“Easy” is the latest single shared by the Dutch singer-songwriter and producer, Van Common. The song is a dreamy fusion of indie and electronic, carrying a sort of melancholic light-heartedness within itself. Van Common’s music feels like a collection of experiences, having lived in three different countries so far. However, he recounts having found his unique musical identity during a winter spent along the southern coast of his home country, the Netherlands.
KALTBLUT caught up with Van Common before the release of his latest single “Easy” to talk about the influence Berlin has had on his music, collaboration and the experimenting with his sound.
KALTBLUT: How come you’re not releasing your music via a label?
Van Common: I’ve basically released all the music as Van Common independently. It was not always a conscious decision; there were times when I was talking to labels or where I really wanted to release with the label, but in the end, it made sense to do it independently. I’m open to releasing with a label, but the opportunity hasn’t presented itself yet with this new music I’m doing.
KALTBLUT: I can imagine releasing music independently gives you a lot more freedom too, though?
Van Common: For sure! It’s important to know what you want to sound like and what you want to present, so a label can sort of chip in after you’ve done the work. I was definitely still at a bit of an experimental stage. Especially since the pandemic, I was changing things up quite drastically, which is why it makes sense to release independently and keep things fun. It’s easier if you do it independently, so you can release music whenever you want, so it has a certain momentum.
I used to wait way too long with releasing songs I made that were written three years before. Then the song comes out, and you’re kind of indifferent about it. This song, “Easy,” is now a year old. After this one, the momentum is going to be more fresh. I want to get into this mode where I write one song per week. I feel like it’s more suited to the time we live in.
KALTBLUT: You’ve already briefly touched on the pandemic. How have the last three years impacted your music?
Van Common: Three years is a long time, yeah. The pandemic is where my album originated from. I was starting to open up to working with different people again to collaborate a bit more because I always used to write, produce, or record everything by myself. I was sort of warming up to the idea of collaborating a bit more freely; then the pandemic happened, and that kind of all went to shit.
Then I just made that album because I wanted to have an uplifting dance record. We were all just stuck, and I thought it would be interesting to not use as much gear as I used to. Eventually, it didn’t really turn out into a full-on dance record. It turned out kind of weird because I had no idea what I was doing. That’s the fun part. After I finished that album, I went to Berlin.
KALTBLUT: Has Berlin affected your approach?
Van Common: Berlin has definitely brought me a lot of inspiration, and I’ve made a lot of music since I came there. I like to go to a good party every now and then, but I’m not a club person. That’s something I figured out when I was in Berlin. I was going to parties, and I was introduced to a lot of really cool, experimental club music, which I would have never heard somewhere else. That inspired me.
Musically, I got a lot of things to work with in the city, things that are a bit more industrial or gritty. I must say in terms of lyrics, I felt it had an opposite effect. I was not as inclined to go super introspective in Berlin, which is something I used to normally do. I guess Berlin is a distracting place.
Musically, I got a lot of juice from it, but I feel like lyrically I toned it down a little bit. This could be a personal phase I’m in. I want to keep things more simple, but Berlin is less of a talking place. It’s more of a doing and dancing city.
KALTBLUT: Do you think that’ll change now you’re in Amsterdam?
Van Common: I have no clue. I’ve lived in Amsterdam for ten years, so it’s kind of my home. It’s a good question because that was the reason I wanted to live in a different city. I wanted to make sure I keep myself in check and don’t get too comfortable and try different things. I have to be wary of when I’m back here now, but I’m hoping to collaborate a bit more because I was in my own bubble in Berlin. So now, back, I’m going to work with more people and produce for other people a bit more as well, which is some like a recent development too.
KALTBLUT: Did you find it harder to collaborate with other musicians in Berlin?
Van Common: That depends on every personal situation. I went to Berlin not knowing that many people before, so finding your musical scene was quite challenging. I met a lot of DJs and was going to parties, sometimes meeting people that are into electronic club music. In the year and a half that I was there, I didn’t really seem to get a grasp on like a local indie band scene.
KALTBLUT: Would you ever consider writing a song in Dutch?
Van Common: I’ve tried it once, and it was not terrible, but I didn’t love it. I developed a writing voice in English. I could write a song in Dutch, but I have much more practice in English and feel the stuff I write in English is just a bit better now. I could write it in Dutch, but that’s a whole different skill.
KALTBLUT: Your music has – in the last couple of months and years – changed from indie to more electronic. Is that the sound you want to stick with, or are you still experimenting?
Van Common: I’m still experimenting, but not yet trying to hone in on one specific sound. Making that decision to do this one electronic album and now having let go of those restrictions a bit, I feel now I’m at the point of making my most interesting music – at least for myself.
I’m more comfortable producing on the computer. If I want to record some guitar or piano or live drums, it’s easy to do so, and it’s a nice addition to what’s already there. I’m coming back to the essence of everything. As long as I write a good song, I can produce it however I want to, and it should turn out okay.
Follow @vancommon on Instagram to keep up with his upcoming releases. His latest single “Easy” here.
All photos by @hannahaletta
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