When it comes to activism, talented music producers still speak best in music. And now hear this – the Netherlands might be a different place than the one you imagine, starting with this killer cut from DutchAfro.
Let’s listen to “Time to Trip” in entirety first, as it’s just massive stuff, and from an artist largely unknown in the larger scene. “DutchAfro, Anna, is 24 years old and lives in Utrecht. Music has always been one of her big interests. Growing up in a cultural mixed family, she got stimulated to discover and explore music from the West (mainly Jazz and Motown) and Angola. “
That’s the kind of track I want to throw money at with or without a cause, but – yeah, there’s a cause, too. Place: The Netherlands is the latest in a series of electronic music compilations from industry heavyweight Kompakt, together with Air Texture from New York. The pitch: present music from a locale, not just as a sonic flavor, but as a platform for making real social change.
The series already knocked out must-hear gatherings of tracks from Colombia and Georgia (the European one). But its latest installment moves to the Netherlands – speaking of European politics. And it gives you a portrait of the Netherlands that might defy all kinds of biases, aesthetic ones included.
Among other cuts, get lost in the stacatto rhythmic fire of “Fibonacci Konnakol” by B C Manjunath. Or go deep into DJ Bone – the featured track on Bandcamp. Enter the abstract disorientation of blusher (an artist I’ve generally been finding lately). Dim Garden’s “Only You” seems it could drop in the middle of an EBM set for some catastrophic melodramatic theatrics. Or other brain ticklers and muscle stimulants… I could go on.
Maybe it’s no coincidence that political compilations lately have been so good. We’re in a generation of artists who feel urgency to their political cries, and whose outward spiraling production chops need outlets that aren’t only commercial and conformist.
Stream and buy the whole compilation on Beatport —
https://www.beatport.com/release/place-the-netherlands/2752631
or go preorder on Bandcamp:
Preorder now to get this when it arrives on the 15th. I mean, now is the time to do that – others are coming later.
Speaking of DJ Bone and the impact these sorts of benefits can have, Mixmag recently covered his epic ADE fundraiser:
DJ Bone and the power of charity through raving
More on this release – it is also a really special collaboration of two individuals:
Created in collaboration with Jasmin Hoek and Axmed Maxamed.
Jasmin Hoek is a DJ who plays under the name Jasmín. She was born and grew up in the east of The Netherlands, Enschede, and has now made her way to Amsterdam through Antwerp and Utrecht. In Utrecht she still hosts her own radio show on local radio station Stranded FM, as well as on Amsterdam’s Red Light Radio. Since her first club appearance two years ago, she has quickly made her way to the booths of Dutch clubs and festivals. In the past year, she started paving her way internationally with gigs in Berlin and New York.Next to djing she writes about music and club culture for various platforms, using her Gender Studies background as a framework.
https://soundcloud.com/jasminhoek
Axmed Maxamed is a Queer Diasporic Somali activist, organizer and music nerd. Axmed was born in Xamar, Somalia where he also spent his early years until his family had to flee during the civil war and ended up in the Netherlands via other countries. He spent his formative years in Breda in the south of the Netherlands until he moved to Amsterdam some years ago. In Amsterdam Axmed co-founded Dance with Pride, a queer initiative which aims to re-unify dance music with its queer roots and raise money for grass roots queer initiatives with their fundraiser parties and sales of the Dance with Pride T-shirt. In addition to that Axmed is involved in other queer initiatives, with focus on QTIBPOC. Together with Ladan Maandeeq, Axmed started working on ‘Queer Somali Pasts and Presents: A Storytelling and Archival Project’ which will focus on the lives of Queer Somalis in the diaspora and Somalia, both in the present day and the past. As someone who came to the Netherlands as a refugee and is queer, this cause touches Axmed on a personal level.
Link: http://linktr.ee/axmed
Social Cause
ll over the world people from the LGBTQIA+ community are in danger. They are discriminated, persecuted, or worse in many parts of the world, forcing them to leave their homes to seek safety and protection in more socially accepting countries. People travel far from home without family or support systems.
In the Netherlands, many come seeking safety, but confront a difficult system where the process is confrontational and arbitrary. The Immigration and Naturalisation (IND) treats LGBTQIA+ refugees very poorly. Many have to prove they are Queer with detailed sexual and personal history – an invasion of privacy forcing the burden of proof on the individual at risk.
Many don’t get granted asylum and scared they will be sent back, are forced into a situation where they become undocumented. Outside of the system even basic needs like health care are not available.
The Netherlands positions itself as progressive and open but to People of Colour and other minority groups it is very different. LGBTQIA+ refugees are the most marginalized and the most at risk.
For Place : Netherlands we wanted to bring attention and funds to organizations that help Queer refugees get advice, find an extended sense of family and belonging, get legal work, and reenter society.
Partner Organization
Open Closet LGBT Netherlands
The Open Closet LGBT Netherlands was co-founded by Teddy Lyon as a response to the difficulties of his personal experience with the local immigration authorities (IND). Having decided that he is here to stay, the South-African born activist wanted to make sure that what happened to him does not happen to others.
Open Closet not only ensures that incoming LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers are properly registered, but also provides help with food, support towards the procedures required, counseling and a family where everybody is welcome. They provide a place to come together and cover for traveling costs if needed. By organising meetings regularly, they create a sense of community and belonging for queer asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Open Closet also ensures that asylum seekers are properly informed of their rights and options.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/2017radio.nl/
Go for it:
http://musicandactivism.bandcamp.com/album/place-the-netherlands