Born from love: the story of the Meuk collective

'Tijdloos' is the EP featured in our fourth Techno Box, produced by Denn Punk of Meuk, a Rotterdam-based collective known for its old-school techno sound. On a nearly stormy day at an outdoor table at Tolhuistuin, we sat down with Eva Bohnen and Denn Punk, the creative minds behind Meuk, to discuss their music and the significance of their 'timeless' record.

The story of Meuk collective

Eva and Denn's story began three years ago when Eva was just starting her journey in music production, while Denn had been honing his craft for over 20 years. Eva recalls, “Denn was the kind of person who said 'if one person hears it, I am happy,' while I was like 'No, let’s get this out of your room, let’s get it out of the studio!'”

Their connection was “special all around,” with both seeing music as a central passion in their lives. Eva explained, “Music is my number one thing,” adding that for Denn, “music was his love. Let’s make it our baby. Let’s start something of which we know we’ll continue to do when we are 60.” This shared vision led them to collaborate closely, starting with b2b sets and progressing to collaborative production.

Denn’s love for vinyl played a significant role in their journey. When Eva asked him about his biggest dream, he expressed the desire to have his music released on vinyl and featured in the Clone Records shop in Rotterdam. Eva then orchestrated a big surprise: a crowdfunding campaign to produce the first Meuk release as a gift for Denn’s 40th birthday. “We started with a record that is born from love, with no expectations,” Eva reflects.

The sound of Meuk

“It all started with old junk,” Denn explains. “When you see an old chair at a market, you call it ‘oude meuk,’ meaning old junk. We named our collective Meuk because it represents messy techno that harks back to the 90s.” Denn contrasts the early days of techno with today’s scene, noting that early techno was inherently imperfect. “Listen to the first Jeff Mills sets—they're not perfect. Techno today is clean, with tight mixes and everything fitting together neatly.” The concept behind Meuk is to embrace evolution and experimentation, including making mistakes along the way. “That’s part of being a bit messy, maybe,” Eva adds.

“When you make mistakes, something comes out of it,” Denn explains. “Even in music, sometimes you use a sample that’s not quite right, but then you think, ‘Hey, it’s cool!’”

Eva and Denn describe Meuk as a project dedicated to recycling old-school sounds. “People throw away old stuff, while what we do is recycle those old-school sounds,” Eva explains. The project embraces a sense of messiness and unpredictability. “This is just the start, and we’ll see where this goes. We get on a boat and see where it’s headed,” Eva adds.

Meuk aims to stay true to their unique styles, regardless of so-called supermarket techno and its market trend. Denn’s approach is more groovy, while Eva’s is more straightforward. “We are not going to make what the market asks,” Eva emphasises. “Stay true to yourself, make the music with love, stay yourself and don’t follow what’s hot at the moment.” This philosophy underpins their journey, marking Meuk as a project driven by passion and authenticity.

“You know, I had a period where I was a bit ashamed of talking about techno,” Eva reflects. “People often associate techno with TikTok trends, and in the alternative punk world, saying ‘I am doing techno’ brings that image to mind. But techno is not just that! Techno started as punk, rebellious and underground and now has evolved into something mainstream. Sometimes I almost feel ashamed to say I do techno and find myself needing to explain myself.”

“We just want to preach the old anarchistic love for the music,” she adds. “That’s what Meuk is really about.”

Tijdloos

“Tijdloos is an EP about timeless sounds that I try to create and discover, with a bit of a wink at the funny things that happen in life,” Denn explains. “All my track names are things I say in daily life. ‘Het Is Tijd’ means ‘it’s time’—like, get that next EP out! ‘Niks Meer Aan Doen’ translates to ‘nothing more to be done,’ for when you create something you think is really good. ‘Ik Doe Maar Wat’ reflects my approach of just going with the flow and seeing what happens. It’s short but says a lot about me. Finally, ‘Houwe Zo’ means ‘keep it this way.’”

The EP’s title, Tijdloos (which means ‘timeless’ in English), connects to the old-school sounds Denn loves. Interestingly, as Eva points out, “Timeless sounds also sell more on vinyl than digital. This doesn’t influence the music we make, but it certainly impacts what we can produce on vinyl.”

Tijdloos EP

About physical music and the artists they'd invite for the next Meuk party

When asked about his feelings when he got his first record in his hands, "I cannot explain it in words," Denn says. "I was blown away by the present. Having the record in your hands, it’s different." The suggestion comes from Eva: "To every producer out there, at least once in your life get your music on that vinyl. It makes you very happy."

When it comes to mixing, Denn highlights the distinct differences between vinyl and digital formats. “Digital gives you more space to create something really new,” he explains. “With vinyl, you focus on getting the record in the right BPM and managing the transient with the bass swaps. You have less time because the record is spinning.” He notes that while digital allows for looping and extended creativity, vinyl requires more effort and attentiveness due to its motion. “You need to work harder and listen,” Denn says, acknowledging the steeper learning curve.

Eva is encouraged by Denn to master vinyl mixing, believing it will enhance her DJ skills. “It will make you a better DJ because you’re limited and get more creative with what you have,” he notes.

For fans of groovy techno, Denn recommends having Gaetano Parisio in their vinyl collection. “He’s inspired by Jeff Mills for the 909 sounds and it’s more groovy with a swing. I think I’ve got almost everything of him,” Denn says.

If given an unlimited budget for a Meuk party, Eva and Denn have clear favorites. Eva would invite Colin Benders, while Denn would choose Ben Sims, particularly for his old tracks. Both talk about Freddy K, whose mixing and track choices are unparalleled. Denn recalls a memorable performance by Freddy K: “Once I’ve seen him play in De School on a Sunday afternoon, his last record was a really old house record from 1992, and I thought I was the only one in the room who knew that record. I got goosebumps—it was a special afternoon.”

Discover Tijdloos in De Vinyl Klub's Techno Box #4.