stmpd rcrds – that lemon life

Adventures in Amsterdam

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing today? I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend and that you’re enjoying the last bits of summer we’re being granted with. Can you believe it’s already September? Because I surely can’t. It feels like some elaborate joke, something someone made up. Even the thought that I’ve been home for half a ycear now sounds ridiculous to me when I say it out loud. Time is a strange thing, it really is.

Likewise, it’s also insane to me to think that I’ll be moving back to London in less than two weeks. Like, when did that happen? Super super strange, truly. And it’s not just that, even just thinking back to the past few weeks and months makes me wonder whether I’ve dreamed it all or whether it truly happened. Did I really visit Lauren in Belgium? Did I really go to Berlin? Did I really get new two new tattoos? Did Lauren and I really visit Amsterdam? In the middle of a global pandemic? I guess it must be true, because I’m sitting in front of a ton of pictures that were definitely taken in the incredible Amsterdam and that is also definitely me in the pictures. But see, this is how I know I had the best time ever – because it sounds too good to be true.

To be honest, the trip to Amsterdam is definitely something I will never forget. Not only because Lauren and I spent two amazing days there, filled with adventures and tons of fun, but also because it happened out of nowhere. See, that’s the good thing when a country is so small – you can reach nearby cities in a matter of a few hours. Pure luxury, I tell you. So when I came to Belgium and Lauren and I started planning our days we had together, we got the idea of going to Amsterdam and as it was only a few hours train journey away, we instantly booked it and started off the adventure two days later.

And, god, it was just so so so cool. We went to amazing restaurants, sat at the canals, went on night strolls, basically walked through the whole city and we even visited their botanical garden, which was so beautiful, I can’t even put it into words. Out of all of this though, I think my favourite part of the whole trip was visiting STMPD RCRDS. Those of you who’ve been following me and my blog for quite a while now will know how much that labels mean to me, but for those of you who are rather new here – STMPD is my dream workplace. I know, might be a bit strange to say it like that, but it really is. Ever since I’ve fallen in love with EDM and ever since that label was started, I’ve been dreaming about working there. Not only because their artists are so freaking amazing, like SO good, but moreover because it just looks like the best workplace and best team to work with. So, because of that, actually being at their office and seeing that very building with my own eyes, a building I’ve seen countless amounts of times just by being a Martin Garrix fan, made me freak out a bit. In short, being there meant the world to me. I’m still so grateful for Lauren actually walking through the whole city with me just to see the studios. Made my year, truly.

So, that was what we did in Amsterdam. As you can probably guess, the photographing came to no end during the trip, so right now I’ve got these amazing photos that I can’t wait to share with you. So, without further ado, please enjoy.

And yeah, there you go, guys. These are my favourite shots from our adventures in Amsterdam. I truly hope you enjoy this post and the pictures. As always, I’d love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. I wish you all a great week and, of course, thanks for reading. x

Sziget Festival – Part Two

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday. I hope you’ve all had an amazing week and that you’re doing good. And, regarding what we will be talking about today, I hope you’re in the mood for another trip to paradise – aka Sziget festival – and that you already enjoyed my recent post about the first two days of the festival (click here if you want to check that out). I am so excited to tell you all about day three and seeing Marty again and what happened after that and how my mum and I got home at half-past 5 in the morning. In short, I’m crazy happy to tell you about anything and everything and I can’t wait for you to read it and to relive all these moments with me. Are you ready? Yes? Then let’s jump right in, shall we?

Day 3

As I mentioned in my previous post, Sziget couldn’t have been more perfect than it was. It was an absolute dream come true and I’d do lots of crazy, crazy things to be able to go back and do it all over again. And Day 3 especially. The moment I woke up that day, I knew that exciting things were ahead. Because it was the day I’d finally be seeing Marty again, after a year. Some of you might know that ever since seeing him live for the very first time in 2015, also at Sziget, I’ve been to one of his shows every single year. It’s become a full-on tradition now. It’s become my thing to see him every year. And I couldn’t wait for the fifth time, especially because of the fact that it was at Sziget. Our five-year-anniversary and at Sziget, just like the first time. It was bound to be perfect. And on top of that, it was also STMPD-Day, so after Marty’s show, his label would be taking over a stage for the rest of the night and I was so ready for that.

So, as soon as my mum and I got on the island, we once again went for a little walk around the island and went to the beach (yes, the festival even has its own beach). There weren’t many acts on for us to see, so we still had some time left to just wander around, do some people-watching, visit the funfair again and get some food. Again, I need to mention that the whole festival is an absolute paradise and crazy beautiful. I love it with my whole heart.

At about 4 pm we walked over to the Volt Stage to see Wild Front, who I was super excited for, as I had already seen them at the beginning of the year in Brighton at a teeny-tiny venue. As you can imagine, it was pretty cool to see this small band play at my favourite festival. I don’t know, it just felt like some part of Brighton was visiting me there. And obviously, they were absolutely fantastic. If you haven’t heard of them, you should definitely go and check them out – here’s the link to their youtube channel. And after seeing them, it was already time for us to head to main stage and to get ready for Marty. Just like in 2015, mum and I wanted to save ourselves a spot at the second barrier, so no one would be jumping around in front of us. So we waited, about 3 hours, but unfortunately, at first, we didn’t really get a good spot for us to stay at. There was no way we would be able to see anything if we weren’t right at the front – I don’t know what happened this year, but somehow all the other festivalgoers seemed to have grown way more than us. They were all so freaking tall. But, obviously, it wasn’t the time to give up. So while my mum stayed at our spot and watched 6lack (some kind of rapper/RnB artist), I went over to another stage to check out Gang of Youths and then go on the hunt for a good spot. And guess what, we really managed to get front row, right at the barrier and I think even at the exact same spot we were in 2015. It was quite emotional, to be honest.

So we waited through Tove Lo, who we had both already seen at a Coldplay gig, and then it was finally time for Marty to come on stage. I was so hyped up, not only because I would be seeing Marty again, but also because I would finally be seeing his ANIMA show. Every year Marty and his team premiere a new show at ADE and then work with it until the next year. And this year, it was the ANIMA tour and as for all the pictures and videos I had seen online, I was more than ready to finally experience it all myself. See it with my own eyes. Feel it with my own body. And mentally bow down to Gabe Fraboni and Lorenzo de Pascalis and the rest of the team for creating something as genius and beautiful as this.

When I look back at how the whole show went down, I still can’t believe that I really got to experience all of it. For me, it actually started as soon as Tove Lo had left the stage and they started to build Marty’s set-up. Because that’s when his team came out. And when I got to see Gabe. I couldn’t believe my eyes. As some of you might know, I don’t just listen to Marty’s music and go to his shows. I watch his videos, behind the scenes clips, heck, I even watched the movie he was in. Usually, when I’m a really big fan of someone, it’s the most important part for me to familiarize myself with the whole team and not just the band. I basically want to know everything and everyone. And Marty’s team was no exception. So I haven’t just been a fan of Marty since 2015, but his whole team. Of Gabe, Louis, Lorenzo, Damien, everyone. And just the simple fact of actually being able to watch Gabe prepare for the show, set up the lasers and get everything ready cranked up my excitement by a thousand. It was all really happening.

And it didn’t just end there. Gabe (Marty’s show/creative director) wasn’t the only one who was there. I saw Louis (his photographer) and Watse (his manager) and then his mum came around and Julian (one of his closest friends and also DJ) and some of his other friends and I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was at that very moment when I saw his whole team come together. All the people I had watched clips of for years were suddenly all there. And because of his mum and his friends, it felt like it wasn’t just another show, it felt like a family event, something very personal and special.

Obviously, my excitement peaked as soon as Marty came on stage. It felt so good to finally see him again and hear his music. And god damn, the show was absolutely mind-blowing. It was really out of this world. I remember once hearing Gabe say that ANIMA was their best show to this day and, wow, he wasn’t exaggerating. There were fireworks and lasers and breathtaking background clips and the phenomenal music and then the team handed out glowsticks so the whole crowd turned into a huge rainbow and it was all so perfect. And Martijn just looked so good. Holy moly. I felt like I was in a dream, like it all was way too perfect to be real. But it was really happening. I was really there, having the time of my life. And once in a while I turned around and looked at the back tower where the mixing board was and where Gabe was working his magic and just watched him do his work. Watched Marty’s mum dance a bit. And I might just add that one point, Louis was suddenly standing right in front of us, taking pictures of the crowd and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I mean, I literally have his photography book at home and now he was standing right in front of me. I was shook.

Altogether, I can just say that the show was freaking fantastic. I danced and jumped and laughed and cried more than once and I felt so at home and happy, I never wanted it to end. Marty is just such a phenomenal artist and live act, I could go to his shows every single day and I wouldn’t get bored. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going to one of his shows. You won’t regret it, I swear. And I loved Marty’s energy. You might know that about two months ago, he had to have an operation on his foot and then wear a plaster until about two weeks ago. I bet it still hurt a bit, but he fought through it like a trooper and just jumped around on one foot. Talk about being absolutely adorable. And he also looked so happy. And I was so happy that he was happy. In short, the field was packed with happiness.

But that actually wasn’t the highlight of the day. No no. The highlight happened when the show had already ended. You should’ve seen me at the end when Marty played his last song. I cried so freaking much, but not because I was sad, but because I was just so happy and full of gratitude and love. First I had watched his mum film the crowd from the tower during the last part of the show. And then after Marty had left the stage, everyone came up to Gabe and they all hugged and clapped and celebrated and by witnessing all of that, I felt like I was part of that too. Like I was seeing something very special. I cried so much, I think my mum was actually weirded out a bit, but in a good way. I mean, she knows me and she let me hug her very tightly and shed a few tears on her shoulder, so it should be fine. And then she followed me through the crowd, because, obviously, now that the team was packing up all their stuff, I had to try and get a closer look while they were still here. So I dragged her back to the tower and there he still was, Gabe, the first one to show up and the last one to leave. And I just stood there, looking up at the tower, watching him. But, you know me, obviously I had to say something. I don’t even know what got into me, I just knew that I probably would never get the chance again to talk to him. So I went up to the barrier and called his name. And what happened then is basically the cutest thing ever. He had his back facing me and then turned around when he heard me, but at first he didn’t know who had called his name, so I called again and then he looked at me and suddenly the biggest grin spread across his face. I’m sure I must have looked like a total mess who had just cried her eyes out, but I was smiling at him nonetheless. So we grinned at each other and I shouted how amazing the show had been and thanked him for everything and he thanked me back and smiled. And although the whole interaction probably lasted for about 30 seconds, it felt like an eternity for me. But it didn’t end there.

After having packed up everything, he came down from the tower and proceeded to head to the stage and then backstage, which meant he had to walk past us. You can probably guess what happened then. Of course I had to walk up to him and talk to him. And he was literally the nicest guy ever. I again told him how much I had enjoyed the show and thanked him for his work. And then mum took pictures of us, which turned out to be the cutest pictures in existence. And then he left, but not without taking the time to talk to everyone who was waiting for him. I wonder if it feels weird for him that Marty’s fans know him as well and want to have a chat with him. That he has his own fans too. I just hope that he knows that he’s an absolute genius and that ANIMA is a total masterpiece and that there’s a reason why people adore his work. Meeting and talking to him was the definite highlight of my week at Sziget, because, for me, he’s an absolute role model when it comes to believing in your own work and talent and to working your butt off to create something you can be proud of. And I never thought I’d ever get to meet him, but it truly happened and I’ll be forever grateful for that (after I’ve finally realized that it wasn’t just a dream).

After that, being all high on happiness and emotions, mum and I headed to the STMPD stage. The plan was to at least stay there until 4 am, so we could also see Julian, aka DJ Julian Jordan, so we knew that we had a long night coming up. But a fun one. I remember when Sziget announced that Marty would be playing again, the next thing I was hoping for was a STMPD stage. And I’m still so grateful that that dream really came true as well.

Overall, these were all the acts we saw on that day:

Wild Front
Grace Carter
6lack
Tove Lo
Martin Garrix
Bart B More
Mercer
Justin Mylo
TV Noise
Julian Jordan

I don’t think I have to mention that the whole night was absolute craziness. At one point, mum and I were even sitting on the ground in this huge tent, leaned against a pillar and having the music blasted into our ears at 3 am. Yes, we were tired, but I can promise you that we couldn’t have been in a better mood. All the acts were absolutely fantastic and I’m so glad I got to see them all. Also, at this point, I have to thank my mum for being basically the best mum ever and a real trooper and for staying with me the whole night. She’s the coolest and I’ll be forever thankful that she endured hours over hours of EDM music, that she’s not even the biggest fan of, just for me and just so that I could see all these acts and be happy. Mum, you’re the best. And I love you.

I went to bed at a quarter to 6 am that night (morning?). It’s the longest we have ever been at any festival and although I had little to no voice nor hearing the next day (which I will tell you all about in my next post on Monday), it was all totally worth it, because it had been such an epic night that I’ll never ever forget. Even the walk home was magical. The sun was just coming up, the sky turned into beautiful shades of pink and orange and I introduced my mum to the sunrise, as they hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Altogether, it was an absolutely unforgettable day/night and I loved and cherished every single second of it. And I can’t even put into words how much I miss Marty and his team already. I can’t wait to see them all again soon (hopefully).

And yeah, that’s basically the whole third day of Sziget. I’m sorry this post ended up being quite lengthy, but I just had to share all these phenomenal memories with you, guys, so I hope you still enjoyed reading all about them. Being able to share all of this with you means a lot to me, so thanks if you’ve made it this far. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below and, of course, I wish you all a nice weekend and thanks for reading. x

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another edition of “New Music Friday”. The first of 2019 actually, so let’s make it special, shall we? So, buckle up and get ready, because this is gonna be a hell of a ride.

As you can imagine, there’s a ton of new music that I’ve been saving up for this very special day. Some of it might not be that new to you, some songs may be very old and some might be fresh out of a recording studio. Nevertheless, all of them are amazing and I feel proud and honored that I get to share them all with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Twenty One Pilots – Chlorine

Yes, yes, I know. There they are again. What a surprise. And I know, since it’s been released, I haven’t shut up about Trench, but it’s just so damn good. And now that the boys released their music video for Chlorine, I just had to include it in the list. Now it’s not only a damn fantastic song, but also a super cool video. And I love them both with all of my heart. And Ned too.

Ferris & Sylvester – Sickness

These guys are my newest find when it comes to music, actually. And I know, they might not seem like my typical cup of tea, but I just love how the song builds itself up more and more until it peaks in that amazing chorus. Also, am I the only one who thinks that that song would perfectly fit for some kind of drama movie?

The Montreals – Rude

Again, another breathtakingly amazing track by my favorite Australians. God, how I wish they would come over to the UK and go on tour here. Like, just listen to their songs. It’s no wonder I’m so deeply into their stuff. Such an awesome band, wow.

Ditch Days ft. Calcutá – Downtown

What should I tell you, guys? Just listen to the song and you’ll immediately know why it’s part of this list here. It’s just too good to not be included, honestly.

Alinea – She Doesn’t Get It

I found this song while I was listening to another mix of the week, provided by my beloved Spotify (thanks Spotify), while writing a letter to my mum, and it has been stuck with me ever since. It’s just such a fun song, like it has some kind of magical power that always gets me in a good mood.

Dayglow – Hot Rod

If I’m not mistaken, I again have to thank Spotify for recommending this one to me. God, looks like I really owe that company, hm? Anyway, about the song – it’s amazing, it’s fun and I love it. And I hope you do too.

The Night Café – Endless Lovers

Guys, it honestly doesn’t get any newer than this. This little gem right here just came out yesterday and I’m so happy that I get to share it with you. You guys probably know that I’m a huge fan of these amazingly talented guys here, especially after seeing them live last year, so their new music makes me incredibly happy.

EAUXMAR ft. Caius – Hurt U

You guys know that I have a weak spot for good electronic music – hence my endless love for Marty and STMPD, the best label ever – and now that I’ve just found this, I know exactly why. It has such a cool and groovy vibe to it, such a banger. I honestly don’t understand why EDM is still so underrated, such a crime.

So yeah, guys, there you go. That’s about all the new music that I’ve got to share with you for now. I dearly hope that you enjoy these tracks as much as I do. As always, please don’t hesitate to share your opinions and thoughts down below. I’d love to hear them. And until then I wish you all a lovely weekend and hope you’re doing good. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

2018: Wrapped

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Music Saturday (yeah, it’s Saturday today, just go with it). And yes, I know, shouldn’t there be a ‘New’ in there? And yes, you’re right, there usually should, but this time I left it out on purpose, because today is a very special Music Day. Because, just as the year is coming to an end, it’s also time to wrap up the year music-wise. And what a year 2018 was. A year full of amazing music. Special music. Exciting music. It’s all in there, in the folder of 2018, waiting to be discovered by you.

And just as every year, the lovely people of Spotify made it a lot easier for us all to wrap this year up. Since getting myself a premium account, the yearly statistics of my own musical behavior have been a highlight for me and something I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. And just like the two years before, they are more than accurate. But have a look for yourself.

I might just have to add that Tom has now been my favorite artist for two years straight and, honestly, I’m not surprised, not even a bit. Tom is simply an incredible artist and I absolutely adore his music. It’s that type of music that just fits every occasion. Whether it’s when I’m cooking, writing, going for a walk, shopping in the mall or just chilling, I can always have it on and it will always fit perfectly. That’s just what Tom does. He makes perfect music. And I feel more than honored and grateful that I’ll finally get to see him live next year in London. I can’t wait, honestly.

And besides that, the whole statistics are pretty much spot on. We all know why Ed is on there (obviously), The Academic were a huge phase for me at the beginning of this year due to their amazing show in Vienna (I still am deeply in love with their music, of course) and both Hippo Campus and TØP released two breathtaking albums, which, by the way, are the top two albums of the year for me. Nothing can beat those two, nothing. At least for me.

So, overall, the statistics don’t really surprise me in any way, they just make me endlessly happy. I love that I got to spend 21.538 minutes listening to amazing music this year and that I got to share most of that fantastic music with you guys. Music is just such a huge part of my life and now that I’m on my way of turning exactly that part into my career, I’m just even more thankful and happy. This is all very crazy and very special to me. And at the end of the day it’s all thanks to those incredible bands and artists out there who produce and create this art so we can all go and listen to and enjoy it.

But, as this is a Music Day, we still of course have to get to the music part. And just as every year, I thought I’d create a little playlist of my favorite tracks of 2018. Some might not be from this year, they might be really old, and some might be so new that I’ve just stumbled over them a few days ago, but just love so much that they need to be in this list. Every single song has a special meaning to me, some may even be connected to a certain memory or moment of this year. Some may be new to you, some may won’t, as I might have already shared them with you. But, in total, they all mean a lot to me and I dearly hope you enjoy them just as much as I do.

Jumpsuit – Twenty One Pilots

If there is one song that completely blew my mind this year, then it’s this one right here.

Pictures of Girls – Wallows

According to Spotify, this is the song I’ve listened to the most this year and, frankly, I’m not surprised at all.

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Live Outside – Enter Shikari

Completely fell for this one right here after hearing it live. Way too good to not listen to it. Way too good.

Bambi – Hippo Campus

Like Jumpsuit, this one once again completely surprised me, in the best way possible. Such a bop, honestly. The whole album is.

Surprise Yourself – Jack Garratt

I rediscovered this one a few months ago and can’t get enough of it ever since. This is literal art.

Tough – Lewis Capaldi

Lewis is definitely my musical find of the year. I’m so so so glad that I discovered him, he’s honestly such a gem. And yes, he is this good live. Breathtaking, I know.

Love It If We Made It – The 1975

Although I’m not a big fan of the album overall, this song has completely won my heart. It feels a bit like we’re back in 2013 and I love that.

Neon Gravestones – Twenty One Pilots

Lyrically this is the most important song of the year for me. Once you get behind the meaning of the lyrics, this song turns into this one special piece of art that will definitely go down in history. It’s that important. And this band is that important. Also, listen to Tyler’s voice. Please listen. Holy moly.

Hope There’s Someone – Avicii

I thought about leaving this space here blank and only adding a little caption at the end just like with the ones before. But I just can’t. 2018 is coming to an end now and although, music-wise, there have been so many incredible moments, I just want to take a second right here and once again remind us all of the fact that there were also some really heartbreaking moments. And for me, the most crushing one was definitely loosing the bright star called Tim Bergling aka Avicii. I felt my heart break the moment I heard about it this April and it’s just now that I notice how tears are rolling down my cheeks writing this and listening to this song and reminding myself of the fact that we really lost him. Tim was such an important part of my musical life and I still can’t fully believe he’s gone. But I know that he will never be forgotten because of his music. He’ll live on forever, in our hearts and on the dance floors of this world. But still, Tim, I miss you. Every single day.

There are no words.

Ain’t Coming Home – Badflite

Apart from Marty’s releases, this is probably my favorite track from the empire called STMPD Records. Listen to it and you’ll know why.

Flowerss – HALFNOISE

This is definitely one of those special tracks that I will forever have a special place in my playlist, it’s just way too extraordinary to ever forget about it.

Bear Claws – The Academic

What can I say? They’re The Academic and this is just a bop right here. Can’t get enough of it.

Y2k – The Montreals

If you haven’t given The Montreals a listen until now, please please do immediately. They’re one of those bands you really have to look out for in 2019.

Alright – Lacuna Bloome

I actually have to thank BIMM for introducing me to this band, as, believe it or not, this here is actually a band from my university. How amazing is that? And how freaking awesome is the song? Pure indie goodness.

Waiting For Tomorrow – Martin Garrix & Pierce Fulton ft. Mike Shinoda

I know I’ve already talked about this, but I’ve literally been waiting for this song forever. But the wait was so worth it. So damn good.

Butter – Leyya

Please, everyone, go and listen to this while driving and turn the volume all the way up. It’s literally the coolest feeling.

Feeling Lonely – boy pablo

This is actually my most recent find, thanks to the breathtaking lineup of next year’s Sziget festival. Thanks Sziget, can’t wait to spend a week with you next year.

Woes – Tom Rosenthal

Last but surely not least – incredibly sad and incredibly beautiful – just like everything that Tom does. And yes, of course he had to be part of this list. He should be part of everyone’s list.

So yeah guys, there you go. Those are my favorite songs of 2018 and the tracks that made this year the years it was and is. As I said, all of them have a special meaning to me and I love them all with every cell of my body. And I really really hope you enjoy them too. Also, I’m already so excited for what’s to come in 2019.

As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And if you’ve got your Spotify statistics too, please do share them with me, I’d love to read them. Especially as I think that the music people listen to can tell you a lot about them too. Let’s be honest, music always was and still is something very intimate and personal and plain special. And that’s what I love so much about it.

Besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a nice rest of the weekend. I’m actually on my way home right now, so home home and I’m literally so damn excited. I can’t believe I haven’t been home for nearly three months. It feels like both the longest and the shortest period of time ever. And I can’t wait to finally see my pets again. Oh my god. And then it’s Christmas. God, I’m so excited. Anyways, like I said, I hope you’re all doing good and that you enjoyed this post right here. And, as always, thanks so much for reading.

Ps: On another note, something very very VERY exciting happened yesterday. Yes, you guessed right – the new Avengers trailer is out. Welcome to Avengers: Endgame. I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this trailer and now that it’s finally here, I can’t wrap my head around it. There’s literally nothing happening in it, but at the same time, everything is happening. And we all know that the scene at the beginning might be the death of me. I swear to everything and everyone, if they kill Tony, I’m gonna sue someone for my mental and emotional suffering. I’m not even kidding. Just please let this guy have a kid and retire with Pepper in peace. Can we please do that? Thank you.

Welcome to STMPD

Hola everyone.

Guys, you know that I love talking about music more than anything. But as I guess that all these music lists are getting a little bit boring, I thought I’d change it up a bit. So, today I have the honor of introducing you to one of the coolest music labels on this planet.

But before I begin I wanted to give you guys a little update on my last post and party a little bit, because it seems like Trump stopped working against the ban for elephant trophies. He stated that he stopped it because he wants to investigate further on how the conservation works, but I’m pretty sure that he stopped because the whole world was literally screaming at him and his administration. So yey and congratulations to all of us. Seems like we just helped to save this planet – at least for some time. Well done guys and whoever got active – thank you so much. You’re awesome.

Okay, there’s that. Now let’s get back to this very special music label. The EDM fans among you will probably already know this supercool label called STMPD RCRDS. It was founded in May last year by the one and only Martijn Garristen – also known as Martin Garrix. And before any of you guys question my opinion about this label, no I’m not just interested in it because it’s his label. I mean, I was at first, but now that I’ve actually taken time to get to know it, it’s like Martijn introduced me to this amazing thing that I am now exploring on my own while being so damn thankful for the introduction.

So yeah, it all started in May 2016, so you could say that the label is still pretty young. Martijn founded it after having some severe arguments and a disagreement about the ownership rights of his music with his older label Spinnin’ Records. And as the genius he is, instead of signing to another label, he just created his own, which now gives him complete freedom when it comes to his music and pretty much everything else. If I’m right the label now “belongs” to Sony Music and it seems like Martijn himself couldn’t be happier. Until today there are about 15 or so artists signed to the label, including Martijn himself (unfortunately I couldn’t find a complete list) and I have to say, all of them are freaking amazing.

What I think is especially cool is that the label mostly consists of pretty much still unknown DJs and artists – I mean, at least I didn’t know them before. And also, like I said, Martijn is totally free when it comes to his own music and productions and so on, but of course he has his portfolio and type of music that people expect him to release and stick to, so he can’t just release anything. That’s why – another genius move – he just created side projects like GRX or Area 21, so he can release other music he enjoys to produce too. And I think that’s so damn amazing, because that way he’s able to show the world even more of his talent.

STMPD is based in Amsterdam (like Martijn, of course) and just about a few months ago he and his team took over one of Amsterdams coolest recording studios called FC Walvisch, a spot used by international superstars like Pharrell Williams, Lady Gaga and of course Martijn. Actually, in the last of his videos YouTube series “The Martin Garrix Show”, you could see him and his team celebrating the official opening of their new headquarters. You can now find the studio under the new name STMPD Recording Studios – here’s a link to their website.

I have to say that I am incredibly proud of Martijn for bringing this whole thing to life and making his dream come true. It makes me kind of speechless too. And let’s not forget the fact that all the signed artists are seriously so damn good. I mean, how perfect can a label get? Cool headquarters, fresh young vibes, the most amazing boss ever and freaking good artists and breathtakingly good music. That’s all anyone in the music business could wish for. Oh, and if you’re wondering why the label is called STMPD – the name was actually inspired by Martijns father’s stamp auctioning company. So it’s basically just another cute tribute and link to his family.

Okay, so, that’s pretty much all the most important information about this amazing label that I can provide you with. And now let’s get to the most fun part, which is getting to know some of the artists. I actually highly recommend following the label on Spotify (if you do have Spotify), their playlists are amazing and also quite addictive. I’ve been listening to them on repeat the past weeks. So, without further ado, let me present you some of my favorite song releases:

As you can see it’s pretty hard for me to not just add every single song the label ever released. I of course had to put Area 21 on the list, because I just love this side of Martijn so freaking much, and also CMC$ as his song features the one and only Conor Maynard. Like, can you believe it? Two of my favorite guys are working with and for the same label. That’s so damn crazy.

And yeah, that’s pretty much it. There you go guys. Welcome to STMPD RCRDS. I have to say that I’m truly so thankful to Martijn for founding and introducing me to this amazing label and awesome kind of music and awesome artists. And it would actually make me so happy if some of you enjoy it too. So please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below, I’m really curious. And yeah, I really hope you enjoyed this post and I wish you all an amazing week. And, as always, thanks for reading. x