Oh screw happiness, let's get doom

On april 4th tegendraads festival will take place for the second time. From 19.00 - 04.00 LVC in Leiden will be transformed into a place for music, art, food and more.

The selection of performing artists is not for the soft-hearted but should be totally surprising and refreshing (which is always a good thing). It's mostly, punk, noise, grindcore, breakcore, doom and well... experimental stuff I guess. So if you're not into that, don't go.

Perhaps you're not into music anyway, and you just like to go shopping. If that is the case, you should check out their HUGE collection of t-shirts, all limited editions and all designed by fellow young artists. Just to name a few awesome ones: Bitches in Control, Ingrid de Lugt, Baschz and Dutch Dolls!

legends of rap

At last it's mine, mine o'mine: LEGENDS OF RAP - A TRADING CARD DECK! 32 cards brilliantly illustrate the early years of New York hip hop. The drawings are done by Tobias Krafczyk, published by Superclub, Berlin. www.legendsofrap.com.
But no way I'm gonna trade them with anyone!!

The hormone-dance

Spring is finally here, hoorray!!! It seems like those first rays of sun set off an inner party where hormones are dancing to secret tunes. If I was a hormone in spring, I would definately get my groove on to any song by Sebastien Tellier!

This french dude with massive facial-fur has been doing well since his album Sexuality came out last year. Besides making a huge deal with American Aparel, he was also asked to represent france in the eurovision songfestival performing the supersmooth Divine. Which he never ended up doing because 'the french' didn't think a song in english would be appropriate (pfff). His work before the slick-album is also very worthwhile. The Politics album is a fine blend of folky melodies, combined with afrobeats. Not great for the hormone-dance. But it matches perfectly the last part of summer where they would be too tired to dance, and would just want to chill.

Here's one for TODAY, the first day of spring, remixed by canadian superstar-DJ A-Trak (currently touring with Kanye). What can I say, this youngster knows how to do a remix. Get your inner party started!

Kilometer- Sebastien Tellier (A-Trak extended dub). Get it here.

They call it 'a tribute', I call it an improvement.

Some people dont have them. Some people don't have the right ones. Some think they have the right ones, but they don't. Some of them are just so wrong, they should'nt be allowed at all. I have alot of them, and will always send 'em out there. Never keep opinions to yourself I say. Even if you change your mind the next day..

I think Madonna sucks. When will she retire.. ?

There, I've said it. In what category that opinion belongs, is up to you. I'm just glad there are people covering her songs. They call it 'a tribute', I call it an improvement.

Here's one by the wonderful and marvellous Giant Drag. This californian grunge/indieband released their debut album 'Hearts and Unicorns' in 2005. This gem is one of my favorite albums ever (one of the 500). It's hard to believe they have been dropped by their label and have been struggeling to find a new one ever since. I found their lead singer Annie Hardy selling homemade stuff on Ebay just to make a living. Madonna should buy all her stuff, just to thank her for this beautiful version of Oh Father.

Giant Drag - Oh father. Download it here.

Contradictory to my statement before, I'm not going to have an opinion on Sonic Youth. Simply because I don't have one. SY's sideproject Ciccone youth (Ciccone being the real surname of Madonna) is something I DO have an opinion on. I like it! They recorded 2 albums together. The Whitey Album showing a detail of madonna's face. Their version of 'Get into the Groove' must be the wildest thing ever being connected to Madonna.

Ciccone Youth - Get into the Groove. Download it here.

it’s a DEAD END

I am HEARTBROKEN. Today Master Shortie was supposed to be playing here in Cardiff (along with Dan Black en Boy Crisis – not too bad either), but for some reason or another the show has been canceled!! I was so looking forward to this as I am SO IN LOVE with Master Shortie *sigh* This boi is cute! And his tracks are frrresh! God how I wish I was that girl he was flirting with in his song Dead End. Oh well our love is hopeless anyhow, because he’s got a wifieeee at hohome (not to mention the fact that he’s only 19)(and that he’s a superstar in the making)…

Master Shortie – Dead End. Download it here (YSI).

And while I’m at it, I would like to mention another up and coming star on the UK hip hop scene: Speech Debelle. I don’t know a lot about this young lady, besides the facts that she’s from London, she’s on the same label as Roots Manuva and her debut album will be released in May. Check her out on MySpace and when you do make sure to listen to the track Searching, a beautiful hip hop balad (!).

Speech Debelle – The Key. Download it here (YSI).

our latest flame

Dutch Dolls on both sides of The Channel are digging LA ROUX, with her flaming hairdo and a voice that makes the windows crack. As described on her Last.fm page she really is a 'siren'... If you haven't already heard it, have a listen and you'll hear what we mean. But it works sooo well with her electropoppy tunes! We're especially digging the godfather-of-dubstep-Skream remix of In For The Kill!

La Roux - In For The Kill (Skreams Let's Get Ravey Remix)
Download it here (YSI).

On her website you can sign up for her mailinglist and you'll get two MP3s for FREE, weehoo!

shake rattle & bowl

Should you ever be in London and feel like BOWLING, go to the basement of Tavistock Hotel for some good clean fun!
A friend of mine celebrated her birthday here last Saturday and WE HAD A BALL (sorry, that was too cheesy). DJs were spinning rock 'n roll, soul, garage rock, girl groups and boogaloo while I was guttering every single throw. The place got packed; cardigans, petticoats and polkadots galore! There was some serious hipshaking going on at the dancefloor, while the bowling continued and burgers were being served in the diner. Ace!!

There are Shake Rattle & Bowl clubnights in Bristol as well!
www.shakerattleandbowl.com

Loosing my vir -ableton- ginity..

Most people know that Dutch Dolls consist of two people, and that both of them have different qualities and talents. Which is obviously a good thing. Most of the time..

Whereas I have the technical insight of a cross-eyed fiveyearold, doll Nanna grew up making her own videogames. Yes, it's true.. she did. Of course I so envy her for having this talent. As she envies ME for always being on time (I think). But lately, I've been catching up a little bit by learning how to use Ableton for making remixes and mashups. Together with my favourite ex-co-worker Auke Triesschijn I'm now mocking the Rotterdam gabber scene as Rotterdam Terror Dorks. And we've been mashing it alll up! Here's the first one for you. A chunky stew of Firehouse's Punani, Milanese's Caramel Cognac and Modeselektor's Berlin Loft.


Get it here!

HERE WE GO!!

O yeahhh, Dutch Dolls’ first blog post! We’ll share with you our latest musical findings, keep you posted on events, DJ-gigs and exhibitions, show you our latest creations and bore you with everything else that’s on our mind ☺. We hope you enjoy!! Alrighty, here we go…

When I moved to Cardiff about six months ago I was thrilled to learn one of my favorite blogs is actually based here: Chromekids. Check them out when you’re into grime, dubstep, (Welsh) hip hop, Bmore and all that. Last night these guys DJed in 10 Feet Tall here in Caerdydd, along with South Rakkas Crew. This Crew has worked with all the best dancehall artists (like Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Sizzla and many more), so I thought I’d check them out. Unfortunately not that many people turned up ☹. The party was far from steaming, but the tunes were gooood and British gals dance anyway (drunk on their 10+ cm high heels), so it turned out to be an entertaining night after all…

While I was going through the previous posts at the Chromekids blog I came across a post on free maxi single by Th' Mole featuring the awesome Warrior Queen. It also included a remix by Mochipet. I’m very happy to see Mochipet doing VERY well, since he nearly went bankrupt when his brand-new-bought-on-credit-laptop got stolen in Rotterdam’s own Warung Mini a couple of years ago!
You can download the maxi single from the Daly City Records site here. I dig it!!