Focus on the Netherlands: Edwin Oosterwal

Focus on the Netherlands: Edwin Oosterwal

15 October, 2010 | 4.17AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: edwin oosterwal, focus on, netherlands, rejected

For much of his career, Edwin Oosterwal has been a behind-the-scenes kind of guy: his own name may be unfamiliar, but the same can’t be said of Rejected and Green, the labels he co-runs with Joris Voorn. (Rejected is also the name of Oosterwal’s collaboration with Joorn, which has yielded a handful of singles, including last summer’s “Dead Dog Bounce"/"Peanuts” for Len Faki’s Figure imprint.)

Oosterwal is increasingly stepping out on his own, both as a DJ and producer; see his blinding “Scrub the Tub"/"Beat the Dirt” for evidence of his dark, infectious sense of funk. You can download “Scrub the Tub” for free as part of our Focus on the Netherlands compilation, along with cuts from Shinedoe, Ellesmere, and more to come.

Read on for Oosterwal’s privileged perspective on the Dutch scene.

Which local clubs, DJs and record labels were most significant to you when you were first getting into dance music?

The radio had a major influence on my musical career in the early ‘90s. Especially the weekly radio show “For Those Who Like To Groove,” hosted by Robin “Jaydee” Albers, in which national and international DJs were invited to do a live DJ mix in the studio. I recorded all these mixes and listened to them over and over again. Also Ben Liebrand’s annual Grandmix had a big influence. It really got me into dance music.

Then there were the local clubs in my hometown and the big raves. One of my biggest inspirations to become a DJ was Dimitri from Amsterdam. With his mixing and record selection he could really take you on a journey. Dimitri co-owned one of my favourite hangouts: Outland Records in Amsterdam. Sometimes I would just sit on the store’s sofa for hours listening to all the new music.

One of my favorite Dutch producers back in the days was Jeroen Verheij aka Secret Cinema. Tracks like “Timeless Altitude” and “Watch Me Now” simply blew my mind. I basically played all the tracks released by Jeroen under his different monikers. We’re actually about to re-release “Meng’s Theme,” produced under his Point Blank alias, together with a Joris Voorn remix. Other Dutch producers I really liked and still respect are Orlando Voorn and Steve Rachmad.

What sets Dutch music apart? Is it possible to define a Dutch sound?

I find it hard to define the Dutch sound. Especially nowadays with the internet and globalization. Also, there is a lot of diversity in the music coming from the Netherlands. Back in the days there was gabber, which was typically Dutch, and the mellow house coming from Amsterdam released on labels like Work, Fresh Fruit and Outland Records.

A couple of years ago there was a hype surrounding the new house sound coming from Amsterdam by the likes of 2000 And One and Lauhaus. But I am not sure how to define the Dutch sound at the moment. Maybe Dirty Dutch?

Which artists and labels from your country should people be looking out for, and why?

The first name that springs to mind is Benny Rodrigues. He’s one of the best DJs in Holland and a very talented guy. He’s producing a lot at the moment and from what I have heard it all sounds very promosing. He’s been around for a while and he finally gets all the credit he deserves.

Another talented artist is Pitto. He did a release on Rejected before and we’re now working on his album to be released on Green in 2011. He has a very original approach to making music and doesn’t stick to one sound. I am also a big fan of Melon. He doesn’t release a lot but his music has a great groove and is very funky!

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