The Netherlands is the place to watch for new UKG

There’s nothing we love better than a music scene thriving in the last place you’d expect to find it.

At least, there is something – we’re guessing it’s the name – about UK garage that makes the idea of it transplanted to another foreign territory seem, superficially, slightly strange.

Well, propogate that stereotype at your own peril, say we, because you’ll be missing out on some great music if you do. The UKG scene in the Netherlands is blowing up – and we’re not just talking about the plethora of events during the Amsterdam Dance Event. Although the fact that UK scene icon chose to launch his new IFG (I Feel Good) label at the event with Dutch names like Jeftuz, Cream and leading rapper/MC Leeroy, rather the British names, is not insignicant either.

Bias has also enlisted Groningen-based producer and DJ Jeftuz to remix ‘London Town’, the reggae single with vocalist Shumba Youth he’s just released on 7″ on IFG.

The remixes are due out on March 4 and his is the kind of breezy, infectious workover he likes to give various big r&b hits before casting them into certain shadowy corners of the net.

Another resident of the Netherlands whose productions are off the scale at the moment is DJ Crisps. The Rotterdam-based producer has a longer pedigree, stretching all the way back to 2019, but he moved into a different gear last year with a string of EPs big on cavity-troubling sub-bass and reggae and soul hooks.

A regular on Burnski’s Instinct label, check his split four tracker with Oldboy, ‘On My Way’, which surfaced in November, for further proof.

With the Dutch scene supporting several big regular nights – That Garage Sound, which includes DJ Crisps on its line ups regularly alongside the likes of Scott Garcia among them – that continue to grow, month by month, it looks like it’ll be worth keeping an eye on this particularly non-UK garage scene in 2024.