Socks;SportsSocks Somewhere between discomfort and rock ‘n’ roll, between virtuosity and amateurism, between disarming honesty and irony, you’ll find Socks;SportsSocks—a Rotterdam band with a contemporary DIY mentality. Their sound balances between lo-fiindie and bedroom art-pop, with hints of ambient and post-punk. The result is music that captures the irony, struggles, and yearnings of being young in the modern era. This year, they released their debut album, Ironic Songs for a Sincere Generation—which they call their most dynamic and honest work to date.

Coaster is the Utrecht-based folky slowcore duo of Bart Appel and Paul Dijkman. The duo, primarily guitarists, quickly bonded through their shared love for quiet and slow music. Inspired by the lo-fi and slowcore acts of the '90s and '00s , they capture memories and atmospheres and transform them into intimate dream pop. Their melancholic music is about resilience and appreciating the small moments in life. Live, they perform with Stephan de Hoop on drums and Kyon Edelenbosch on bass.