As Americans, it can be hard to look beyond the spoils of musical output being generated on a daily basis in LA and NYC alone. But at this point in history you could probably spin a globe and find a city or even a small town anywhere on Earth that boasts a rich music scene that sounds remarkably like our own. Recently we called on Tiberius b to give us a thorough walkthrough of the South London scene they came up in, while today it’s Pip Blom who’ve volunteered to introduce us to their fellow Dutch artists making the Netherlands a flourishing city for left-field indie rock.
Contrasting with the glistening Alvvays-esque guitar jams and occasional jarring bait-and-switch approach the band employed on 2021’s Welcome Break, Pip Blom’s third and latest LP is a relatively straightforward synthpop record splashed with the singular personality the group (fronted by the titular Blom) has established since their 2019 debut. It’s a testament to their unique vision that Bobbie still manages to fall in line with its predecessors—not unlike “Is This Love?” guest vocalist Alex Kapranos’ band Franz Ferdinand, an abrupt pivot to dance-punk feels less like an unexpected diversion and more like the next logical step in the group’s journey.
It’s a similar singularity that marks the 10 bands Blom champions from the group’s native Netherlands in the playlist she’s crafted below, which features songwriter export Nana Adjoa as well as Personal Trainer—the band of Blom’s partner, Willem Smit, who’s also featured on Bobbie. Check out the full playlist and Blom’s writeups below, and pre-order Bobbie here before it drops this Friday via Heavenly Recordings.
comforter2, “How to Arrive”
This is a fairly new band from the Netherlands. It reminds me of Tirzah (an act that I really, really like). I can’t wait to see it live! I think it’s really cool that the vocals are very laid back and “chill” and it’s all quite repetitive. It really lures you in.
Nana Adjoa, “National Song”
I’ve listened to this song a lot. I love all the individual sounds and how well they fit together. The song feels a bit dreamy, but because of the awesome bass synth it also feels a bit dangerous. I like how it builds toward a climax. It’s really rewarding and super catchy.
Lena Hessels, “The Car”
I really like the new direction Lena has taken. I love her poppy sound and catchy melodies. She’s got an amazing and very charismatic sound in her voice. Definitely one to keep an eye on.
Max Hell, “The Last Minutes B.C.”
This song sounds a bit lo-fi, but in the best possible way. I’m a sucker for his melodies and guitar sounds.
dorpsstraat 3, “De Priester”
This is a song in Dutch, for everyone who’s interested to hear how that sounds. I really like the feeling I get when I listen to this song—it feels a bit threatening and dangerous. I think the bass line and sound are really, really good, and I’m a sucker for the synths.
Personal Trainer, “Key of Ego”
I love Personal Trainer. They’re a super energetic seven-piece from Amsterdam and a live sensation. The orchestral hits in “Key of Ego” are super catchy and have really inspired me to use more digital acoustic instruments, too. If you listen to our track “Get Back” you can hear I was definitely inspired. Also, Willem has one of my favorite voices from all the Dutch bands.
Euroboy & Alicia Breton Ferrer, “User ID”
It’s a bit of a theme in this playlist, but I really like how this song feels dark and threatening. I love the build-up. I like their sounds—some of them are a bit weird, but that works perfectly. I think this song is really, really good, and when I listen to it whilst walking down the streets I feel like I’m on top of the world.
Parker Fans, “Bricks”
The chorus of this song is stuck in my brain forever. I like how dancey this song is. It’s not too wild or energetic, but really cool. I like listening to this track whilst showering and singing along at the top of my lungs.
The Klittens, “Canned Air”
“Canned Air” is another track with great melodies. I really like how all the individual vocals of all the Klittens sound together. I think it’s cool how it sometimes feels like it’s almost falling apart, but when the vocals come back in it’s a straight-up banger.
Lewsberg, “Without a Doubt”
I love Lewsberg, we’ve played lots of shows with them over the years and have always really enjoyed them. They’re a great live band, but also really good on record. Arie sings most of the tracks, but this new song, “Without,” has been stuck in my brain for quite a while. I think Marit and Shalita’s voices work really well together. They’ve just released a new record that’s definitely worth checking out.
