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In terms of media attention, hardcore – or ‘gabber’ in Dutch – is an underground
phenomenon. However, Dutch hardcore producer, deejay, label manager and
allround hardcore honcho Promo (Sebastian Hoff, 1977) outspins many a famous
‘name’ jock. Moreover, he doesn’t suffer from tunnelvision. His upcoming album
project Stijlloos (‘no style’) merges hardcore and hip hop.
By Alfred Bos
MXP: In 2001, you left the ID&T organization to start The Third Movement, a label for
all stripes of hardcore. How does hardcore appeal to you?
Promo: “I like all kinds of dance music. In particular the tracks that blow off the roof
and those are usually in a harder vein. I didn’t opt for hardcore, it just evolved that
way. I became involved with house in the early ‘90s and there is no music more
explosive than hardcore. It’s the music for letting free the inner beast: its energy, its
power, its fullness so to speak. It doesn’t get more extreme than hardcore.”
MXP: The name of your Third Movement label reads like a mission statement. What
is its mission?
“After the 1997/1998 hardcore overkill, the bottom fell out of the Dutch gabber
scene: compilation series were dropped and sponsors stopped supporting
hardcore raves. I had just started producing myself and my reasoning was: if there
are some 600.000 hardcore fans in The Netherlands – as surveys pointed out – it
must be possible to interest 10.000 hardcore aficionados for my music. The Third
Movement (TTM) pays artists their fair share: half of the profits. All artist have
complete artistic freedom. Plus we advice acts before they sign up; all artists are
aware of every Euro that comes in. TTM releases various kinds of hardcore music.
Each producer has his or her sound and ditto fan base. That way you create music
that’s fresh and adventurous. The first movement was the start of house in the
late ‘80s and the second movement was the hardcore implosion of 1997/1998. We
wanted to start a third movement.”
MXP: Last October, your Boombox Op Duizend EP was released by Dutch hip-hop
label TopNotch. How did that came about?
“I create all my sounds for my productions. Occasionally I lend a bit of an US rap a
capella to voice my message. It would be more fun to work with a rapper and create
stories by ourselves, not sample them. So I have been on the look-out for a Dutch
rapper. Early last year I met Willy (Willem de Bruin, rapper of The Opposites) and we
clicked. Subsequently, Kees de Koning (label boss of Top Notch) was on the phone:
he wanted to expand his label, broaden its musical horizon. To me, that’s an inviting
challenge. After doing hardcore
for 15 years, I’ve told my story
more or less. I’ve always tried
to give hardcore more depth, to
execute a bit of quality control.
It’s fun to try a different tack. My
productions for TopNotch touch
upon hardcore, but it’s more
song-orientated and appeals to
a different audience. I want to
push my limits. Can I do more
than hardcore? To me, music
should always evolve. I respect
what TopNotch is doing and have
done so for years. My work for
TopNotch has evolved out of the
music, not some marketing plan.”
MXP: In April, TopNotch will
release your next album, Stijlloos
(‘no style’). In what sense will it
differ from your previous output?
“Hardcore is frequently accused
of being ‘without style’. And the
record has no style in the literal
sense: it showcases a wide
range of styles, from pop songs
mad punk tracks to hardcore,
hip hop, drum ‘n bass, dubstep,
whatever. If I can help it, the
album will include a ballad or a
country tune. Twenty songs in
Promo style, so it will be loud.”
Saturday 16 January
@ Bizon Zaal, 00:15 - 01:00
www.djpromo.nl
www.thirdmovement.nl