subbacultcha-april2010

U N R U LY M U S I C M A G A Z I N E

I N T E RV I E W :

T H E TA L L E S T M A N O N E A RT H TA L K S PLUS: 10 NEW UK BANDS 5 N E W F I L M PA G E S 7 NEW RECORDS

APRIL 2010

WIN TICKETS TO MOTEL MOZAÏQUE, CRYSTAL CASTLES AND MORE. PLUS, WE GIVE AWAY 25 LIARS PACKAGES

W W W. S U B B AC U LTCHA.NL CONTINUE 1

NEW MUSIC

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Felix

FELIX MAKES ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH ACOUSTIC SCULPTURES

NEW MUSIC

Using a mix of traditional instruments such as drum sets and miscellaneous pieces like trash cans and school bells, Felix builds complex sculptures that turn his electronic compositions into acoustic music.

What do you do?

Felix wears the new All Star Slim.

Want some? See “Free Stuff” page in this publication.

CONTINUE 3

www.converse.nl www.felixsmachines.com

See more at www.aiaiai.dk distributed by 2moso.com

SPOON

AFTER THE LIGHTS GO OUT

By Daniëlle van Ark Photographer Daniëlle van Ark takes photos of musicians right after they’ve come off stage.

Every month we publish one of her photos.

Britt Daniel (Singer/guitarist) 18-02-2010. Paradiso, Amsterdam.

THIS MONTH This month’s issue was supposed to be the Fanzine Issue, since we believe that the concept of fanzines is a crucial (more crucial than you might think) part of modern day society. But I opened the curtains this morning, prepared a breakfast of champions and stepped out the door when it struck me; Spring! So you’ll have to take a rain check on the Fanzine Issue while we take it easy on thematic thinking. Just shake your boots and let it all get loose.... ooooooooh yeah. My Goodness.

ON THE COVER Photo by Helene Katz

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CONTENT This month in Subbacultcha! magazine

THE APRIL ISSUE

HELL YEAH! IT IS SPRING TIME AND YOU KNOW IT. SO PUT ON THOSE FITTED SHIRTS AND SKIRTS AND BIKE THROUGH THE BREEZE WITH THAT 5 O’CLOCK BUZZ.

Yes, we are all about unruly, independent, relentless, alternative, loud, beautiful, silent, disturbing, soothing and uncompromising music.

THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH

NEW MUSIC: THE UK IS BACK

Talks page 20

10 brand new bands page 17

...but we all love to say ‘spring is in the air’ sometimes, right?

NEW FILM PAGES

AGENDA

We recommend films and DVDs page 28

This month’s must sees page 45

ART

FREE STUFF

Featured artist Helene Katz page 33

Tickets to Crystal Castels, Motel Mozaïque and Film Biënnale page 47

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TOP 5/INBOX SUBBACULTCHA! SHOWS WE SAW YOU OFF THE RECORD NEW MUSIC THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH NEW RELEASES FILM

8 10 12 14 17 20 25 28

FEATURED ARTIST FASHION 99 PROBLEMS SPEKKIE BIG AGENDA FREE STUFF MOTEL MOZAIQUE AFTER MIDNIGHT

33 39 42 44 45 47 48 59

CONTENT

THE APRIL ISSUE

HELL YEAH! IT IS SPRING TIME AND YOU KNOW IT. SO PUT ON THOSE FITTED SHIRTS AND SKIRTS AND BIKE THROUGH THE BREEZE WITH A 5 OCLOCK BUZZ.

THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH

NEW MUSIC: THE UK IS BACK

Talks page 21

10 brand new bands page 17

NEW FILM PAGES

AGENDA

We recommend films and DVDs page 35

This month’s must sees page 45

ART

FREE STUFF

Featured artist Helene Katz page 29

Tickets to Crystal Castels, Motel Mozaïque and Film Biënnale page 47

This month in Subbacultcha! magazine Yes, we are all about unruly, independent, relentless, alternative, loud, beautiful, silent, disturbing, soothing and uncompromising music. ...but we all love to say ‘no’ sometimes, right?

stumptown coffee roasters TOP 5/INBOX SUBBACULTCHA! SHOWS WE SAW YOU OFF THE RECORD NEW MUSIC THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH NEW RELEASES FEATURED ARTIST FILM

8 10 12 14 17 21 26 29 35

FASHION 99 PROBLEMS SPEKKIE BIG AGENDA FREE STUFF MOTEL MOZAIQUE AFTER MIDNIGHT AGENDA OVERVIEW

39 42 44 45 47 52 59 63

albert cuypstraat 101

a m s t e r d a m

stumptowncoffee.com CONTINUE 7

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TOP 5

Television: Subbacultcha! on NOS Journaal and RTL 4 Turns out that releasing an obscure cassette of an obscure band (DD/MM/YYYY) on our very own obscure record label is big news in Holland.

Emmmm... RTL 4?? Counter-culture has definitely seen better days.

Last month at our office These are 5 things that thrilled, chilled and excited us last month.

2 3 4

Shop: Hornbach D.I.Y. how it is meant to be.

Music: Cold Pumas Now that is a great discovery! See page 17.

Song: ‘It Fit When I Was A Kid’ - Liars (Chrystal Castles Remix) An old old song, but it has been stuck in my head for about a month now. Maybe it’s because we’ve booked both bands at Trouw in April and May. Or maybe it’s just because it is a fucking great song.

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Cooking: Chicken broth 1/2 boiling-hen; 2 sticks of leek; 4 white onions; 2 big carrots; 2 sticks of cellery; 7 peppercorns; a bundle of thyme; 3 bay leafs; 1 piece of mace and a shot of vinegar. Roast chicken for 30 minutes to extract fat. Cut vegetables in big chunks.

Put everything together in a pot, add 4 litres of water and let it simmer with closed lid for at least 3 hours. Sieve. Reduce to about 2/3. Cool off and scoop off excess fat.... and you thought we were hipsters.

INBOX The stuff we get in our mailbox... day in day out.

It never stops.

Luckily.

Submit: magazine@subbacultcha.nl 8

Disciple!

Hoi! Ik kom uit Melbourne, Australia. I’m moving to Amsterdam this year and wanted to check out the Dutch indie-alternative culture. I found your site and IK BEN HEEL BLIJ!! Fantastic, I am so happy!!! I will be coming to every event, I promise.

And because you appreciate al-

ternative music from Amsterdam, look at this, it’s recorded on Museumplein! It’s called The Stompstone Song. It’s simple. 9 tiles, jump on them and you’ve got a song. Toch? http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=exwStqF6hqg Keep up the great work. I am your disciple!

Groetjes, Janneke

M E M B E R S H I P C O N S I S T I N G

O F :

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JOIN NOW AND GET A FREE LIARS SISTERWORLD PACKAGE

WE’RE GIVING AWAY 25 PACKAGES OF THE NEW LIARS CD SISTERWORLD AND TWO TICKETS TO THE LIARS SHOW IN TROUW ON 25 MAY. THE FIRST 10 SUBSCRIBERS ALSO RECEIVE THE EXCLUSIVE REMIX ALBUM FEATURING TRACKS BY TV ON THE RADIO, DEERHUNTER AND THOM YORKE. CLICK CLICK.

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S U B B A C U L T C H A . N L

COMING UP AT SUBBACULTCHA!

TV BUDDHAS 03 April Ekko, Utrecht Starts 20.00 | €7

irony-tinged experimental indie.

Brighton band The Sticks make an abstract art punk racket that occasionally breaks down into pure garage pop.

TIMES NEW VIKING + HAVENS 12 April OCCII, Amsterdam Starts 21.00 | €7

Big rock riffs from Israel. If you dig the raw power of their pals Monotonix, you’ll love this trio.

Not just bluesy and retro, the hard-gigging group also lose themselves in noise jams that are designed to wind up the audience for some sustained headbanging and windmilling. As well as new material blasting out, watch out for pointy guitar strings whizzing perilously close to your eyes.

KANIPCHEN-FIT + THE STICKS + DJ BARRY STILETTO

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10 April De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | €6 The multinational collaboration that is Kanipchen-Fit (vocalist and visual artist Gloria is from New York while vocalist/guitarist Empee Holwerda-Williams is known from local rockers Solbakken) has been on-and-off the scene for a few years already, but tonight’s gig is a crucial one, marking the launch of their first official album. Expect an array of

Lo-fi fuzzed-up indie noise rockers that spike all needles at ten.

Fortunately volume isn’t the only trick up their sleeve. This vibrant Ohio trio have been tightening their songcraft with every tour and every release. Get in the mood by listening to Born Again Revisited (Matador), and buy their new 7” ‘No Time, No Hope’ on the night. Melodramatic pop support from Amsterdam’s own Havens.

A GRAVE WITH NO NAME

14 April Studio 80, Amsterdam Starts 23.00 | €6 (In collaboration with Katapult) Waves of distortion and fuzz are the first thing to hit whenever A

MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL

KAKI KING

05 Apr De Helling, Utrecht Starts 20.15 | Cover €11

Grave With No Name crank up the amps. Comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain are easy to a point, but Brit songwriter Alex Shields is undoubtedly also in love with the sounds of classic American indie. If you like your breakfast served with a bit of Atlas Sound, you’re probably gonna come to admire this lo-fi noise pop.

SUBBA VS THE QUEEN’S NIGHT FT. ENABLERS

29 April De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | €6 These loose arpeggio San Franciscans might not be prepared for what Subbacultcha! and Queen’s Night is gonna drop them into, but it’s unlikely to throw them off course. Although melodic at their core, the experienced quartet packs a vivid noir edge, totally deserving of their connections with Neurot Recordings and previous members’ previous outings with Swans, Tarnation, Nice Strong Arm and Toiling Midgets.

We offer our members free entrance to one show a month at tivoli in Utrecht. This Month it is Kaki King. She’s been a YouTube wonder and a guest on a Foo Fighters album simply from being a pretty wild guitarist who’s known for incorporating finger-tapping and percussive elements into her songs. Her singing voice may be as gentle and folky as it comes, but don’t be fooled by any lulling arpeggios as the next musical turn will see her attacking her guitar from all angles, with extra fingers seemingly extending from her hands.

COMING UP AT SUBBACULTCHA! You can get access to these shows for free if you become a Subbacultcha! member.

Subscribe now and get a wonderful Liars package See page 9 for details.

COMING UP IN MAY / JUNE

8 May 10 May 16 May 19 May 2 June

TANLINES de Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam HIGH PLACES Clup up, Amsterdam BEST COAST EKKO, utrecht MI AMI Studio 80, Amsterdam THESE ARE POWERS Studio 80, Amsterdam

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WE SAW YOU Spotted at Subbacultcha!

We chat up someone at a Subbacultcha! party just because we are curious to know who is drinking the cocktails and buying the tickets.

Text and photo by Mila van de Wall.

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“BEST MOVIE SOUNDTRACK? THERE WILL BE BLOOD BY JONNY GREENWOOD: SPACE ECHOOOOOOOOOOWOWOW” What’s your favourite album/ artist, now? Fever Ray and Fool’s Gold; ‘Surprise Hotel’ as favourite song What’s your favourite album/ artist, ever? Radiohead - Amnesiac Best record store? Brutus (died) Which music did you listen to when you were young? Nirvana, Radiohead, early U2, DJ Shadow. My parents listened to Eurhythmics, Paul Simon, so did I. And 3FM Het Lek radio with Luc Janssen and Jaap Boots What was the first record that you bought? Nirvana - Nevermind Guilty pleasures? Kylie Minogue Which album is still on your ‘to buy’ list? Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest on vinyl Best movie soundtrack?

There Will Be Blood by Jonny Greenwood: space echoooooooooowowow Which famous artist do you fancy? I’ve been in love with Sharin Foo from The Raveonettes for several years now Best concert ever? First time I saw The Thermals and King Khan & BBQ Worst concert ever? The Faint And what was the loudest?

Deftones, ai ai ai, very loud

Which music makes you puke? R&B and Dutch street organs Which music makes you fall asleep? Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, but in a nice way. The voices of those two together make me doze off immediately What do you listen when you are on your bike? Depends on the speed I need to create What makes you dance? M.I.A. Which music makes you cry?

Bat For Lashes What do you listen to when you are doing the dishes?

Wavves - So Bored And when you have sex? No music What’s your favourite album cover? M.I.A. - Kala Which record do you regret buying? Not one Which music do you say you like (for hipsters sake), but actually, you don’t? I like all music I like.

Name & age: Joost, 26 Daytime job/study: Architecture student and drummer Other interests: Music, art, scientific facts and trivia Place of Birth: Nijmegen Spotted at: Subbacultcha! party with Slow Club and Air Waves at De Nieuwe Anita on 27 february END 13

OFF THE RECORD: LOU BARLOW (SEBADOH, DINOSAUR JR)

Every month, Martine Stig or Suzanne de Bruin take their videocameras out on the streets and shoot a band or artist we think is worth filling a spread of this magazine with.

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By Suzanne de Bruin

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THE UK IS A-OK YES FOLKS, THERE ARE SOME AWESOME BANDS EMERGING IN THE UK RIGHT KNOW, SO IT’S ABOUT TIME WE GOT TO RAVE ABOUT THEM. IN PREVIOUS ISSUES WE’VE ALREADY INTRODUCED YOU TO SLOW CLUB, ARCH M, FOREST SWORDS, BANJO OR FREAKOUT, MALE BONDING, WU LYF AND GRAFFITI ISLAND. WELL, THERE’S A LOT MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

NEWN E W MUSIC M U S IC We make it our job to endlessly roam the beautiful internet and find the stuff that really matters. Behold the needles from the haystack.

By Leon Caren

Small UK labels like Italian Beach Babes, No Pain In Pop, Paradise Vendors Inc and Upset The Rhythm are releasing all kinds of exciting tapes, singles, records and compilations featuring local bands, both drawing influence from the thriving North American music scene and coming up with something special of their own.

PENS myspace.com/penspenspenis All-girl garage post punk trio Pens aren’t exactly your average Riot Grrrl band. Yes, their name refers to the penis, and yes, they jokingly call their record label Big Dick Records. But Pens actually play charmingly candid pop songs. With their stripped-down drum beats, catchy vocals and

out-of-control bass lines, these girls sure know how to make a boy go weak at the knees.

COLD PUMAS myspace.com/coldpumas Brighton-based Cold Pumas play noisy new wave dance music.

They use pulsating drum rhythms, super tight bass grooves, weaving one note guitar riffs and delay-drowning vocals. They remind

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NEW MUSIC

me of bands I really like (Liars, Joy Division, etc) but they never feel like a rip-off. This is good stuff. The kind of stuff you’d like to discover on a daily basis.

THE STICKS myspace.com/thsticks

hilist views on society. You really like the song so start dancing. You wonder who the band is.

They’re called Teeth.

SUMMER CAMP myspace.com/morganwaves I bet you thought chillwave was an all-American thing. Well you thought wrong. London-based Summer Camp fit right into the scene with their easy listening feel, their nerdy synth sounds and their cute sing-a-long female vocals. Moshi Moshi will release their hyper catchy single ‘Ghost Train’ in April.

WET DOG Brighton-based The Sticks are an explosive garage punk duo.

They are noisy, energetic and wild, and hey, they’re playing Subbacultcha! on 10 April at De Nieuwe Anita. They’ve also just released their new record on Upset the Rhythm.

myspace.com/ wetdogthebest

TEETH myspace.com/teethdance

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Close your eyes and picture this: You’re in a club. You’re hearing up-tempo dance beats, lots of synths and a girl screaming, ‘Time changes everything!’ You’re wearing your brand new American Apparel dress that shows a little too much skin. The boy you’re with is wearing his Crystal Castles shirt. You think he’s kind of cute and you totally dig his ni-

There’s another not-so-tight yet utterly awesome girl group on the scene called Wet Dog. These girls are influenced by psychobilly garage bands and 1980s post punk, and then throw some lo-fi electronics into the mix. They just released their new album Frau-

haus on Captured Tracks and recently embarked on a US tour, playing shows with bands like Vivian Girls and Blank Dogs.

A GRAVE WITH NO NAME myspace.com/ agravewithnoname At first glance these guys sound like a drone-friendly industrial garage band. Lots of distortion, repetition and out-of-tune singing. It’s not exactly the kind of music you play when your parents come over, but listen closely and you’ll discover some fine melodies in the mire. Come check them out at Studio 80 on 14 April.

Krakow (Poland) and have some amazing electronic dance tracks on their page. There’s loads of tribal beats and wavy synths playing repetitive themes on top of changing bass chords.

NEWN E W MUSIC M U S IC

LA LA VASQUEZ myspace.com/ lalavasquezband

THE FAIR OHS myspace.com/ theemightypharoahs It’s been a while since the beginning of the ‘tropical revival’.

Bands like The Very Best, Fool’s Gold, Vampire Weekend and Abe Vigoda have certainly made our hips swing over the past year.

Now London-based The Fair Ohs are doing just that with their African beats and guitar licks, cunningly combined with wicked white -boy chanting.

NOWA HUTA myspace.com/ nowahutanoise We can’t find out much about Nowa Huta, apart from that they took their name from a district in

So you’re three cute girls from Brighton and you’d like to start a band. You’ve got good taste in music but you don’t really know how to play. You take your name from a trashy Amercan TV personality and you just start jamming out. You sound a bit like The Slits, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Dinosaur Jr. You play a few shows and all you’re friends are really digging it.

You’re kind of digging it yourself too. You release a bunch of tracks on several local record labels and then a 7” on this cool American label. You might even go there for a tour. Ace.

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MUSIC FEATURE

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY AN INTERVIEW WITH THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH. NO, NOT THAT ONE.

By Carly Blair and Zofia Ciechowska.

K

ristian Matsson, AKA The Tallest Man on Earth, doesn’t actually break any height records. ‘A Guy of Below-Average Height’ hardly trips off the tongue though, and definitely doesn’t do justice to the musical capabilities of this rising Swedish singer-songwriter. Matsson’s take on Southern American folk is surprisingly authentic, bolstered by captivating live performances, audience interaction and word-of-mouth adulation.

These snowballing whispers have also seen him unavoidably tied to Bob Dylan, and in turn his inextricable link to the Anthology of American Folk Music. As he passed through Amsterdam last month in promotion of his upcoming second album The Wild Hunt, we got suitably Subbacultcha on him, discussing jokes, food, and all those inescapable Dylan comparisons.

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THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH. CONTINUED

You’ve just embarked on a pretty massive tour. How do you stay centred and healthy when your lifestyle is so hectic for such a long period of time?

I try to eat good food. After a while you kind of just shut off during the day. You turn into a zombie. It’s actually easier than you’d think, if you just know how to shut down.

know? You steal their mimics, words they use, and finally you start to develop a kind of sense of humour in another language. That’s kind of the first thing – when you actually see a joke work, you see that you’re getting somewhere.

I have the impression that interaction with the audience is important to you. Now that you’re startYour lyrics are in English, but not ing to find more fans and playing just basic English. That makes your in bigger venues, I assume it must music accessible to a bigger audi- be trickier to maintain that level of ence, of course. But I think you’re connection. How are you going to trying to communicate some pret- keep touring fun? ty complex ideas and I wonder if I’ve been thinking about it. It won’t be writing in a non-native tongue ever a problem up on stage, but afterwards... makes it hard for you to express I still think I can go out to the merch what you mean? Or if you feel like it table. It’s starting to be a little crazy distances you from your lyrics? I al- sometimes. But, I kind of hope it won’t ways felt when I was speaking a sec- get that big and that the venues will ond language that I took on a differ- stay this size. That would be perfect. ent personality.

I do that too. Of course, I don’t know Well, it’s kind of up to you, right? the whole language, but you practice. Yeah. It’s all what you want to do with You talk to people, you try to write a it. This you can do. I don’t know if lot, read a lot and listen to a lot of mu- this music would suit a bigger venue sic. I love English because most of anyway. We’ll see what happens. It’s the music I’ve been listening to is in hard to figure out. that language and that’s what’s been inspiring me. Sometimes you want to Your music makes you seem like a have more words, and there’s still tons very optimistic person who focusI have to learn, but you get a little here es on positive things in the face of and there mostly from talking to peo- adversity. What’s something that ple. You kind of steal stuff from differ- cheers you up when you’re feeling ent kinds of people that you like, you down?

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“HOW CAN YOU SEE THAT A CAR IS FROM JAMAICA? FROM THE ‘REGGAE-STRATION’ PLATE.” Nature. The surroundings, especially back home in Sweden where I live.

It’s what I grew up with, so nature is really important to me. And to cook good food. I like to get really crazy in the kitchen.

cessible. I like to hike in the mountains. Where I live it’s mostly rolling hills but it’s not hard to get up to the higher mountains. You don’t have time to do that a lot, so you just walk around. You can’t sit inside all day.

What do you like to cook?

It always turns into fake Mediterranean stuff. I make pretty awesome pies. I can’t really cook sweet stuff or bake bread – I’m really bad at that.

I can empathise with the love of nature. I like how you poke fun at all the Dylan comparisons with your new album. It shows that you have a good sense of humour. Do you know any good jokes?

Not really good, no. Wait, I know one.

How to translate... it kind of works.

How can you see that a car is from Jamaica? From the ‘reggae-stration’ plate.

You grew up in the countryside and nature imagery plays a big part in your lyrics. What’s a favourite outdoor activity of yours?

Hiking and walking, as it’s easily ac

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THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH. CONTINUED

MY FOOD ALWAYS TURNS INTO FAKE MEDITERRANEAN STUFF. I MAKE PRETTY AWESOME PIES. I CAN’T REALLY COOK SWEET STUFF OR BAKE BREAD – I’M REALLY BAD AT THAT. (Groans all around) I have the impression that you’re an enthusiastic and voracious music listener. What’s been filling up your ears lately?

I listen to tons of stuff. I love the Megafaun album. It’s so good and I’ve been listening a lot to that. And I listen to... well, my iPhone got stolen in Berlin, if I could just check that...

foods that you really love?

I’m not a big fan of Indian food like everyone else seems to be. Other than that I love all kinds of food.

Do you have any pets back at home?

Yeah, I have a dog.

What kind of girl makes your heart skip a beat?

How can you explain that? It just kind of hits you. I’m an eye person.

Yes, but that would be cheating.

I know. But before this tour I’ve been home a lot and listening to music all the time. Oh... Nurses.

Do you wear any fragrance? If so, which kind?

I love ‘Caterpillar Playground’.

Yeah, it’s Bruno Banani? I just bought That melody is so awesome. I’m going it because the name is so silly. to tour with them, though they’re going to open for me. It’s a bit weird because Have you ever met the tallest man I’m a big fan. I’ve heard they’re super on Earth? So many people were consweet guys. fused when I said I was going to interview you. Everyone thought I was We thought it would be fun to take a referring to the actual one (Mongosort of Tiger Beat approach, and ask lian herdsman Bao Xishun). you a few silly questions. What was People are asking me to save dolphins your favourite subject in school? all the time, and I can’t do it.

That’s a hard question, I didn’t really like school.

We’ve already discovered that you like Mediterranean food. Any other 24 END

The Wild Hunt is out on 13 April from Dead Oceans.

GONJASUFI

A Sufi and a Killer (Warp)

Sumach Ecks, AKA Gonjasufi, is an LA native and former drug addict who’s calmed down by teaching yoga and, um, smoking weed. After a decade in hip-hop A Sufi and a Killer is his proper debut. Production by avant-hip-hop hotshots The Gaslamp Killer, Mainframe and Flying Lotus yield the kind of knocking contemporary beats you’d expect, but overlain by a surprising patchwork of genres ranging from hip-hop to funk, folk and vintage psychedelia. Rather than being overshadowed by the heavyweight production, Ecks emerges as a compelling protagonist: a croaky-voiced schizo torn between heavenly aspirations and filthy urges. Grimy, crackly and chill as fuck, expect this to be one of the most broadly appealing records released all year.

MUSIC NEW RELEASES These are the new releases that you can’t afford to miss

By Carly Blair

BEACH FOSSILS Self-titled (Woodsist)

Brooklyn’s straightforwardly-named Beach Fossils offer up the kind of summery little nuggets of lo-fi nostalgia destined to soundtrack your next hipster beach party and the afternoons you spend looking out an office window daydreaming about your next hipster beach party. Mastermind Dustin Payseur’s disaffected but affecting vocals and the jangly guitar melodies which accompany them make this one of the most consistently enjoyable Woodsist releases. While they ably capture the lo-fi zeitgeist, if they step it up a notch in terms of inventiveness or intensity, Beach Fossils may very well prove interesting long after the trend dies down.

HARLEM

Hippies (Matador)

On their MySpace page, Austin-based Harlem state: ‘The only band we like is Nirvana. The only album we like is Nevermind.

The only song we like is ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.’ This

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MUSIC NEW RELEASES

flippant description doesn’t accurately reflect their aesthetic, which leans more towards ramshackle garage rock. It does, however, (probably) inadvertently reflect the uniformity of their sound, and at 16 tracks, Hippies gets boring. They occasionally harness the swagger of better predecessors, and if they’d trimmed the fat down to stand-outs such as ‘Someday Soon’ and ‘Gay Human Bones’, we’d have a fun house party jam.

HIGH PLACES

High Places vs Mankind (Thrill Jockey)

The LA duo’s sophomore release builds upon the sound collage aesthetic that’s made them a niche favourite. Their signature dub-influenced rhythms and dreamlike compositions remain, but Mary Pearson’s lilting vocals are slightly less sugary sweet, the imaginative percussion is more driving, and the use of guitar is more assertive and straightforward, which adds some beneficial momentum. Whereas their older material felt too sparse, odd and pretty but kind of aimless, here Pearson and Rob Barber upgrade their sound from ‘vaguely danceable’ to ‘somewhat danceable’. High Places are hot and have cool friends; now they also have my attention.

THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH The Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)

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Folk singer Kristian Matsson , AKA The Tallest Man on Earth, continues to fascinate with his sophomore release. Sonically it mostly treads ground familiar to those who heard his debut full-length Shallow Grave - it’s just Matsson and his guitar, with the exception of piano-based closer ‘Kids on the Run’. Lyrically, however, he’s broadened his scope as a storyteller. He simultaneously embraces and mocks all those Dylan comparisons with multiple allusions to Dylan’s lyrics and by occasionally blatantly mimicking his vocal delivery, be-

traying an endearing playfulness. But The Wild Hunt is much more than a homage. His pliant melodies and earnest, uplifting vocals make for a rewarding and special listen. On the title track, Matsson states that he plans to be forgotten when he’s gone; so far, it doesn’t look like that’s going to work out for him.

MUSIC NEW RELEASES

CARIBOU

Swim (Merge / City Slang)

After making a splash with his two previous Caribou releases (2005’s The Milk of Human Kindness and 2007’s Andorra), Dan Snaith is set to get the critics wet once again with Swim.

Here, Snaith let his compositions go with the flow, and apparently wanted to make ‘Dance music that sounds like it’s made out of water, rather than made out of metallic stuff like most dance music does.’ I don’t really hear that, but in any case, it doesn’t represent as huge a stylistic shift as, say, the latest Yeasayer album. I’ve never been a big fan of his high, thin vocals, but the compositions are still interesting and the production is as masterful as ever. With Swim, Caribou bridges the gap between Andorra’s electro psychedelia and Hot Chip’s sissy disco.

GROWING Pumps (Vice)

Pumps is the seventh full-length and first on Vice for this Brooklyn-based trio. They’ve toured with all the right people (e.g. Sunn O))), Fuck Buttons), they feature vocals from Sadie Laska (of weird/sexy duo IUD, along with Lizzi from Gang Gang Dance), and with song titles like ‘Drone Burger’ and ‘Mind Eraser’, I wonder if the bros at Vice thought it necessary to even listen to Growing before signing them. Their glitching electronic noise is interesting enough to elevate them above the status of a pure ‘scene’ band, but still this comes off like Fuck Buttons-lite to me, and not just because it’s less heavy.

END 27

FILM IN A THEATRE NEAR YOU (HOPEFULLY)

By Marie Claire Melzer We started a new film section, featuring a sweet Subbacultcha! selection of the massive movie mash out there.

Enjoy

Gainsbourg, vie héroïque

FANTASY, FRE

(AND FUCKING WH

GAINSBOURG, VIE HÉROÏQUE (Joann Sfar, 2009).

In various cinemas Why bother?

• Legendary French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg made so many great songs before that number one hit. This film pays a tribute • Illustrator turned filmmaker Joann Sfar has a keen eye for Gainsbourg and his women as elegant icons • Laetitia Casta makes for a gorgeous Bardot • Gainsbourg tenderly playing ‘Je t’aime moi non plus’ on the piano • A hilarious scene of a sobbing Bardot, after the break-up with Gainsbourg, eating comfort food at his parents • Sfar loves Gainsbourg too much to separate fact from fiction, keeping the myth alive

28

IMAGINE: THE 26TH AMSTERDAM FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL 14-24 April, Kriterion, Why bother?

• Ten days of the latest and greatest in fantasy and horror

FILM IN A THEATRE NEAR YOU (HOPEFULLY)

Le salaire de la peur

ENCH POLICE

HITNEY HOUSTON)

• To meet famous filmmakers! Guests of former editions include Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Peter Jackson and Wes Craven RETROSPECTIVE ON DIRECTOR HENRIGEORGES CLOUZOT 25 March - 7 April, Filmmuseum, Amsterdam Why bother?

• Henri-Georges Clouzot (1907-1977) has been called ‘the French Hitchcock’ • Hitchcock himself admitted that Psycho was inspired by the work of Clouzot • Clouzot’s extremely dark subject matter: poor men driving with dangerous chemicals over bumpy roads in LatinAmerica (Le salaire de la peur/Wages Of Fear,1953), or a wife killing her brutal husband, only to find him reappear again (Les diaboliques, 1954, remade in 1996 with Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani), and a murderous music teacher La verité (1960) • The grim films are enlightened by stars such as Yves Montand, Brigitte Bardot and Simone Signoret

END 29

FILM DVDS TO SEE Door Gert Verbeek Voor als je het even niet meer weet in de videotheek of op Piratebay.

LE DONK & SCOR-ZAY-ZEE (Shane Meadows, 2009)

Le Donk (Paddy Considine) is een langharige roadie van The Arctic Monkeys en min of meer ook manager van de verlegen rapper Scor-Zay-Zee. Tussen het sjouwen van versterkers door probeert hij op een openluchtfestival in Manchester voor zijn protégé een optreden te regelen.

Le Donk wil eigenlijk op het podium naast Scorz een glorieuze doorbraak voor zichzelf forceren, maar onderschat het talent van de rapper. Ondertussen staat zijn door hem bezwangerde ex-vriendin op het punt te bevallen. De schipperende roadie wordt gevolgd door twee cameraploegen van regisseur Shane Meadows en verliest al binnen vijf minuten de regie over zijn eigen verhaal. Hij boft dat Meadows hem bijstaat met vaderlijk advies. Deze geïmproviseerde film is voor roadies, wat Spinal Tap is voor rockbands. Maar dan met een lager budget.

PONTYPOOL

(Bruce McDonald, 2008)

30 END

De hoogst originele zombiefilm Pontypool speelt zich vrijwel volledig af in de afgesloten ruimte van een Canadese radiostudio in besneeuwd Ontario. DJ Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) wisselt aankondigingen af met weervoorspellingen en lokale nieuwtjes. Maar dan krijgt hij per telefoon bericht over een bloeddorstige meute die nabij de studio een dokterspraktijk belaagt. Mazzy gelooft pas in het naderende onheil wanneer zijn geluidsvrouw wartaal begint uit te slaan en met haar hoofd door het glas van de presentatiecabine wil breken. De oplossing voor het zombieprobleem is hoogst ongebruikelijk; een bezwering blijkt meer soelaas te bieden dan een ijspriem door het voorhoofd. Boffen wij even dat DJ Mazzy niet om woorden verlegen zit.

FILM VIJF OVERBODIGE REMAKES MET NICHOLAS CAGE

“Do I look out of character or just out of focus?”

Season Of The Witch, het nieuwe middeleeuwse fantasiespektakel van Nicholas Cage, is allesbehalve een remake van George A Romero’s gelijknamige horrorfilm uit 1972. Met de onderstaande vijf overbodige remakes met Nicholas Cage in het achterhoofd, is dat waarschijnlijk het enige goede nieuws.

Door Gert Verbeek Iedere maand staat hier n.a.v. een actuele bioscoop release of film gebeurtenis een leuke—of minder leuke—lijst.

1 2

BANGKOK DANGEROUS (2008)

Het affiche doet vermoeden dat een huurmoordenaar pas raak schiet, als hij de linkerhand warm houdt onder zijn oksel.

THE WICKER MAN (2006)

Nicholas Cage is teveel met zijn mobiele telefoontje in de weer, wat hem ervan weerhoudt respect te tonen voor de diepere, religieuze motieven in de Britse cultklassieker uit 1973.

3

GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS (2000)

Het blije gevoel wanneer Nicholas Cage binnen een minuut met een gestolen auto het beeld uit racet, maakt keer op keer plaats voor de grote teleurstelling wanneer hij binnen een minuut weer terug in beeld rijdt.

4

CITY OF ANGELS (1998)

In tegenstelling tot het origineel Der Himmel über Berlin van Wim Wenders kan de slaapwandelende engel Seth in City Of Angels wel in gevleugelde vorm rechtstreeks communiceren met grote liefde Maggie. Nicholas Cage speelt vals!

5

KISS OF DEATH (1995)

Nicholas Cage staat psychopathisch te schuimbekken, maar moet wat gekte betreft zijn meerdere erkennen in Richard Widmark die in het origineel uit 1947 tenminste nog een weerloze moeder met rolstoel en al van de trap afsmijt. Typisch een geval van baas boven baas.

END 31

FILM: BASJES KINO KORNER

32 END

A visual movie review by Basje Boer

HELENE KATZ

ART FEATURED ARTIST Every month we select an artist we think is worth your while This month it is Helene Katz

N

ame, Age, City of residence? Helene Katz, 26 years old, born in Strasbourg, studied in Grenoble and live for the moment in Berlin Are you an artist? Sometimes...I’m playing the artist Are you building a career? I am building kind of a travelling career At what time do you generally get up?No routine. Actually I am working at the moment so at around 10, but usually between 11 and 12 What’s your favourite time of day to work? Night without any doubt What brand of coffee do you drink? All the kind of coffee that can wake me up correctly if I have to wake up in the morning.

Preferred type of alcohol? Rum and Vodka, all what make you hate morning when you have to wake up Do you smoke? Too much Do you take yourself seriously? Take a look (at yourself) Are you critical? Criticism makes you go further Do you deal well with critisism? Everyone is free (to think whatever he wants) Can art be criticised? Yes Are you cynical? What is cynism?

Do you have any idea what you are doing? Mostly travelling, creating good human moments, partying and sharing mental universes with people.

CONTINUE 33

l lm .n ey efi

FILM Het begint met film

7

ie k ku , po ns ĂŤ t e zi e n , fil m

ri

uz

11

ap

m

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0 01 2 l

Filmmuseum, Filmbank, NIF en Holland Film zijn gefuseerd tot EYE Film Instituut Nederland.

STRANGE FASHION: EPISODE TWO Dear Dedicated Follower Of Fashion, We’re very pleased to present our Strange Boutique fashion series. The series is centred around a few ground rules that our featured photographers have to follow. The rules: No models - Use an existing interior (preferably in a living room) - Use a plant - No Photoshop - The shoot has to take place between noon and 6pm and has to make use of natural light sources whenever possible - The shoot has to feature the work of a Dutch designer, chosen by yours truly - No fur because no animal will be harmed during the making of this series.

The result: 10 versions of the same photo. This month: episode two.

The Featured Designer is called Quoc Thang (www.quocthang.nl) Quoc Thang was born in Malaysia, has his roots in Chinese and Vietnamese culture and was raised in the Netherlands. In 2005 he graduated from the renowned Gerrit Rietveld Academy, where his final project Schoonheid van het Einde/The Glorious End was nominated for the Gerrit Rietveld Academy Award. The central theme in his work is the vulnerability and transitory nature of life. Ieder Einder II is the collection featured in this shoot and consists of menswear inspired by the lonely lives of skippers and the classic image of Dicken’s Oliver Twist. Quoc Thang is a fashion designer and visual artist. He doesn’t just design clothing; he creates a whole experience.

The Featured Photographer is Abel Minnee Abel Minnee was born in 1988. The year in which Strange Boutique was almost graduating from high school, wallowing in teenage-angst and wanted to be just like Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club (note to self: check out Ally on IMDB).

When we met Abel Minnee a couple of years ago he was probably just as old as we were then and already making a name for himself as the household photographer of the party people scene in Amsterdam. Since he’s become a student at the prestigious Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and his work - although you’ll still find him taking amazing pictures at parties - has this beautiful promise of greatness. We’re very happy that Abel agreed to take part in this series and you will be too. Abel doesn’t have a website yet but you can find him on facebook.

We hope you like our fashion Strange Boutique

CONTINUE 39

STRANGE FASHION: EPISODE TWO

A fashiontale in ten episodes brought to you by Strange Boutique.

99 PROBLEMS AND THE BITCH... ...KNOWS THE ANSWER

Door Brenda Bosma. Illustratie Martyn F Overweel Send your problems to 99 problems@ subbacultcha.nl

42

Beste Bitch, Wanneer ga je lepeltje-lepeltje?

Groetje, K.

gedaald. Ik lijk zijn uitlatingen maar niet te boven te komen. Hoe pak ik mijn leven weer op? Liefs J.

Dat zijn nou typisch van die dingen waar je niet bewust over na moet denken, beste K. Als het goed voelt, gebeurt het vanzelf. Als je de aandrang voelt een iPhone te kopen, doe je dat toch ook gewoon? Als kind had ik een fase waarin ik heel erg op mijn ademhaling lette. In en uit en in en uit... Op een geven moment werd ademen een ware kwelling. Toen ik me bij uitstapjes naar bijvoorbeeld de buurtsuper ineens ook nog eens heel erg bewust werd van mijn looppatroon, werd het me allemaal even teveel. Sindsdien probeer ik de dingen een beetje los te laten en behoort een gezonde relatie met ‘de ander’ in mijn leven niet tot de all inclusive-standaard. Gelukkig is er niks mis met de foetushouding.

Lieve J., Ik kan natuurlijk niet inschatten of je lichaam de werkelijke aanleiding is van de breuk. Een foto heb je niet bijgevoegd. Enfin, dan maar een praktische tip: gebruik zijn woorden als mantra die je meermalen per dag reciteert. Je zult merken dat je op den duur een zekere antipathie ten opzichte van je ex gaat ontwikkelen, totdat je uiteindelijk de breuk zelfs in een zonnig daglicht kunt zien. Ohm, B.

Lieve Bitch, Na een intense liefdesrelatie van ruim twee jaar bleek de fysieke aantrekkingskracht tussen mij en mijn (inmiddels ex-)vriend volledig verdwenen. Ik kreeg zelfs te horen dat mijn lichaam hem deed braken van walging. Hij is inmiddels uit mijn leven.

Mijn zelfvertrouwen is sindsdien echter tot een nulpunt

Beste Bitch, Ik zit in een bandje en speel daarin leadgitaar. Onze zanger die de teksten aanlevert, kwam laatst met een ballad op de proppen waarin hij Twix op ‘chicks’ laat rijmen. Hoe maken wij hem subtiel duidelijk dat we geen emo rock willen maken? Dank voor je advies, Imca Marina.

Hmm, lastig. Kun je Twix niet veranderen in Raider, en dat met een beetje vocale fantasie laten rijmen op ‘maiden’? (Of is retro gothic ook een ongewenste stijl?) En anders verzuip je de zang bij het mixen toch gewoon in de autotune en delay? Succes gegarandeerd!

NU ONTVANG IK ELKE DAG DUBIEUZE SMS’JES EN ANIMATED GIFS VAN ONDER ANDERE SCHOTSE HOOGLANDERS IN GROTE BRAZILIAANSE VROUWEN

99 PROBLEMS AND THE BITCH... ...KNOWS THE ANSWER Stuur al je vragen, problemen en prangende kwesties naar 99problems@ subbacultcha.nl als jouw vraag een antwoord verdient verdien jij een good goodie.

Send your problems to 99 problems@ subbacultcha.nl

Beste Bitch, Een collega heeft zich voor de gein met mijn mobieltje aangemeld voor een seks-met-dierensms-dienst. Nu ontvang ik elke dag dubieuze sms’jes en animated gifs van onder andere Schotse Hooglanders in grote Braziliaanse vrouwen.

Ik durf m’n provider hier niet over te bellen, hoe zet ik dit in hemelsnaam stop? Het is hartstikke duur en heeft er bovendien voor gezorgd dat ik al een maand geen erectie meer heb gehad.

Groet, anoniempje.

Beste anoniempje, Doorgaans ben ik van het eengegeven-paard-mag-je-niet-inde-bek-kijken-soort, maar voor deze ene keer zal ik mijn principes laten varen. Heb je al geprobeerd om ‘Schotse Hooglanders uit grote Braziliaanse vrouwen’ terug te sms-en?

Tjeempie, ik begrijp dat ik mezelf gelukkig mag prijzen met die keer dat ik onaangenaam verrast werd door een Crazy Frog-ringtone. Hou me op de hoogte, Lieve Groet, Je Bitch B.

END 43

SPEKKIE BIG

44

Door Marc van der Holst

AGENDA SPEND YOUR MONTH IN STYLE

Crystal Castles play Trouw, Amsterdam on 23 April

Highlights in April Crystal Castles, Caribou, Errors, Daniel Johnston, Yacht The Besnard Lakes and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra Win tickets to Film Biënnale, Motel Mozaïque, Crystal Castles and more CONTINUE 45

25 X LIARS PACKAGE

Sign up for Subbacultcha! and become a part of team Liars. The first 25 to join in April receive the special Liars pack. See page 9.

3 PAIRS OF ALL STAR SLIM

Sign up to the mailinglist, press send and receive on a daily basis, obsessively even. And reply to any question we ask you. Good luck.

3X2 TICKETS

THE BESNARD LAKES 02 April, Paradiso (Amsterdam) Expansive indie rock from husband-and-wife duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, who perpetually create sceneperfect soaring harmonies together.

3X2 TICKETS

OPENING NIGHT FILM BIËNNALE 07 April, Muziekgebouw (Amsterdam) The Man with the Camera (1929) by Russian film pioneer Dziga Vertov opens the festival. With live soundtrack accompaniment from the Michael Nyman Band.

FRFREE EE STSTUFF UF F Free tickets and goodies for you from us Every month we give away loads of tickets and good goodies.

Don’t you just love us for that?

To win subscribe to the mailinglist at www.subbacultcha.nl.

To become a full Subbacultcha! member go to www.subbacultcha.nl and click join.

6X2 TICKETS

MOTEL MOZAÏQUE 08-11 April, Various locations (Rotterdam) Motel Mozaïque has a cutting-edge blend of music, performance and art. Catch the likes of Fuck Buttons, Crystal Antlers, Mount Eerie and Fool’s Gold.

5X2 TICKETS

BABA ZULA (FILM BIËNNALE) 11 April, Paradiso (Amsterdam) Spectacle with film, live music and dance. Enis Aldjelis was shot in Istanbul by director Ernst Marischka. Turkish band Baba Zula provide the main musical accompaniment on this closing night of the festival.

3X2 TICKETS

TUNNG 20 April, Melkweg (Amsterdam) Experimental folk that mixes sparse and gentle acoustic numbers with electronic and prog rock elements.

New album ...And Then We Saw Land is arguably their chirpiest yet.

2X2 TICKETS

CRYSTAL CASTLES 23 April, Trouw (Amsterdam) Electro experimental noise-makers from Toronto. Aurally vicious and in-your-face, the focus is now on new material, which promises to be just as ferocious and fun.

END 47

AGENDA MOTEL MOZAÏQUE HIGHLIGHTS

Fuck Buttons

Rain Machine

MOTEL MOZAÏQUE 08-11 April Various locations, Rotterdam

E

ach year, Motel Mozaïque prides itself in being the most hospitable festival around. With its cutting-edge blend of music, performance and art, who are we to argue? Following on from last year’s building site experiences, this year’s theme is the ‘Soft City’.

So if you thought Rotterdam was just a harsh concrete jungle lacking in cultural or emotional character, the sleepover and guide projects this time round will attempt to alter that perspective with reflections on local tastes, scents, sights, associations and memories. Then of course there’s the sounds. Beautiful sounds. Here are some tips for those sounds that are particularly pleasing to Subbacultcha! ears.

FOOL’S GOLD (Friday) Leave the Vampire Weekend to Guardian readers because if you’re craving a purer mix of Afropop and contemporary indie pop, Fool’s Gold remain the top choice (along with The Very Best, naturally). Maybe tropical pop is a more suited descriptor actually, seeing as the broad influences of these Californians stretch across the continent, stopping off in Mali, Congo, Nigeria and Ethiopia, not even forgetting the bouts of Hebrew lyricism. Either way, it’s sunny-side up and made for dancing.

48

FUCK BUTTONS (Friday) What can be said about the Fuck

Buttons sound machine that hasn’t already been felt deep in our bones? Their Melkweg show last autumn pretty much disposed of Street Horrrsing from their live set, give or take the occasional surprise.

But with Tarot Sport showing such brutal form, who are we to complain.

Prepare to embrace the Fuck Buttons trance, and to also wear earplugs, as there’s no point being deaf by the time ‘Olympians’ bursts out.

RAIN MACHINE (Friday) This project may not have made such a mainstream impact as TV On the Radio, but guitarist Kyp Malone’s sound and songwriting is still unmistakable. With its poly-rhythmic bursts, vocal howls, wicked fuzz

AGENDA MOTEL MOZAÏQUE HIGHLIGHTS

Fool’s Gold

bass and then calmer moments of abstract introspection, Rain Machine remains an enticing proposition.

CRYSTAL ANTLERS (Saturday) They were one of 2009’s great white hypes and till now the Californian crew haven’t been a disappointment. Striking a fine balance between psychedelic rock, garage punk and even touches of prog, their product is noisy, hazy and perpetually melodic. Still touring Tentacles (Touch and Go), they’re destined to be a big draw this weekend.

DAEDELUS (Saturday) Surely one of the pioneers of live glitchpop, Alfred Weisberg-Roberts is always worth a listen, if only because every time he comes around he has something new to say and some new way to say it. The technology may be laptop-driven but the performance is very much reactive to the audience and atmosphere.

The combo of hip-hop, electronics and human connection is what’s so special.

MOUNT EERIE (Saturday) Expect lord of the lo-fi, Phil Elverum, to nab a quiet corner and draw an appreciative, knowing audience at this year’s festival. Formerly front-

Crystal Antlers

ing The Microphones before getting all eerie, his quiet, sparse arrangements rarely fall short of haunting and mesmeric. His latest EP Black Wooden is a bleak acoustic folk translation of Nordic black metal and paganism.

OTHERS TO CATCH: TV Buddhas (Thursday) Explosive Israeli rock ‘n’ roll from the recurring Subbacultcha! superstars. Sometimes music is simply made for flailing.

Kelpe (Friday) Minimalist blip electronica with passes through big beat hip-hop territory. This Brit producer has been worming his way through the indietronic landscape, playing alongside peers like Aphex Twin and Prefuse 73.

The Strange Boys (Friday) Southern country folk meets ‘60s psych pop experimentalism. Embrace their guitar and organ grooves for a lo-fi spiritual experience.

The Gaslamp Killer (Saturday) Hipper than hip DJ and production moves, with the Californian producing anything from pure psychedelia through to global beats, funk, hiphop and avant-electronics.

END 49

AGENDA Subbacultcha shows in september

DE KEUZE VAN SUBBACULTCHA! Opening Film Biënnale

Wo. 07/04 MICHAEL NYMAN De man met de camera Een ritmische klassieker met de unieke muziek van een grootheid: film mét live muziek.

50

AGENDA SHOWS IN APRIL

Daniel Johnston and the Beam Orchestra, Paradiso, Amsterdam

DANIEL JOHNSTON AND THE BEAM ORCHESTRA 01 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Everyone’s favourite psychologically crippled singer-songwriter is braving the European tour scene again.

This time he’s teaming up with an 11-piece ensemble to perform old fan favourites with a new twist.

Throw in some art, a screening of The Devil and Daniel Johnston and you’ll be seeing and hearing his talent in a whole new way. Oh, and additional aurally fragile support from Tommigun.

duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas ultimately create scene-perfect soaring harmonies together in this band.

DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP 01 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Swift and nifty electro hip-hop beats aligned with the witty words of performance poet Scroobius Pip. Last month the socially conscious English lads released their second album Logic of Chance.

TV BUDDHAS 02 Apr - De Spot, Middelburg 03 Apr - Paaspop, Schijndel 03 Apr - Ekko, Utrecht 05 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam 07 Apr - Merleyn, Nijmegen 08 Apr - Rotown, Rotterdam 09 Apr - Perron 55, Venlo 29 Apr - Effenaar, Eindhoven 30 Apr - Koninginnedag Festival, Burgerweeshuis, Deventer Big rock riffs from Israel. If you dig the raw power of their pals Monotonix, you’ll love this trio. Not just bluesy and retro, the hard-gigging group also lose themselves in noise jams that are designed to wind up the audience for some sustained headbanging and windmilling.

THE BESNARD LAKES 01 Apr - Vera, Groningen 02 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Expansive indie rock tweaks the nipples of the prog rock world, which is often how it seems to play out in the Montreal scene. Whether there’s marital bliss at home is irrelevant, as husband-and-wife

BONAPARTE 01 Apr - Bibelot, Dordrecht 02 Apr - Stadsgehoorzaal, Kampen 03 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam 04 Apr - Paaspop, Schijndel The multinational but Berlin-based art punks are fine-tuning their ‘Circus’ on the road this month. It’s colourful, noisy, big, party-friendly and chaotic.

CONTINUE 51

AGENDA Subbacultcha shows sepLET in OP: DIT IS SLECHTS EEN SELECTIE UIT HET PROGRAMMA, tember KIJK VOOR HET VOLLEDIGE PROGRAMMA OP WWW.MELKWEG.NL

APRIL

ZA MA WO DO DI WO DO DI MA WO

3 5 7 8 13 14 15 20 26 28

ZITA SWOON - DANCING WITH THE SOUND HOBBYIST LAURA MARLING AUTECHRE(LIVE) + ROB HALL, RUSSELL HASWELL, DIDJIT FIRST AID KIT MELISSA AUF DER MAUR(MADM) + FILMVERTONING SIVERT HOYEM(EX-MADRUGADA) / CHRISTER KNUTSEN FOXES & WOLVES @ KLINCH MET MORGAN GEIST TUNNG WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS / DUPEC AMANDA PALMER & JASON WEBLEY PRESENT: EVELYN EVELYN

DO 29 NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB MEI

MA WO DO VR ZA ZO DI VR

3 5 6 7 8 9 11 14

IMELDA MAY MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY SHE & HIM GERT VLOK NEL + DOCU: BEAUTIFUL IN BEAUFORT-WES THIRD EYE BLIND GET WELL SOON BONOBO ALMIGHTY DEFENDERS PRESENTED BY BLACK LIPS AND THE KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW

MELKWEG AMSTERDAM - LIJNBAANSGRACHT 234A - WWW.MELKWEG.NL - 020 - 5318181 52

BALMORHEA 04 Apr - Roepaen, Ottersum 05 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Precise acoustic post rock from this Texan quintet. Equal parts guitar rock, folk and contemporary classical, their instrumentals, particularly on new disc Constellations, are utterly swoon-worthy.

AUTECHRE 07 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam Fluid electronic songcraft from the acclaimed Brit duo Rob Brown and Sean Booth. There’s certainly nothing cold and mechanical about their tenth album, Oversteps, which revisits FM synthesis to generate emotionally intelligent soundscapes.

FILM BIËNNALE 07-11 Apr - Various locations, Amsterdam The fourth Film Biënnale will feature a series of special multidisciplinary film performances at unique locations throughout Amsterdam.

Drawing from its own extensive collection, the Filmmuseum, together with composers, artists and other cultural organisations will present performances integrating music, art and film into a new, total viewing experience.

FIRST AID KIT 08 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam Hearing these Swedish siblings on the radio, you’d never guess the duo were still in their teens. Or Swedish for that matter, seeing as their vivid indie folk is soaked thoroughly in the sounds of classic Americana, right down to the twang.

MOTEL MOZAÏQUE 08-11 Apr, Various locations, Rotterdam Rotterdam’s most hospitable multidisciplinary festival comes around again with great music, great art and more, more, more. See page 52 for the scoop.

MOUNT EERIE 08 Apr - Motel Mozaïque, Rotterdam 09 Apr - Vera, Groningen It feels an age since lord of the lofi, Phil Elverum, passed through this way. Formerly fronting The Microphones before getting all eerie, his quiet, sparse arrangements are rarely short of haunting. His latest EP Black Wooden is even a bleak acoustic folk translation of Nordic black metal and paganism. Rock on.

AGENDA SHOWS IN APRIL

THE GASLAMP KILLER 09 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam 10 Apr - Motel Mozaïque, Rotterdam Eclectic killer but not filler sounds from the hip LA-based DJ and producer. Sure, he’s one of the fingers on the acclaimed Gonjasufi hip-hop pulse, but when left to his own devices he’ll flirt with anything from pure psychedelia through to global beats, funk and avant-electronics.

TIMES NEW VIKING 11 Apr - Vera, Groningen 12 Apr - OCCII, Amsterdam Lo-fi fuzzed-up indie noise rockers that spike all needles at ten.

FRIGHTENED RABBIT 11 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Quirky Scottish indie poppers who’ve won the hearts of American audiences. Well, Pitchfork has gone a bit cold on them actually, but AV Club is still hard for their new album The Winter of Mixed Drinks. Where does Subbacultcha! stand? Debut mini-album Sing the Greys is where it’s at and where it left, but they’re still worth catching live.

YACHT 16 Apr - Vera, Groningen 19 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam A genre and media spanning project led by Jona Bechtolt of Portland, and now with Claire L Evans.

They make anthemic power jams,

CONTINUE 53

AGENDA Subbacultcha shows in september

54

play them backwards and soak them in nearly-psychedelic grooves.

PowerPoint presentations, audience Q&A sessions and shamanistic video environments aren’t always guaranteed these days, but their upcoming support slot for LCD Soundsystem is likely to raise them to another popularity level.

LES PETITES DIFFÉRENCES MARGINALES IV 17 Apr - Worm, Rotterdam A celebration of Francophile sounds, albeit from an avant-pop perspective. Sets from Moishe Moishe Moishele, Cheveu and Julie Normal are likely to utilise art punk, Jewish acid house and experimental tone pop in ways you’d never imagine.

ONE MAN BAND FESTIVAL Reverend Deadeye / Capachocha / Ottoboy 17 Apr - DB’s, Utrecht A precursor to the mighty One Hand Band Festival, solitary superstars demonstrate how to win over audiences with their limbs, FX and personalities alone. Expect everything from extreme rock ‘n’ roll to cheese pop. Extra guests include The Rauncher Launcher, Harry Merry and exDead Brother, Delaney Davidson.

MIDLAKE 19 Apr - Tivoli, Utrecht 26 Apr - Watt, Rotterdam 27 Apr - Doornroosje, Nijmegen 28 Apr - Vera, Groningen In support of new album The Courage of Others, this Texan bunch recently sold out Paradiso’s Grote Zaal. Showing no signs of slowing on either side of the Atlantic, they’re taking their soothing progressive druid folk to the masses. If some fall asleep in the process, that’s just part of the programme.

TUNNG 20 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam Yet more experimental folk that mix-

es sparse and gentle acoustic numbers with electronic and prog rock elements. New album ...And Then We Saw Land is arguably their chirpiest yet, pushing singer Becky Jacobs further into the melodic foreground.

AGENDA SHOWS IN APRIL

CARIBOU 21 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Creative electro pop from the critic-friendly Canadian artist. Daniel Snaith first made a splash as Manitoba before having the moniker ripped away by a lawsuit. Musically it’s still all about trippy electronica and percussion, with the beats and glitches mixed with West Coast melodies and hip ‘60s psychedelia.

CRYSTAL CASTLES 23 Apr - Trouw, Amsterdam Electro experimental noise-makers from Toronto. Aurally vicious and inyour-face, they ripped through last summer’s 5 DaysOff festival with ease. Now the focus is on their new material, which promises to be as ferocious and fun.

THEE SILVER MT ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA 24 Apr - Vera, Groningen 25 Apr - Paradiso, Amsterdam Constellation’s lead ensemble may have started as an off-shoot of Godspeed You... but they’ve grown into a thriving experimental musical community over the past decade. Check out Kollaps Tradixionales, which is actually kinda song-based – even if a couple are 15 minutes long.

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS 26 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam Scottish quartet renowned for their charging guitar strums, repetitive chorus calls and their unashamed embrace of their native burr. For this tour they’re also releasing the EP The Last Place You’ll Look, which explores the softer side of their

CONTINUE 55

AGENDA Subbacultcha shows in september

56

AGENDA SHOWS IN APRIL

Caribou plays Paradiso, Amsterdam

sonic nature through a mixture of new tracks and reinterpretations.

NOMEANSNO 27 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam ‘Kerchuggah’ punk riffage from these progressive Canadian punks.

Yip, they’re still progressive, even after 30 years. And great fun, too.

AMANDA PALMER & JASON WEBLEY PRESENT: EVELYN EVELYN 28 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam Okay, Dresden Doll Palmer and political/comedic accordionist Webley are no strangers to Amsterdam, but this project is a weird one. Evelyn Evelyn is apparently a set of conjoined twins who also happen to be singer-songwriters. It’s circus showbiz meets new wave pop it seems (even if it’s just a front for performance art in reality).

THESE NEW PURITANS 28 Apr - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam This Southend quartet are something of a flavour-of-the-moment, but their music has at least earned them the accolades. There’s hiphop heaviness, layers of brass and woodwind, beat-driven refrains and plenty of compositional precision.

It’s not always easy listening in the

process, but nevertheless, it’s music you can dance to while you’re being baffled.

NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB 29 Apr - Melkweg, Amsterdam New wave dance pop from a stylistic English quartet who’re capable of turning Hole into Sugababes.

BEAR IN HEAVEN 29 Apr - Vera, Groningen 10 May - Paradiso, Amsterdam Where are all the Brooklyn bands this month? Hiding out at home?

Well, there’s always Bear in Heaven, a synth/guitar indie project fronted by Jon Philpot. Think of The Postal Service going gradually off the rails.

ERRORS 30 Apr - Ekko, Utrecht Falling somewhere between Squarepusher and Daft Punk, Errors specialise in indie dance grooves that actually improve in the live arena. There’s less of their complex rhythm maths on new disc Come Down With Me, and also a bit less of the atmospheric post rock that got them signed to Mogwai’s Rock Action in the first place. Nevertheless, the rest of their formula seems suitably refined.

END 57

APR /MEI ‘10 CONCERTEN, CLUBAVONDEN, ETEN & MEER APR / ZAT

SUBBACULTCHA PRESENTS:

03 TV BUDDHAS JAMES YORKSTON 09 BALMORHEA 25 ERRORS 30 MALE BONDING 13 THE SLITS 15 BEAT COAST 16 + TWEAK BIRD LALI PUNA 18 APR / VRIJ

APR / ZON

+ NILS FRAHM

APR / VRIJ

MEI / DON

MEI / ZAT

MEI / ZON

SUBBACULTCHA PRESENTS:

MEI / DIN

POPPODIUM EKKO BEMUURDE WEERD WZ 3 | 3513 BH UTRECHT | T +31 30 231 74 57 | WWW.EKKO.NL

AFTER MIDNIGHT

Send photos to aftermidnight@ subbacultcha.nl Feel very free to involve romance, stupidity, sex, beauty, banality poetry and debauchery... or hack! you can even get arty. As long as the photos are shot after midnight.

This months photos were submitted by Sarah A, and ZoĂŤ Valkenburg Thanks to everybody who sent in their photos.

We cannot publish them all. Go to our blog to see all the photos that were sent in.

END 59

03/04 08/04 09/04 11/04 16/04 17/04 18/04 28/04 29/04

EEN SELECTIE UIT ONS PROGRAMMA:

CHURCH OF MISERY KAKI KING MOUNT EERIE // NO KIDS TIMES NEW VIKING YACHT AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR SHINING MIDLAKE BEAR IN HEAVEN

Info & tickets: www.vera-groningen.nl

WORM Achterhaven 148 Rotterdam www.wormweb.nl www.wormstation.nl

APR

VR 02 /TAKU UNAMI (JP) + ANNETTE KREBS (DE) + MANON DE BOER (NL/BE) ZO 04 / OVERTOLLIG VET IV: ASRA RAYMOND DIJKSTRA & TIMO VAN LUYCK (NL/BE) + PUIN+HOOP (NL) + RORO (NL) VR 16 / GOGO EAST! #2: BAABA (PL) + 8ROLEK (PL) + TSAR POLOZ (PL) ZA 17 / LES PETITES DIFFÉRENCES MARGINALES IV: MOISHE MOISHE (FR) MOISHELE (FR) + CHEVEU (FR) + JULIE NORMAL (FR) + GREGALDUR (FR) + DJ'S 60

illustratie: Bert Scholten

WORM IS A ROTTERDAM BASED VENUE AND WORKSPACE FOR MUSIC, FILM AND NEW MEDIA. THE OUTPUT OF WORM IS FILM, RADIO, CONCERTS, PERFORMANCES, WEB-PROJECTS, INSTALLATIONS, AN ARRAY OF TACTILE MEDIA AND A 24/7 WEBSTATION.

ZA 24 / ZENI GEVA (JP) + JAKUZI’S ATTEMPT (AT) ZO 25 / TALK NORMAL (US) WO 28 /JASON KAHN (CH) + SATO ENDO (JP) DO 29 //CLONE LABEL NIGHT

Subbacultcha! Magazine is lovingly and swiftly made at our office in Amsterdam.

Da Costakade 150, 1053 XC Amsterdam, the Netherlands. www.subbacultcha.nl magazine@subbacultcha.nl

We are Editors: Leon Caren and Bas Morsch

Subbacultcha! in your store Subbacultcha! Magazine is distributed in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Groningen, Den Haag and Haarlem. If you want your bar, venue, store or business to be on the distribution list, please send us an email.

COLOPHON Who we are and what we do

Advertising To advertise in Subbacultcha!

Magazine send an email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl.

A-lister: Steven McCarron Editorial Assistants: Russell Joyce, Steven McCarron, Sarah Gehrke and Marie-Claire Melzer Design: Bas Morsch Design Companion: Russell Joyce Good Girls: Zofia Ciechowska and Brenda Bosma Good Guy: Roel de Jong (again) Interns: Tibor Bijl and Marijn Westerlaken Contributors: DaniĂŤlle van Ark, Carly Blair, Brenda Bosma, Leon Caren, Zofia Ciechowska, Femke Dekker, Sarah Gehrke, Marc van der Holst, Russell Joyce, Nicole Martens, Steven McCarron, MarieClaire Melzer, Bas Morsch, Martyn F Overweel, Oscar Smit, Suzanne de Bruin, Gert Verbeek, Mila van de Wall.

Distribution: Artun Arasli, Carly Blair, Luuk Breukelman, Alice Driesen, Thom van Hoek, Patrick van der Klugt, Sandra Maat, Ernest Mistiaen, Ruben Rietveld, Hedwig Plomp, Rodrigo Sobarzo and Neza Susman Printing: Drukkerij Slinger, Alkmaar

Memberships Become a member of Subbacultcha!. For only â‚Ź6 a month you get free access to all Subbacultcha! shows and the monthly magazine sent to your house. Plus, you get a fresh Subbacultcha! t-shirt. Check the website to sign up.

Free Tickets If you are subscribed to the mailinglist it is possible to get into our great Magazine Parties for free.

Also you can win lots of free tickets every month.

Get Involved Please feel free to email us, call us, drop by and send letters, drawings and photos.

After midnight. Send us photos taken after midnight (see p.59).

And please make it look good. We value alcohol, but we also value good photos.

61

THIS MAGAZINE IS CAREFULLY AND SKILLFULLY PRINTED BY DRUKKERIJ SLINGER, ALKMAAR

www.drukkerijslinger.nl 62

Saturday 03 April EKKO

TV Buddhas (ISR)

Starts 20.00 | Cover 7 Euro

Starts 20.00 | Cover 6 Euro

Kanipchen-Fit (USA) + The Sticks (UK) & DJ Barry Stiletto

Monday 12 April OCCII

Times New Viking (USA) + Havens

Saturday 10 April De Nieuwe Anita

AGENDA OVERVIEW OF ALL SUBBACULTCHA! SHOWS

Starts 21.00 | Cover 7 Euro

Starts 23.00 | Cover 6 Euro

A Grave With No Name (UK) Presented in collaboration with Katapult

Thursday 29 April De Nieuwe Anita

Queens Night Special ft.

Enablers (USA)

Wednesday 14 April Studio 80

Starts 20.00 | Cover 6 Euro

Coming up: Tanlines, High Places, Best Coast and These Are Powers SUBBACULTCHA MEMBERS GET INTO ALL THESE SHOWS FOR €6,- PER MONTH. SIGN UP AT WWW.SUBBACULTCHA.NL

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