#basbron

Netherlands in Alaska 

March 12th, 2016

Episode 41: De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig, ‘Manon’

How does one introduce a group that, in certain cases, needs no introduction and in other cases cannot be explained by even the deepest analysis.  And this is just speaking for those who speak the Dutch language: though there are simply those who say they simply “don’t get” the quartet’s raison d’être while even some of their strongest advocates seem at a loss of words when trying to explain the group to the un-indoctrinated.  To quote one overjoyed concert goer after their show in the town of Bergen-op-Zoom, their sonic and visual presentation is at once “Seriously absurd and absurdly serious.”

For the audience of this show, almost exclusively non-Dutch speaking, it may seem impossible to understand dJvT even after today’s show, our 3rd feature of the group.  Our first semester-season in Fall 2013 featured a survey of their first 3 albums, Parels voor Zwijnen, de Machine, and de Lachende Derde.  We condensed the 3 into one episode not because each album is unworthy of a full feature, but rather due to a deep fear that so much of their strength comes from their status as a true gesamtkunstwerk, their sound, appearance, personas, and lyrical word-play all needed to be interpreted to really think of them as more than a couple of weird kids making weird nonsense noises and pumping out beats from a Casio Keyboard.  

One would not be too far off if one imagined the group’s four members, cut from the same cloth as James Franco in that it seems at times they draw ideas for projects out of a hat; more often than not outside of the realm of hiphop.  

Willie Wartaal voiced cartoon characters and acted alongside rapper Kempi as inept, wanna-be drug dealers operating out of a dog-grooming salon in the gangster film ‘Black Out.’ Vjeze Fur is staring in what may be te biggest splash of a Dutch film in the international market in decades with the VICE produced film “Prince.”

But nobody seems as astoundingly and nonchalantly prolific as Faberyayo, who in between 3 solo mixtapes, a full length LP, multiple discs with electro-pop outfit Lele and Ski-themed hiphop crew Ski Leraar Bruin Money Gang has written commercials for Dominos Pizza, run in a series of Nike sponsored fun-run’s around the globe, had a cameo in a Rom-Com, penned a critically acclaimed collection of short stories, and had his first child.  

These 4 men live a bit like a run-on of great Stumbleupon.com links.  None of this seems to go over their heads, in fact they addressed this, with only a winking hint of hyperbole, in their sole promo video for the album de Lachende Derde. We are shown a montage of each member in the midst of some refined, quixotic pursuit.  First a model is shown disrobing in a bohemian artist flat, while Vjeze Fur begins to flick paintbrushes full of paint at her, swigging wine all the while clad in simple white tank-top; next a butler waits ready with a silver tray and tea accoutrements whilst Faberyayo skeet shoots on what appears to be a royal estate grounds; whilst Willie Wartaal is being tended to in a make-up chair prepping for an interview of a minimalist Charlie Rose set; finally Bass Bron looks through opera-glasses at a solo-violinist, whilst sitting alone in an ornate palatial opera hall. 

The first music video released for Manon (viewable below) features feline avatars of the groups members, enjoying being massaged rhythmically by a special cat-bed made out of a speaker; in subsequent videos mirror images of the groups members wearing different color-coordinated sweaters perform in an empty white room.

Is it somewhat less ‘hiphop’ than their last release?  Yes. 

Is it just as worth listening to?  Absolutely.

Tracklist: