For the latest edition of Zalando Street, a new digital magazine focusing on all realms of streetwear culture, the online retailer journeys into the Netherlands to see who’s next up in the capital’s music scene.
Enlisting five musical talents from diverse genres, disciplines and ethnic backgrounds, one thing they all share is honoring the impact that the local communities have had on their creativity. Making waves by offering a unique techno twist on neo-soul and jazz, German-born, Amsterdam-based producer, Retromigration celebrates these values, “Amsterdam’s a very diverse city and has so many different nationalities and cultures living in it,” he says. “It makes the city special and it’s something that’s essential for the creative process.”
For Dutch producer Lamsi, it’s this thriving melting pot that gives the music scene its unique sound, “They blend genres. It’s literally like there are no boxes anymore and you make what you want to make.” Growing up in the multicultural southeast district of Amsterdam, he praises his community for giving him his musical prowess, “I love it here. In the summer you hear reggae, you hear Indian beats, you hear hip-hop.”
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But it’s comfortability that gives DutchAfro a sense of security in the city, the techno DJ finds sanctuary in the community’s understanding. “What home means to me is a space where I feel comfortable and where I’m accepted for who I am,” she says. This coming together of people regardless of their surface-level differences is also felt by the founder of electro-collective Lepton, Ngoni, “There are many different people with different ancestry, cultures, religions – it just works very well. I really feel at home here.”
The influential subcultures, from hip-hop to acid-house, born out of the streets of Amsterdam not only dictate its musical sound but also the eclectic sense of style embraced by the youths of the city. The Netherlands’ dance-pop protege, Lenxi grew out of the punk-electro scene before finding her way into the genre. The amalgamation of alternative inspirations feeds off one another, breeding a celebration of individualism and identity. “My music is who I am and how I dress is who I am. It’s not like one influences the other. It comes together.”
Stay tuned for more stories of creative communities on the @zalando_street Instagram channel. Alternatively, you can visit the online retailer’s website to check out the fits featured in the campaign above.
Tagged: entertainment blog, music, music blog, Sales