“Spikkels & Bitchez” is a new project by students of the conservatory in Utrecht. With innovative activist lyrics they try to address problems in a lighthearted and comical way. They draw inspiration from hip-hop and neo-soul, creating a unique sound that is reminiscent of Bill Wurtz, Loyle Carner, Mac Miller, and Aaron Taylor. Long bio - EN With their debut album, Spikkels & Bitchez don’t just want to entertain, but also to be thought provoking. By combining humour with a deeper, often activist meaning, they create 9 short songs, all begging to be put on repeat. Whether it’s about the plastic soup, fat shaming, or gay rights, their tone remains lighthearted and funny. There is also a fair share of self-mockery, like in the song “#veggielife”: I’m just following the veggie trend / So please don’t think I’m an animal friend. Musically these students of the Utrecht Conservatory create a unique style by combining hip-hop and neo-soul, that has already been compared with Bill Wurtz, Loyle Carner, Mac Miller and Aaron Taylor. They make use of a clean sound, in which electric piano is prominent, supported by functional bass lines, electronic drums, and a surprising, relaxing singing voice. Especially the clarinet is used in an innovative way, combining electronic and analogue. The album has been entirely self-produced with attention to detail, ensuring that the refined nuances are completely in service of the message of the music. The unexpected chord progressions contribute to a refreshing body of work, that is still interesting after several listening sessions. In a rapidly changing world, Spikkels & Bitchez came to a conclusion: just making pretty songs is no longer enough. It becomes more and more important for artists to speak up about social problems. Now the time has come for the members of Spikkels & Bitchez to take their responsibility. Considering the activist history of hip-hop, it was a natural move to take this genre as a starting point. However, the activism of Spikkels & Bitchez is not quite what you might be used to. The music is not aggressive or angry, and the lyrics are far from pedantic. With a positive sound, this new musical group hopes to connect people. About the songs: The third track of the album, “Trash”, uses influences of trap-music, and draws attention to the plastic soup: Take a scoop of your plastic soup / You’ll realise it doesn’t taste so good. In “Bullshit”, the fifth song, a protesting crowd supports the message against eutrophication: The grass is greener on your side / ‘cause you fertilised it with your lies / And bullshit. The following track is “Brussels”, which is also the first single (soon to be released), and is seemingly an ode to the lockdown. It is followed by the Italian a capella-song “Ti Va?”, in which the singer asks a boy, using cliché pickup lines and heavy autotune, to marry him. In Italy, same-sex marriage still isn’t allowed. The eighth track on the album, “Famous”, sings about a rise to fame: I don’t know about you / But for me it’ll do / I can live with all this fame. Time will tell whether Spikkels & Bitchez will become famous, but with their debut album, they send a clear signal. They can no longer be ignored, and we will be hearing much more from them in the future.