EN: Under the moniker LUWTEN, Dutch artist Tessa Douwstra records, writes, performs, and produces cunning pop that incites both the head and the heart. In the past Douwstra’s music was an attempt to cast a light on the introverted, embracing comfort in your own solitude and selfhood. Forthcoming second album Draft takes on a different challenge: how to be that person with others in the room.

The name Draft speaks for itself: these songs evoke the feeling of the breeze underneath the door; a subtle reminder of becoming open to another. To illustrate this notion further, Luwten transmutes different sounds together with quizzical warmth: field recordings and organic noise are laced intricately with electronic sounds and melodic live instrumentation. On Draft, these productions tell as much a story as Luwten’s compassionate vocals and soulful lyricism. The title track, for instance, features voice memos from Douwstra’s inner circle of friend, family and loved ones, all of them synthesized together as one big collective voice surrounding her’s.

`Sleeveless" imagines a state in which an individual can move through existence like an open book. `Control" is a club anthem playing out through the lens of the chronic second guesser, entertaining the thought of gaining something out of the act of losing control. `Don’t Be A Stranger" conversely, wants to stay in touch and `Full Well" is a scream into the void for answers. All these songs are reaching out in a certain way; uncompromising, but without losing the other from sight. 

The embrace and empathy in Luwten’s music lie in the process itself. She’s looking for new ways, without reading the manual first.

Lock Magazine: ‘Draft is an incredible example of intimate, authentic song-writing mixed with fascinating, experimental instrumentation.’

Louder Than War: ‘This album will blow your bloody doors off.’

Dansende Beren: ‘Luwten not only pushes her own boundaries, but also manages to draw up a new blueprint for her own sound.’

Secret Meeting: ‘A collection of enthralling, inventive songs with the ability to win over the underground, and the potential to crossover to the mainstream.’

NRC: ‘the music has universal appeal’

OOR magazine: ‘Draft is a nugget of a record’.

Web: www.luwten.com

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Support by HANNAH IDA

It all started with a flea market guitar. In the summer of 2017, young artist Hannah Grevis, 16 years old at the time, started to learn some basic chords on her new guitar.

After an experience rich sailing trip to Scandinavia, she wrote her first song called White bird. Still shy, she slowly started presenting her song to friends and family, by whom she was warmly encouraged. Hannah slowly, but surely gained more confidence and continued to write songs about her surroundings, love, sadness, fear, happiness, society and challenges of our time. Very much inspired by singer songwriters like Alice Phoebe Lou or Laura Marling, she started to include various elements into her calm melancholic indie/folk sounds. In September 2018, she then officially launched, the solo singer songwriter project Hannah Ida.

For Hannah Ida, experiences and intimate feelings, individuals and society are central themes of her songs and sources of artistic inspiration. Using music as a medium of communication is an important motivation for her works. For Hannah Ida, the sharing of her music with human beings surrounding her, is like a secret valuable and precious conversation. Her warm and melancholic songs flawlessly reflect her authentic and independent spirit, seeking for adventure and experience.