Animistic Beliefs

Animistic Beliefs are inventing a new, creole musical language. The Rotterdam-based duo repurposes forms from techno and IDM to create exhilarating hybrids, applying a fresh perspective that is both deeply personal and political. ‘Animism’ is the idea found in indigenous belief systems that all objects, creatures and places possess a spirit. Pre-colonial thought, traditions and music connected with Marvin’s Moluccan and Linh’s Vietnamese-Chinese heritage are key inspirations and tools through which the duo explore their experience as POC living in the Netherlands. Shared introductions to dance music as underage attendees of Rotterdam club scenes and a passion for analog equipment were the initial catalysts to collaborate. Early on they would meet regularly at a club for hardware enthusiasts, where they’d solder together music equipment from scratch. Electro, gabber and punk formed the initial backbone of their sound, but as the duo rediscovered traces of cultures that conventional history had erased, South-East Asian tonality, tribal rhythms and texts and poetry have become central components. Driven by tireless technical, historical and emotional research, Animistic Beliefs is a constantly evolving art project. By celebrating and unifying a diverse set of countercultural influences, they are challenging the expectations of European techno to make the kind of art that leaves a mark, whether in a gallery or behind a wall of haze and strobes.