Cuteness and hard kicks

Droomwolkje is a DJ with a talent for crafting intricate pulse-pounding tracks. When she’s not immersed in her architectural 3D modelling and graphic design, she’s creating and playing with music that’s as powerful and captivating as her visual art. The Belgian DJs classical foundation with the cello and piano transformed into a passion for the harder, faster beats of hardcore, where she now explores a kaleidoscope of ambient tones, energetic rhythms, and playful melodies. Heavily influenced by Frenchcore and hardtek, it’s J-core that sets her creations apart, delivering tracks which mix videogame vibes with pounding kicks. Droomwolkje has collaborated with DJ collectives such as Stimular, Burenhinder, Cut/4 and APHOTICA. Droomwolkje’s latest tracks, released on TSUM, offer a glimpse of what’s to come in the hardcore scene.

skug: Where are you from?

Droomwolkje: I was born in Brussels. Later I moved to Zottegem and after that I moved to Ghent as a student, where I am still based. I am now an architect, but I am currently studying for my second master’s degree in spatial planning. It was my childhood dream to become an architect, but at the same time I was already busy with music and art. I play two instruments, namely the piano and the cello. This also helped me substantiate my basic music theory.

How did you become a DJ?

I had the idea since I was eighteen, but at the time I had no friends who were DJs and no knowledge of the equipment. Moreover, I put the idea aside because there were still few female DJs in the local scene to emulate.

How did you end up with the all-female Burenhinder DJ collective?

It was only in the first months after the Corona crisis, around February 2022, that the idea started to come alive again. I came into contact with the nightlife again and visited the Burenhinder anniversary in the Minus One on March 5. That was the first time I saw female DJs who played harder, something that was completely new to me at the time. The atmosphere at a Burenhinder party is also really unique. Due to the no-camera policy, you hardly see any smartphones on the dance floor; everyone is there for the music. And it is precisely that music that creates a special bond at such a moment. While completing my bachelor’s thesis, I developed a small fixation for collecting music. I started to distinguish the different genres within electronic music better and better. This is a kind of knowledge that you teach yourself, driven by curiosity for new music and the will to develop your own style. That drive is something that continues to motivate me to this day.

When did you start DJing?

I started learning to DJ in 2022, when a friend let me borrow a DDJ400. The learning process had its ups and downs and also brought with it the realization that you have to invest a lot of time and effort in a skill before you really see results. I practiced intensively for six months and regularly recorded sets to hear myself back and adjust. Eventually, I posted my first online mix on SoundCloud, where I received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from friends and acquaintances. The set was shared a lot, and it was incredibly satisfying to experience so much support within my environment. Thanks to that positive response, people knew that I was DJing. This created a certain recognition and word-of-mouth advertising, where friends started asking me to play at their house parties and birthdays. My first club gig was on February 12, 2023. The DJ duo W⌀rtaal gave me this opportunity, and I am still incredibly grateful to them for that. The party, IN DE WAR, took place at Decadance, with Berlin DJ and producer FLUCC as headliner. From that moment on, my path as a starting DJ within the scene slowly started to take shape.

Which DJs do you see as your influence?

I look up to DJ G2G a lot, she is currently very well-known worldwide within hard dance music and has been making iconic hyperpop edits for a long time. DJ Ghepard also means a lot to my influences in that same context. They were the personal founders for me on the internet sensational level that hardcore can be an accessible form of music. Casual Gabberz is certainly not to be forgotten here. I first saw them in 2019 at the Dour Festival, I think this was also the first time I came into contact with other genres outside of techno. Every EP that Casual Gabberz has released is also simply iconic and is still frequently played. They have really breathed fresh air into the traditional gabber scene. Where gabber used to be seen as exclusive and sometimes hypermasculine, they have focused on inclusivity and diversity. They have shown that gabber can be accessible to people from all kinds of backgrounds and subcultures. As a result, they have not only made the scene more open and inviting but also helped to make contemporary rave culture a lot more diverse.

Who are the people who inspire you?

As mentioned before, Burenhinder means a lot to me. They showed me how broad you can go within hardcore and how it can fluctuate from hyperpop remixes to classic gabber. Especially that you don’t have to limit yourself to one genre and that creativity goes much further than letting a track play. That there are also skills that you can definitely use during your set. Besides Burenhinder, my influence also comes from Explitymusic, a women’s collective and label from Paris, with which I was also allowed to be on a line-up in Zurich for the collective TSUM. They focus on producing and frequently release mixes that also include ambient genres. My favourite combination of genres is ambient, hardcore and hyperpop.

Who are the people around you who support you in what you do? 

First and foremost, it has mainly been my friends who have supported me. I have benefited enormously from being able to talk openly with them about my feelings and arranging a gig or booking. Their presence during my sets is an extra layer of pleasure for me. I also owe a lot to Stimular and W⌀rtaal. Without them, I would never have had so many great experiences as a starting DJ. I owe my booking at Kompass Klub to Brennt Vanneste. That booking was also a push in the back for me to show that I am allowed to be there, that I am seen. During my time in Paris, I met new people within the French underground scene. I had the chance to play a set for the collective Cut/4, which is known for its hardcore platform. Cut/4 is not only about playing music, but also about collaboration and sharing knowledge. I participated in sessions where we produced music together in someone’s apartment, which created a strong sense of community and creative exchange. It was an inspiring experience that enriched me both musically and personally. For me it is also about the people you meet along the way. I always look back with a smile on memories where people stopped me to say how much they liked my set or how much they like my mixes online or when they asked when my next track would be online. As Casual Gabberz also says: Hardcore is the friends you meet along the way.

How do you discover new music?

SoundCloud and Bandcamp are the best sources to find new unknown music. They bring out the layer of authenticity, you get to know new underground artists, and in this way also create a rich collection of music. SoundCloud has played a crucial role in the growth and evolution of the hard dance scene. It offers artists the freedom to share and experiment with their music directly, without the intervention of major labels. It is a place where the raw energy and creativity of the scene come into their own. The hardcore scene also has a strong DIY mentality, and SoundCloud fits in perfectly with this. Artists can upload their tracks, mixtapes and remixes directly, often without commercial pressure.

Do you prepare your DJ sets?

In the beginning I did this a lot, but I have discovered that there are different ways to prepare for a DJ set. On the one hand, it is about collecting new music and listening to it often enough so that you know the tracks inside and out. This makes it easier to choose songs that harmonize well and provide smooth transitions during your set. On the other hand, preparing for me also means putting together a playlist for a gig and organizing my music collection. For each gig I have a specific vision of the atmosphere I want to create. Sometimes I am in the mood to mix a lot of hyperpop, while at other times I am completely absorbed in playing hard hardcore. It really varies per location, event and the energy I want to convey. 

Do you also make your own productions? Why do you choose hard dance music such as hardcore, hard trance and hard techno?

I have been into electronic music since I was 17, almost exclusively as a visitor, but I was really looking for what I liked to listen to. I had a phase where I was into Mall Grab, but after the Corona times I had more of a craving for harder kicks and higher bpms. Dour Festival is a very nice way to learn to discover electronic music and also find what appeals to you most. As mentioned before, Neighbourhood Nuisance has been an important approach for me here. When I went to a Gabber Industries event, organised in collaboration with Casual Gabberz, I fell in love with hardcore all over again. It was not only the music that touched me, but also the people I met – a network of DJs and fans that I would later come into contact with in other places. Through the many international influences and the variety of DJ sets, I discovered even more facets of hardcore. It was a special evening for me to see so many people with the same passion for music in one place.

Where does the name Droomwolkje come from?

When I discovered in 2020 that I had ADHD, everything fell into place for me. It explained why I always had trouble concentrating at school, often wandering in my thoughts. This insight also brought another realization: my love for dreams. The word »dreams« means a lot to me. I love to imagine what my future could look like, both personally and professionally. Before I became a DJ, I already called myself »droomwolkje« on Instagram. It was a name that reflected my identity, a part of who I am.

»I love cuteness and hard kicks«, you write on SoundCloud.

This has been in my bio for a long time, indeed! It is a short summary of what my sets entail. I also give a lot of space to tracks to let the ambient phrases come into their own. There is – in a way – room for the listener to dream here. That cuteness can also be found in the characteristics of hyperpop where pop songs are remixed high-pitched.

What is your favourite track at the moment?

Vacance: »Ukk0o0 – 24 Horses«, because of the refined production of hardcore elements in fusion with the ambient stems.

What is your favourite track of all time? 

Dr. Peacock & Ascendant Vierge: »Influencer (hard version)«. I often listen to this track with my best friend. If there is one track that really gives us energy, it is this one. Once we were standing outside at an event and heard the track playing. We looked at each other and immediately ran back into the room so as not to miss the moment.

What is your earliest memory linked to music?

My mother used to have CDs in the car. Although this was mostly not electronic music, she did have Robert Miles: »Children« on CD.

You currently have one track on Bandcamp.

I should be more concerned with my Bandcamp management, but there are many more tracks of mine on SoundCloud. I plan to release a few more tracks in the coming months. Also, collaborations with other artists such as Lenor, Edgykick, HFO and AA4K. More soon.

Links: https://soundcloud.com/droomwolkje; https://droomwolkje.bandcamp.com/