The latest in Dutch electronica touches down at Womb

16 Bit Lolitas Courtesy of ArcTokyo

The Netherlands, which has spawned stars in both electronica and the punishing “gabber” style of techno (sometimes called “happy hardcore”) continues to be a source of production talent. A few of the country’s emerging forces will be visiting Womb for an afternoon/evening Sunday session sponsored by the Embassy of the Netherlands and Tokyo-based promoter ArcTokyo.

Recognized for their pedigree of successful house productions in recent years are the 16 Bit Lolitas. A duo of Ariaan Olieroock and Peter Kriek, the pair have released tracks on leading imprints such as Yoshitoshi and Renaissance. Based in the party center of Amsterdam, their sound runs from crisp club anthems like “Between U” to experimental techno.

From the port city of Rotterdam, Nick K opted out of a budding career in pro soccer to pursue DJing back in the mid-’90s. Spinning Chicago- and Detroit-influenced house, he became a resident at the legendary Nighttown, which was voted the Netherlands’ best club night for two years running. Nick, whose current sound brings together house with tribal, acid and dub, also has releases on Yoshitoshi and set up his own Lowriders imprint in 2004.

Support for SonicScapes comes from a gaggle of domestic DJs, including Supernova from the progressive psychedelic dance-music event group Anoyo...

Meanwhile, one of the living legends of European techno stops by Air as part of his ongoing world tour.

The son of a concert pianist, Glasgow native Lars Sandberg, aka. Funk D’Void, represents the first wave of European DJs to emerge out of the late-’80s acid house boom. Influenced by Detroit techno and European electro, many of these DJs grew into stars of the current international club circuit.

Honing his style in a seven-year stint as a buyer for Glasgow’s Fopp Records, Sandberg began production work with Soma Records in the ’90s, making his mark with razor-sharp productions like the seminal “Jack Me Off.” The DJ’s full-length debut came in the form of 1997’s mesmerizing Technoir, a certifiable techno classic, while his most recent was 2004’s Volume Freak. Following Sandberg’s move from Glasgow to Barcelona, the album traded in the gray urban landscapes of his previous work for a more uplifting, sunny approach.

SonicScapes from the Netherlands @Womb, Nov 5. Funk D’Void@Air, Nov 11. See club listings for details.

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