Fremdtunes

Nature didn’t tell me “Don’t be poor”; and certainly didn’t say: “Get rich”; but she did shout: “Always be independent!” – Chamfort

Dutch independent record label Fremdtunes is committed to providing exceptional sample packs and producer-based music across a variety of genres, from trip-hop to glitch, rare groove to hip-hop, and funkjazz to skweee, electro, and turntablism.

HOW IT SOUNDS

Fremdtunes’ first release was the album Fremdkunst by DJ Mace. Fremdkunst was initially released independently in 2007 and was re-released in a new and revamped style. It was the key inspiration for starting Fremdtunes, so it’s only right that this album was the label’s first release. Other releases include music by artists like DJ Optimus, Kelpe, Coco Bryce, Kid Sundance, Soosh, DJ Devastate, Moods, Jameszoo, Emufucka, Julian Edwardes and Big Mister Doom.

HOW IT LOOKS

The music and design of each release are complimentary and showcase the music’s authenticity and creativity. We work with renowned designers/artists such as Adam Oostenbrink, Klaas Verplancke, Graphic Surgery & Henk Loorbach and set up projects like Reprogram, Supertunes & SEE-A-SOUND.

SAMPLE PACKS
In recent years, Fremdtunes has shifted its primary focus from track releases to offering premium sample packs, while still occasionally delivering music.

We pride ourselves on crafting each sample pack with meticulous attention to detail, emphasizing excellence and seamless integration into any production. Our sounds are distinguished by their warmth, thickness, and resounding impact, often imbued with a subtle touch of grit and dust, as well as a hint of quirkiness. The result is always a fremd experience that is instantly ready for use.

PHILOSOPHY
We want to share good music with the world. Good, to us, does not mean ‘contemporary’, ‘hypernew’, ‘conceptual’ or ‘by the rules’. It also doesn’t mean ‘because everybody likes it’ or ‘gets a 3 zillion plays on Spotify’.  We mean: music with character. Conservative tunes that go mental. Experimental music which sounds pretty normal after all. Tunes that are made in a way we can relate to (chopped, screwed, glued). Made with a clear or very vague purpose or with no purpose at all. Made by persons who are looking for a rebel base of like-minded individuals, a pit-stop or a breathing space. And whose works shout: ‘independence!’.

INITIATORS
Fremdtunes was initiated by Rogier van Hout (’s-Hertogenbosch) and Neels Smeekens (Rotterdam). These gentlemen combine over 50 years of experience as producers/DJ’s (as Kool DJ Mace and DJ Optimus) in the hiphop-, beats- and jazzscene. Mace and Optimus have worked with a vast variety of artists such as Aka Moon, Coco Bryce, Grazzhoppa, Baba Sissoko, Erwin Vann, Eric Vloeimans, El da Sensei and Rasco.