mate Graham Dickson saw through these world-changing events from his new home in the United States. Throughout all this the band remained connected – by phone calls, Zoom meetings, and WhatsApp groups. The world may have slowed down, but - if anything - their creativity increased. “We were writing purely for us,” the singer points out.When he was finally able to return to their base in the UK in the summer of 2021, Crystal Fighters were primed and ready to go. It was as if a fire had been lit inside them, resulting in song after song.  Around 60 tracks were demoed – more than some bands write in their entire career – before the group entered the studio. “There’s an infinite amount of new things you can do with music,” he says. “That’s what keeps me interested. It’s how you can mix old and new music, traditional sounds with cutting edge electronic music.”The idea was simple: to give fans a fresh definition of Crystal Fighters by returning to their core values. As a result, ‘Light+’ is packed with ideas – from rave workouts to tropical pop, from hints of cumbia to delicious pop melodies. “We wanted to get to the roots of who we are, and how we felt when we were first coming up,” the singer points out. “When we only wanted to make music for ourselves, and to make people dance at our shows.”Old friends Charlie Hugall and Luke Smith returned to produce the new record, with additional help in the electronic arena from Ghost Culture – whose collaborative record with Falle Nioke became a mutual soundtrack for the group’s lockdown activities. A band unleashed, ‘Light+’ feels unforced, natural, and completely true to their back catalogue. Take new single ‘Manifest’ – constructed with the help of FYFE, it opens with crisp guitar chords before surging into a heady 80s inspired synth feels, blessed with light, hope, and a quiet sense of urgency. “It’s about chasing the setting sun,” says Seb. “The freedom that travel can bring; and escaping the confinement we all felt for so long in our lives. Something so many still dream of escaping.”In a way, the single points to the energy of the album as a whole – it’s about embracing freedom, and making people move. Looking to their live shows, Crystal Fighters have a way of zeroing in on a frenetic and reckless disregard for convention. “Our rule was, if you want to play fast, then play fast. In the live shows, our favourite moments can be incredibly fast, and kind of chaotic… but in the collective energy it all hangs together.” It’s also an album of deep emotion, however. Take ‘Carolina’ – a real-life love story set in Colombia, it’s a homage to a woman Seb fell for, someone who escaped the rat race, and made her way to the coast. “She was living a different life… with not a lot of money, but a lot more happiness. I wanted to tell her story, of how she claimed her freedom by letting go of what society expects of us to pursue her own dreams. Living a life you enjoy rather than living for your work.”Lyrically, the band move from grand, thought-provoking statements – ‘Multiverse’ and ‘End The Suffering’ – through to simple ‘boy-meets-girl’ pop songs. “It’s the contrast,” Seb says. “Real life has to happen as well. Each of us is looking for love, or pining over a situation in our lives. It’s honest to write about that, as well as something that’s a bit more spiritual. It speaks to who we are as a band.”‘Love x3’ started as an acoustic idea, before becoming a lush tropical onslaught, asking fans to open their hearts once more. “It’s asking for us to experience love as a collective. It’s what can sustain us, and heal us as a society,” he says. “We’re all in need of real connection. And we need music that speaks to us as individuals, as people who are fallible, and need help. Sometimes life can be a very tough place to be. Music can really help people open up.”Scorching album highlight ‘Tranquilo’, for example, takes its name from a carefree expression common across the Spanish-speaking world – put simply, it means ‘all good’. “We wanted to capture that vibe, and take it over to English-speaking cultures,” he says. “It’s a reminder of that familiar feeling of when we want to be all calm and chill, but reality gets in the way. It’s asking people to step back from the traffic of your thoughts, and observe them. Life can be hard… so you’ve got to take it easy.”Right now, Crystal Fighters are living their lives in a ‘tranquilo’ fashion. Each moment counts, and they take life for what it is. “It taught us the value of collaboration,” he says. “The time we spent apart mellowed us all out, in a certain way. We’re happier than ever, and we want to use our platform to deliver our message to the greatest number of people that we can. As the album says, more light. More positivity, more clarity. We all need more hope in our lives.”Crystal Fighters are like a burst of light in the darkness – soon the sun will be coming up, and the party can begin.

Als DJ begon Stijn Van de Voorde lang geleden op feestjes met De Afrekening en Was het nu 80, 90 of 2000. Sinds 2018 is hij één van de gangmakers van onze afterparties. Deze zomer vormt hij een dj-duo met Equal Idiot Thibault Christiaensen. Rock 'n' Roll high school door Stijn en Thibault: fun, fun, oh baby!

The Whatevers started out by combining danceable rock tunes and hip hop jams. But as the ride got faster, louder and more interesting, they didn't mind blending other styles in a sometimes unorthodox yet very creative and efficient soundsystem selection of bangers and classics. For some years The Whatevers has been a solo project of Kim Mathijs (also known as Michael Midnight or dj-projects like Ed&Kim and Flashback Force).These days it's a mix of the finest genre-crossing and energetic party anthems from over the last 5 decades, the present and the future. Whatever fits! Let's not forget the Whatever! parties, which have been going strong for 10 years now. Besides playing all the major festivals through the years (Rock Werchter, Tomorrowland, Pukkelpop, ... the list is endless). An versatile and energetic selection, technically strong and fast mixing and always a surprise = The Whatevers!

Kabin Studio is a nonprofit music organisation dedicated to nurturing young talent and fostering creative expression among children, particularly those in direct provision. Through their innovative projects and community-focused initiatives, Kabin Studio provides a platform for the next generation of artists to shine."The Spark" is more than just a tune; it’s a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of youth. As it continues to inspire listeners worldwide, The Kabin Studio hopes to channel its success into furthering their mission of supporting young artists locally and in direct provision.

Jessie Murph etches raw emotion into strikingly sincere songs laced with country-style storytelling, hip hop-infused production, alternative experimentation, and unassuming pop appeal. Holding nothing back, she’s so honest about issues such as mental health, depression, and addiction that she practically leaves blood and tears on the recordings. The 18-year-old Alabama vocalist and songwriter has quietly emerged as a phenomenon on her own terms. As the story goes, she channeled the pain of dysfunction at home, school bullying, and an archaic climate of misogyny into music as a teen. She took the reins and built an audience on social media in 2020. Her breakout single “Always Been You” picked up a gold plaque and affirmed her as a buzzing powerhouse, bulldozing the way for her 2023 debut mixtape, drowning [Columbia Records]. The project spawned fan favorites such as “Pray,” “How Could You,” and “Where Do You Go” as she gathered over 1 billion total streams and counting. Genius, Pandora, and Amazon Music pegged her as a 2023 “Artist to Watch.” Simultaneously, she incited the applause of Billboard, Spin, Stereogum, Consequence, and Flaunt who proclaimed, “she injects passion, emotion, and storytelling in her lyrics, inspired by real-life occurrences we can all confide in and relate to.” Bringing the music to life on stage, the songstress sold out her 2023 North American Headline Tour and landed prominent sets along the summer festival circuit including Hangout Music Festival, Lollapalooza, and Life Is Beautiful, to name a few. 

Overmono have established themselves amongst the most exciting and original artists in electronic music. They have performed their stunning live show at the most credible festivals and venues across the globe, receiving “Best Live Act” at DJ Mag awards along the way. In May of this year, Overmono released their debut album, Good Lies; a comprehensive realisation of the sound that they’ve been working towards for the past few years. It was released to critical acclaim (“UK rave history is distilled to perfection” - The Guardian), debuting at #11 in the UK Charts and widely regarded as one of the greatest electronic records released in recent years. This followed a run of ground-breaking club EPs between 2020 and 2022 which built momentum and culminated in their global breakthrough single, “So U Kno”, which encapsulated the hearts of clubbers and went on to become a bonafide phenomenon picking up ‘Track Of The Year’ by Resident Advisor. Most recently, their collaboration with Joy Orbison and Kwengface, ‘Freedom 2’ has had an explosive reception and has become a club anthem on both sides of the Atlantic.

With only two releases to her name, the Spanish-Dutch artist Julia Sabaté already performed on stages in Madrid and Bilbao, as well as AFAS Live, Melkweg, and TivoliVredenburg. During Eurosonic Noorderslag 2024, she performed a show every day, leaving a significant impact with her melodic pop songs influenced by alternative electronic music. Her lyrics are deeply personal, reflecting on her experiences and growth, which haven't always been smooth. You can feel the pain and doubt, but Julia transforms them into an energy that spreads and gets everyone dancing.Every year, Julia Sabaté travels twice to Barcelona to visit her family. Classical music plays a crucial role in her household, and at a young age, Julia was recognized as a talented violinist. A world of possibilities laid before her, but her attention was drawn to a pop venue on her aunt's street. She dreamed about what it would look like inside and how it would feel to stand on that stage and perform for a full audience. Two days before the end of 2023, that dream came true, and Julia Sabaté stood before an euphoric crowd at Sala Apolo in Barcelona. Meanwhile, her music gained recognition in Spain, and was featured in Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds España and EQUAL España. In 2024, she returns to Madrid for a performance at the Mad Cool Festival.It's a dream but also a struggle. Growing up with two cultures has its advantages, but sometimes it leads to confusion. Who are you, how do you identify yourself, and which values align with you as an individual? Spanish passion versus Dutch realism, listening to your parents or boldly choosing your own path? Eventually, the balance comes naturally, and Julia can best express her thoughts in the Spanish language, supported by pop songs with dynamic melodies and lively guitars, drums, and beats. The stage is her home, anywhere in the world. There, she sings, dances, and pours her soul into the songs, supported by the two musicians who write and produce the songs with her.

With their unique and intoxicating blend of electronica, saudade, indie and folk music, Ão have rapidly become one of the most exciting acts in the rich and diverse Belgian music landscape. Debuting with single Mulher in late 2022, they made an immediate and big global impression, even reaching the influential Seattle based KEXP. A year later debut album ‘Ao Mar’ landed to rave reviews and popular acclaim, boasting summer sounds and ingenious, multifaceted and captivating tracks like Avó, Meninas and More. Singing in Portuguese and English, frontwoman Brenda Corijn entwines her mellifluous voice with the southern guitar of Siebe Chau, the ambient sounds of Jolan Decaestecker and the eclectic percussion of Bert Peyffers. Live the fourpiece are a mind-blowing and immersive experience, dazzling stages in Belgium, the Netherlands and beyond. At ESNS in Groningen, they deeply impressed the European music industry in attendance, resulting in, among other things, a spot on the roster of French booking agency AFX and an invitation to Reeperbahn Festival later this year. A fantastic 2023 was topped off with a Belgian music industry award nomination for best breakthrough act.

Chalk is the three-piece project of award winning musicians and filmmakers Ross Cullen, Benedict Goddard, and Luke Niblock.The band formed after they met whilst studying film and realised they shared the same musical vision and ambitions. Inspired by the ferocity and live performance of Dublins Guitar Band scene, and informed by the sweaty hardcore dance scenes of their native Belfast (the breeding ground for acts like electronic duo BICEP), the band are IDLES meets Daniel Avery, Death Grips meets Bicep - techno-infused gothic post-punk.The trio sprung out of the gates live, supporting London's PVA in for their first ever shows, before selling out dates across the UK, performing on the European Festival circuit and ending the year with a stunning performance at the legendary Rencontres Trans Musicales and a KEXP session, due out in early March 2024.With the release of their debut EP 'Conditions', the band interweave their industrial noise/techno hybrid soundscape andthe monochromatic gothic visual landscape they have created for themselves in an evocative and seamless manner.

Hailing from south London, Fat Dog’s formidable and high-octane live shows have garnered them a fervent fan base enraptured by frontman Joe Love. With support slots for Viagra Boys, Shame and Yard Act plus international shows under their collar, Fat Dog sold out London’s Scala on the strength of one single, the wild 7 minute, genre traversing behemoth “King of the Slugs” and have now announced new single “All the Same” alongside a huge homecoming show at Electric Brixton.

It’s no coincidence that Bolis Pupul’s music sounds the way it does. Born in Belgium to a Chinese mother and Belgian father and raised in the super-cool creative city of Ghent, Bolis’ music is a joyous cross-cultural assemblage. Mixing widescreen electronica – think early Mr Fingers-like techno and Yellow Magic Orchestra’s exuberant man-machine minimalism – with the warm-hearted and wonky naivete of Belgian New Beat, Bolis’ singular sonics are at once playful, emotive, unrelenting and tender. 

Zangeres, muzikante en actrice Pommelien Thijs (22) is een van de meest toonaangevende jonge artiesten van het moment. Ze is bekend van megahits als “Erop of Eronder”, “Ongewoon” en “Het Beste Moet Nog Komen”. Haar doorbraakalbum "Per Ongeluk" uit 2023 werd op alle vlakken een triomf: een verzameling vlotte liedjes bomvol levenslust en gevatte zinspreuken. Pommelien maakt zwaardere onderwerpen behapbaar voor alle leeftijden en deinst daarbij niet terug voor de grotere levensdilemma's.Haar liefdesanthem “Ongewoon” werd een van de grootste zomerhits van de afgelopen jaren. Op “Meisjes van Honing” verzoende ze speels kwetsbaarheid met kracht, terwijl “Zilver” zich vol gloed ontfermt over de opwarming van de aarde. Pommelien neemt graag de teugels bij ieder project zelf in handen, van het regisseren van videoclips, het decor voor liveshows tot aan het ontwerpen van haar eigen duurzame outfits.

Becky Hill doesn’t do rules. A hit machine since her teens, the pop powerhouse has forged her own particular path to fame. As successful as a songwriter as she is as an artist, as fierce behind the scenes as she is on stage and as credible as she is commercial, the 27-year-old has become one of Britain’s most successful musicians entirely on her own terms.Only Honest On The Weekend, her years-in-the-making debut album, is both Becky as you know her and as you’ve never heard her before. It arrives on the heels of the gold-selling Get To Know, (a collection of singles Becky either released herself or wrote and guested on), which turned the writer of ten Top 40 hits (including eight platinum records) and a singer with over 1.75 billion streams on Spotify alone, into a household name.“Even I think it’s weird to have a ‘greatest hits’ album out before a debut album,” says Becky. “But it joined so many dots for people who loved the songs, but didn’t necessarily know who had sung them. Profile-wise, it was a game-changer, but I’ve only ever cared about making great music. I’m not in this to be stopped in the street.”On Only Honest On The Weekend you’ll hear the addictive, audacious, straight-talking dance-pop that made Becky the ultimate clubbing companion, the raver you want to rave with. But you’ll also hear vintage disco, retro soul, funk, sassy female anthems and dreamy synth-pop. Lyrically, it’s Becky’s life laid bare, from break-ups and make-ups with the same guy to finding her feet in a male-dominated industry to dealing with life in lockdown.The oldest songs date back to before Becky signed with Polydor Records, some written with her long-time best friend MNEK. A trio of tracks took shape at a writing camp she set up herself and filled with her favourite co-writers. The newest additions were recorded remotely while Becky was busy at home broadcasting live sessions for radio stations and self-producing her critically acclaimed and industry-adored podcast The Art of Rave, for which she booked guests including Roni Size, Sister Bliss, Pete Tong and Basement Jaxx.“I wanted people to see different sides of me,” says Becky. “I’m known for my voice and that’s what ties the tracks together, but it’s not all big, belting vocals. There are intimate songs where I sing softly. You can hear when I’m pissed off, but also when I’m feeling confused or overwhelmed. Some of it will come as a surprise.”Confounding expectations has been key to Becky’s career. The Bewdley-born star began writing songs on guitars aged 13 and by 16 had formed a band to perform in pubs and at open-mic nights. At 17, she auditioned for The Voice to get herself out of finishing sixth form.“I didn’t take it that seriously, but I liked the idea of being judged on your talent, not your appearance,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to be heard rather than seen.”Still, she made it to the semi-finals, using the show to collect contacts to help launch her career the following year. She found a manager, worked tirelessly for 18 months writing songs and honing her craft and then signed her first record deal. By which point she had already been spotted by other musicians who admired her attitude as much as her voice.Becky hooked up with fellow teenager MNEK and the pair co-wrote the double platinum-selling No.1 Gecko (Overdrive) for Oliver Heldens, featuring Becky’s vocals, as well as songs for what Becky assumed would be her soon-to-arrive debut album. She co-wrote the Top 10 hit Afterglow for Wilkinson and co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Powerless, a single from Rudimental’s huge debut Home. With Rudimental, Becky got her first taste of big stages, touring the world with the band for two months and taking planes for the first time in her life.When Losing, her first solo single, charted outside the Top 40, however, Becky was dumped overnight from her deal. Undeterred, she launched her own label, Eko, named in memory of her late uncle’s 12-string guitar which was passed down to her as a child, and released an EP from which four songs flew on to Radio 1, including a duet with Little Simz. Six months later, having turned down an offer from her old label, she signed a new deal with Polydor that allowed her to keep control of her career.Her hits kept coming – False Alarm with Matoma, Back & Forth with Jonas Blue, Piece of Me with MK, Wish You Well with Sigala, Lose Control with Meduza, I Could Get Used To This with Weiss, Afterglow with Wilkinson. Compiled on Get To Know (confirmed by Offcial charts as as one of 2020’s top 5 most streamed albums by a female artist in the UK), Becky’s career went supernova. In both 2019 and 2020 she was crowned the second most-streamed British Female Solo Artist on Spotify UK.

MEROL – de artiestennaam van Merel Baldé (Dordrecht, 1991) – maakt Nederlandstalige elektropop. Met haar eigenzinnige, fantasierijke, tongue-in-cheek teksten die reflecteren op de huidige tijdgeest, is ze een unieke stem binnen de muziekscene. Sinds haar doorbraaksingle ‘Lekker Met De Meiden’ in 2018, verovert ze de harten van Nederland en België. Nadat ze in 2019 het nummer ‘‘Hou Je Bek En Bef Me’ uitbracht, vulde ze in één weekend alle zalen van Paradiso en won ze de 3voor12/3FM Song van het Jaar Award. In 2021 maakte ze een uitstapje naar de Zuiderburen en werd tweede bij het tv-programma De Slimste Mens Ter Wereld. Ze bracht in 2022 haar debuutalbum ‘Troostprijs’ uit en verkocht binnen no-time alle zalen in de lage landen uit. Ze speelde op verschillende festivals waaronder Lowlands, Pukkelpop, Best Kept Secret en Rock Werchter en zette met haar daverende liveshow de tenten op zijn kop. Ze staat bekend om haar zelfspot, iconische kostuums, feministische statements en haar bijzondere, interactieve momenten met publiek.

Electric Callboy write their very own story like no other band around. With their modern sound between 90s pop synths, driving alternative rock and explosive metalcore, the band succeeds in every musical trick they play. Experiments like mixing German Schlager music with deathcore ("Hurricane"), hardstyle influenced industrial metalcore ("Parasite") to their post-hardcore reinterpretation of Cascada's hit single "Everytime We Touch" convince that Electric Callboy master the strongest musical parameters of the respective genres. Over 2 million monthly Spotify listeners, more than 700,000 followers on YouTube and a total of 1 million more followers on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok underline that Electric Callboy is advancing to become the biggest phenomenon in German metal history.Founded in 2010 in Castrop-Rauxel, it didn't take long for the band to gain attention in Germany with their modern trancecore sound. But who would have thought that this sound could lay the foundation for a world career? The release of their debut album "Bury Me In Vegas" made them succeed in charting for the first time ever in 2012 (#65). 2 years later, "We Are The Mess" already charted as a top ten album at #8, followed by "Crystals" in 2015 and "The Scene" in 2017 (both #6), and the album "Rehab" released in 2019 (#16).In June 2020, the release of now gold-certified "Hypa Hypa" marked the beginning of a new era of Electric Callboy – an era that will be marked by even greater success than ever before. Their dedicated and ever-growing fanbase - collecting over 100,000 signatures to convince NDR that Electric Callboy are "radio-ready" enough for Eurovision 2022 – keeps their way to success throughout undeterred.Even without partaking in the Eurovision Songcontest, 2022 will be the band's most successful year to date: Their Hypa Hypa European tour was completely sold out, and with their sixth album “TEKKNO”, Electric Callboy reached No. 1 in the German album charts. In addition, the premiere of their own festival - the Escalation Fest, held at the Rudolf Weber Arena Oberhausen - was rewarded with over 10,000 sold tickets.In 2023, the band was able to sell out almost their entire world tour in addition to Escalation Fest 2023, which was now established as an independent 1-day festival. Thus, their booking agency Contra Promotion reported the sale of a staggering 200,000 tickets, once again proving why Electric Callboy are the band of the moment.The sheer fact that their music is timeless, and far more than a spontaneous trend is proven time and again. In June, Electric Callboy released their current single "Everytime We Touch," a cover of the band Cascada, that already gained over 13 million Spotify streams and nearly 7 million YouTube views in just 4 months. In October, "We Got The Moves" went viral with 250.000 streams per day, advancing to become the band's most successful song alongside "Hypa Hypa" (which counts more than 63 million streams in total).In 2024, Electric Callboy will keep on growing with their fans in continuing their TEKKNO world tour. Sold out halls and arenas will once again prove how successful the band's career continues to write itself in recent years. A remarkable phenomenon that makes you marvel.

In April of 2021, the California based band The Offspring released their 10th studio album “Let The Bad Times Roll”.  The project was finished and launched in the throes of a worldwide pandemic. An album title that seemed so appropriate at the time has actually proven to be anything but…..The Offspring  story since then has been the exact opposite.  It’s been good times only.The band (singer Dexter Holland, guitarist Noodles, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn) have just finished their most critically acclaimed American tour ever after which Dexter Holland said “We played some of the biggest and best shows of our entire career”. With more than three decades of global touring under their belts, that is really saying something.  The twenty-five US dates followed their recent sold-out tours of Australia, Canada, Europe and the U.K. as well as some gigantic festival dates across the E.U..This is a band clearly set on fully maximizing their entertainment potential. Their current audience is more multigenerational than ever and they have a preshow extravaganza that is filled with shenanigans and tomfoolery which most have only seen at sporting events, followed by an Offspring performance filled to the brim with hit song after hit song which sound fresher than ever yet span their entire career.  Truly a show worth seeing and experiencing.The Offspring was first formed in Garden Grove, California in 1984.  After releasing a couple of self-financed records, the band signed to the independent label Epitaph and dropped the album IGNIITION. That was followed shortly thereafter by SMASH which contained the band’s first major hit “Come Out and Play”.  SMASH sold more than 11 million copies and still maintains its’ status as one of the best-selling independent records ever.   Major labels then came calling and the band signed to Columbia Records in 1996.  The Offspring went on to release numerous gold, platinum and multi-platinum certified albums (IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE / AMERICANA / CONSPIRACY OF ONE / SPLINTER / RISE AND FALL, RAGE AND GRACEi / LET THE BAD TIMES ROLL) containing timeless radio mainstays like Kids Aren’t Alright / You’re Gonna Go Far Kid / Self Esteem / Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) and Why Don’t You Get A Job. Holland has never been afraid to pen topical material or confront social issues in a nuanced way.  Those same messages are more important now than ever before.

From the very beginning, Royal Blood’s story has been one of two life-long friends, Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, whose shared passion for rousing, full-throttle hard rock has led them on an extraordinary adventure together – a story of such success that has yet to be repeated, leading to a succession of achievements that are as rare as they are remarkable. One day they were plotting how to recoup the meagre £300 they had spent on their first recording, but within a year they were at the top of UK album charts, storming Glastonbury and winning the BRIT Award for Best British Group.The duo’s initial outlook reflected the authenticity of the bands they had grown-up admiring. “The aim was simply to make music for ourselves and each other, and we trusted that as the only reliable way to measure the quality of the music we made,” says Mike. “It’s never been about creating music based upon the expectations of the outside world.” That’s an attitude which still defines everything that they do. Once an album is released, he adds, any opinions that anyone offers are completely out of his control. When all that external noise is stripped away, the only thing that matters is that they’re both proud of the music that they’ve made. It’s a matter of trust, of independence, and of sticking to everything that you believe in.It’s unusual that such an uncompromising approach results in what appeared to be a classic overnight success story. But, as Mike explains, the reality was somewhat different. “No-one sees the years of playing in loads of bands, that all gets swept under the carpet because the other story is magical and much more wondrous.” Prior to their sudden breakthrough, Mike and Ben had been playing in bands together for years, often under inglorious circumstances such as being stopped after two songs while playing in a pub because the volume was putting customers off their dinners. Ben compares their slow ascent to that of IDLES or Architects: they’ve been together a similar amount of time, but Royal Blood’s early grind was entirely away from the public eye. As Ben remembers, “We were playing together ten years before Royal Blood blew up, so when it did we were so prepared musically.”Fast-forward to 2022. ‘Typhoons’ had proven to be a third successful chapter in the Royal Blood tale as it completed a hat-trick of chart-topping albums (the other being 2017’s ‘How Did We Get So Dark?’), underlined by a huge UK arena tour and an array of international festival dates. Their creative juices were flowing, as evidenced by the standalone single ‘Honeybrains’, but there wasn’t a structured plan as to what would come next.Which, it turns out, was exactly what they needed. Instead, they focused on instinct over analysis, feeling over thinking and let the songs come naturally - a process boosted by having the freedom to stroll down to their studio space near their homes in Brighton whenever a moment of inspiration struck. While everything had changed for Royal Blood over the course of the previous decade, the reason for forming the band was completely unchanged: the simple joy of Mike plugging in, Ben picking up his sticks, and the pair making a racket for the sheer fun of it.“There’s definitely some of that shoot-from-the-hip mentality when no-one’s looking, and that’s all over our first album,” affirms Mike. “I think it’s probably taken us to get to this point to go full circle.”Just as importantly, they cast aside any preconceptions of what Royal Blood should be. Buoyed by the reaction greeted to the piano-based live favourite ‘All We Have Is Now’, they allowed themselves the freedom to embrace other ideas: at times being guided by melodies rather than riffs and rhythms, and at others deploying whatever instrumentation they felt best complemented the songs. If in doubt, they returned to a core belief: that the sound of Royal Blood isn’t defined by genre or the instruments that they play, but by the unique chemistry forged by the two friends.While the recent single ‘Mountains At Midnight’ offered a supercharged take on the old school Royal Blood prototype, the resulting album, ‘Back To The Water Below’, offers plenty of surprises without ever compromising the essence of their identity. ‘Shiner In The Dark’ sets a rock ‘n’ roll swagger to the tight, danceable rhythms that pulsated throughout the ‘Typhoons’ album. Devoid of distortion, ‘The Firing Line’ represents a bigger departure, its ‘90s alt-rock tone and an underbelly of psychedelia later elevated by a chiming piano melody. ‘Pull Me Through’ goes further still, uniting the plaintive piano with a full-blooded denouement. They’re songs which will not only provide a broader spectrum of moods, but that will provide the contrasts to amplify the power of their most fiery moments.As Ben credits, “Watching Mike, the progression in his songwriting, and going to different chords, which is where a lot of the piano stuff comes in, feels really interesting and unique. I think that’s a major part of this record.”

Ramkot? Naast de naam van een pittoresk dorpje in Nepal te zijn, is het vooral één van de meest beloftevolle jonge Belgische rockbands van het moment. Met een EP release show in een afgeladen concertzaal van Vooruit (Gent) en een stampvol tourschema doorheen België en Nederland (Pinkpop, Lokerse Feesten, Paaspop, Rock Herk,...) bewees de band dat ze klaar zijn voor meer. De release van hun eerste EP was meteen een schot in de roos. Single ‘Red’ kreeg de nodige airplay op Studio Brussel, Willy en KINK (NL) en de band won tevens De Nieuwe Lichting 2021 met deze song. Later dat jaar verscheen een tweede EP, waarin de band liet horen dat ze niet gestopt waren met groeien. Single ‘Am I Alright Now’ schopte het tot hoog in De Afrekening op Studio Brussel en drie songs van deze EP belandden bovenaan in de Outlaw 41 van KINK. Met een indrukwekkende clubtour bewijst het Gentse trio dat hun stevige, maar dansbare muziek ook live moet ervaren worden. Ramrock, quoi, courtesy of Ramkot. Want moeilijker moet een mens dat niet maken.

Nederlandstalige indie pop; een vleugje synths, warme sounds, dromerige koortjes, & eerlijke teksten. MEAU, het soloproject van de zangeres, songwriter en producer Meau Hewitt (23), maakt kleine, pure liedjes over dagelijkse onderwerpen als de liefde, persoonlijke ontwikkeling en eenzaamheid. Haar warme stem en dromerige koortjes landen daar waar akoestische instrumenten en elektronische geluiden samenkomen. Een paar grote inspiratiebronnen van Meau zijn Eefje de Visser, Jeremy Zucker en Holly Humberstone.Na haar eerste EP ‘Kalmte’, verscheen op 10 september 2021 MEAU’s succesvolle single ‘Dat heb jij gedaan’, welke o.a. 3FM Megahit, Qmusic Alarmschijf, Radio 2 TopSong en MNM Big Hit (België) werd. Na het releasen van de single ging het erg snel en stond MEAU meerdere weken op 1 in de Top 40 en in de Vlaamse UltraTop. Ze is een graag geziene gast bij Metropole orkest, The Streamers en vele TV en radioprogramma’s. Meau is sinds jongs af aan bezig met het schrijven en maken van muziek. Als kind volgde ze al zang- en pianolessen en het is dan ook niet verassend dat ze de muziekopleiding aan de Herman Brood Academie is gaan volgen. Tijdens de eerste lockdown is ze zich volledig gaan richten op het schrijven van Nederlandstalige teksten en het produceren van haar eigen muziek. Hiermee heeft ze echt haar eigen, unieke MEAU-sound gevonden.

Joachim Liebens (29) is met The Haunted Youth in korte tijd naar de top van de Belgische indie geschoten. Zijn songs, vaak over de struggle of life maar verpakt in heerlijk dromerige gitaren en synths, zijn voor hem therapie, en raken ook bij toehoorders een gevoelige snaar, tot in de VS. Elke single is een schot in de roos en debuutplaat Dawn Of The Freak wordt door pers en publiek innig aan de borst gedrukt. Voeg daarbij hun stomende livereputatie en The Haunted Youth is vertrokken voor jaren.

Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, consisting of Tim McIlrath (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joe Principe (bass guitar, backing vocals), Zach Blair (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Brandon Barnes (drums, percussion). A year out from the release of their chart-topping, critically acclaimed ninth album Nowhere Generation, the multi-Gold and Platinum band returns with Nowhere Generation II: a propulsive, five-song follow-up that serves to continue a critical dialogue between themselves, their fans, and the world at large. The five song collection—written and recorded alongside Nowhere Generation and featuring production by Bill Stevenson (The Descendents, Black Flag)—looks beyond its full-length counterpart’s scrutiny of the chronic social, economic, and political instability and inequality that pervades the modern age. II is as biting as it is hopeful, and is a further testament to the resonance of a band that continues to defy the status quo of modern rock.

Marc Rebillet tovert met geluiden. De New Yorker stapt zonder al te veel voorbereiding het podium op en bedenkt terplekke nieuwe nummers. Zijn belangrijkste hulpmiddelen zijn a) improvisatietalent, b) humor, c) een laptop en d) een loop station. Vandaar ook zijn bijnaam: Loop Daddy. Het sprookje start in 2016 met een wekelijkse post op YouTube. Na twee weken heeft hij al 50.000 abonnees, vandaag zijn meer dan twee miljoen mensen geabonneerd op zijn kanaal. De overstap van zijn slaapkamer naar de grootste festivalpodia (Coachella, Lollapalooza, Rock Werchter) blijkt eenvoudiger dan gedacht. Al speelt hij even graag en even vaak gewoon op straat. Wat is zijn geheim? “Ik zet vooraf wat ideeën opzij en kijk goed voor welk publiek ik ga spelen.” Muziek op maat. Ontmoet een unieke performer.