Albums
‘Three Houses (Driehuizen)’ is a fitting follow-up to Thijsenterprise’s ‘Lahringen’ LP, which sees him once again in full force on the saxophone backed by a rhythm section to push him through. This time though, he digs deeper for darker and more emotional tunes. Playing extended solos, while also giving the clarinet a more prominent role. The music includes hints to a Tarantino movie, his hero playing sax between monkeys and elephants, an empty Moleskine to be filled with sad one-liners, and to a place up north in the Netherlands this album was named after. This album reflects more than ever Reinier’s personality, his thoughts, and, in a sense, his unbalanced life.
Ⅲ THERE USED TO BE YOUR NAME Ⅲ
“Unlike the track title suggests, it isn’t related to break-up or death—which pretty much would cover this record. The line is from a classic scene in ‘Kill Bill 2.’ Budd arrives late to the strip club where he works, and Larry, his boss, scraps him from the calendar saying: “there used to be your name.” I tried to set the tone for a darker album. One where I tried to express my true feelings, and create melodies that reflect those.”
Ⅲ Y Y Y Ⅲ
“‘Y Y Y’ means ‘and and and.’ This is my philosophy for many things in life:‘Reinier, would you like to see five saxophone players play atonal music for two hours straight in a warehouse, or go to a bar and drink gin-tonics for €3,45?’Well, I want to cry listening to atonal music AND I want to drink gin-tonics all night AND fall asleep, drunk, listening to Pharoah Sanders preaching about love… Y Y Y.”
Ⅲ NEVER WEAR YELLOW Ⅲ
“An old colleague and friend from the BIMHUIS—truly a wise man—once told me to never wear yellow. Men can’t wear yellow, apparently. I still like to wear yellow, though. Only inside my house. This song features me for the first time improvising on a clarinet; an instrument I’ve picked up recently for expanding my ideas and sounds.”
Ⅲ SUNGLASSES FOR SUMMERTIME IN THE ZOO Ⅲ
“The title of this track comes from a special concert in the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam, where my sister took me as a surprise to see my hero Benjamin Herman play between the monkeys and elephants. I had to hide my teared-up eyes behind the sunglasses of my sister when Ernst Glerum played the intro of ‘Summertime’—the same version that was heard at the funeral of my dad. The line ‘I left home at seventeen, had to lighten the load // I was young but I was keen to survive on my own,’ comes from the NxWorries song ‘Get Bigger,’ from the album ‘Yes Lawd!’ A huge source of inspiration.”
Ⅲ TOCAR LA FLAUTA Ⅲ
“Any aspiring musician knows that friends can have little to no idea of what they are doing. Thus sprung the title for this song. ‘Reinier? Oh, he’s just playing the flute (tocar la flauta), I guess.’”
Ⅲ KOYAANISQATSI Ⅲ
“‘Koyaanisqatsi’ is a song written by Philip Glass for the documentary ‘Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out Of Balance’ by Godfrey Reggio. A meaning where I personally can relate to for the last four years. I was introduced to this piece by my saxophone teacher in 2005, and the soundtrack and movie have made a huge impact on me ever since.”
Ⅲ LESSONS IN SOLITUDE Ⅲ
“In 2017, back on my own feet again, I had a very empty Moleskine notebook—which pretty much remained empty—with on the cover written ‘Lessons in Solitude’. The tune is an adaption of the tune ‘The Italian’ from my J Dilla-inspired debut ‘Stepbacks and Setbacks,’ with a similar theme as this tune and ‘Three Houses’ album: solitude and darkness.”
Ⅲ TRIX Ⅲ
“Trix is a girl from the book ‘De Koperen Tuin’ by Dutch author Simon Vestdijk, who leads a devastating life somewhere in Friesland. The bass line was partly replayed from ‘Khadijah,’ again by NxWorries, and then expanded to create a completely new track.”
Ⅲ SUNRISE IN ROSES Ⅲ
“Roses are not only a flower but also a small town on the Costa Brava, Spain, where I live. It’s truly magical to see the sunrise in Roses in the fall, after a stormy night over the Mediterranean sea. On this track I once again play the clarinet, exploring new sounds and digging a little deeper to express myself. Raw and uncut. Just as I’ve tried throughout ‘Three Houses.’”
Credits
Released June 16, 2021
All songs composed & produced by Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs) with the exception of “Koyaanisqatsi” (Philip Glass). Special thanks to Martina Martinez for laying some extra basslines, Pep Krupp for keeping the groove on the drums on several tracks, and to Geri Melis for adding details on percussion here and there.
Analogue mastering by Angelos ‘Timewarp’ Stoumpos @ Timewarp Mastering www.timewarpmusic.org
Cover design & sleeve art by Elies Thijs eliesthijs.tumblr.com
Lathe-cut 12″ records by FTL Cuts www.ftlcuts.com
Released by Rucksack Records rucksackrecords.bandcamp.com
Dedicated to my dad.
LINER NOTES BY JOHN-PAUL SHIVER:
Reinier Thijs a.k.a. Thijsenterprise’s new project Lahringen begins where most of his previous creations have left off. Through reedy skronking sax, no easy listening aesthetics here, we get that passport to the ’80s. The intersection between Lou Reed’s old New York attitude and the encroaching rhythmic assault about to hit. Post-punk, featuring steady bass lines—peak demon Jaco to cool as fuck Slits era—in transit.
The first track in, bumping new-wave-jazz bravado, immediately covers those grounds the Dutch native likes to dig in on. He pays tribute to Gato Barbieri with “El Arriero”, continuing in that off-kilter mash-up of sound textures. This time its beats and machismo.
But “Sketchy”, an original arrangement, taps Reinier’s dedication to skateboarding. Named for when skate rats land a trick sloppy, non-smooth, or ugly he does in fact match the sound of the bass with the feeling of ‘meh.’ “The drums and percussion in the track carry a driving pulse, and the saxophone plays a light melody, ping-ponging between the groove of the rhythm section. Which makes the track very repetitive, catchy,” stated Reinier.
Repurposing discordant sounds, as an alchemist traveling through time, Reinier sounds at home. Clearing out space, grounding up source material, for the cruise. Truth be told, he’s confessed to pulling attitude and sound inspiration from The Lounge Lizards and James Chance. It’s unmistakable and you can hear it. But the combination of new school beat-making tactics, via scientists Makaya McCraven and Jeff Parker, who’s shown it’s far more interesting tossing out the rule book, see Reinier come full-circle with the wide spectrum of his sound jacket.
“When I started making beats, that came from a deep love for hip-hop but also to see if I could create music without my saxophone. In that sense, I’m more of a musician rather than I’m a beatmaker,” says Reinier.
That sax solo, where he riffs on John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things”, during the root down groove of “Never Stop Jumping Fences”— cow-bells ring a ding-ding—Lahringen opens up like a spring flower. Pushing up, through the hardscrabble dirty concrete. —John-Paul Shiver
Credits
Released November 27, 2020
All songs composed & produced by Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs) with exception of: ‘El Arriero’ by Gato Barbieri & Héctor Roberto Chavero / Antonietta Paula Pepin, ‘The Allegroes’ by Xero Slingsby, and ‘Contort Yourself’ by James White. Special thanks to Martina Martinez for laying some extra basslines, Pep Krupp for keeping the groove on the drums on several tracks, and to Geri Melis for adding details on percussion here and there.
‘Lahringen’ is an anagram for the Dutch city Harlingen, as used by author Simon Vestdijk in his Anton Wachter novel series, whom is Thijsenterprise’s favorite writer. The album is part of his ‘Elfsteden’ (‘Eleven Cities’) series of releases, each named after a city in an infamous Dutch ice-skating race which only takes place in brutal winters.
Analogue mastering by Angelos Stoumpos @ Timewarp Mastering www.timewarpmusic.org
Cover art by Carla Osma Cortés www.cosmac.es
Released by Rucksack Records rucksackrecords.bandcamp.com
Dedicated to my dad.
Loosely inspired by the sound and feel of NxWorries’ ‘Link Up’ video, this beat tape is dedicated to night shops. Thijsenterprise takes you on a fictional trip, where he’s daydreaming about meeting friends, playing basketball, or basically enjoying life. While instead, he is buying cheap beer at a night shop again. The only place to go in his current hometown of Barcelona during lockdown, the period in which this beat tape was created.
Just like his ‘Soul Food & Skunk Breaks,’ this tape shows Thijsenterprise’s development as a beatmaker since last year’s ‘Proefmonster’ remix album. He now focuses more on off-grid drums and creates different textures. Digging a little deeper and using a wider variety of genres to shape a new sound for himself. All while he stays true to his original roots and those of instrumental hip-hop, where he even slips in tributes to his all-time favorite producers: J Dilla, Madlib & Knxwledge.
Credits
released September 11, 2020
Produced by Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs)
Released by Rucksack Records rucksackrecords.bandcamp.com
Artwork by Merlijn van Bijsterveld www.merlijnvanbijsterveld.com
Dedicated to my dad.
‘Soul Food & Skunk Breaks’ is the fifth release by Thijsenterprise as a producer and is a full-length, sampled-based beat tape. Entirely focussed on getting high.
The idea for this project was sparked in late 2018, when Belgian music blog SoulFoodForTheKidz (soulfoodforthekidz.blogspot.com) asked Thijsenterprise to make a special guest mix for their ‘Smoke Breaks’ series: mixes with the sole purpose to enhance the listener’s smoking experience. After creating that mix, he couldn’t let go of the idea to create a full-length beat tape with the same purpose, with care for sequencing as if it’s an album.
Thijsenterprise created his own hazy universe with this tape: from rolling a joint to lighting it up and getting high. Or, in the words of Jonas van Overwaelle (founder of SoulFoodForTheKidz): “I hear MONSTERS of loops that slowly creep up from behind a thick curtain of smoke. Leaving a sticky green trace while filling the room with a sweet and mysterious scent…”
This tape shows a new step for the beatmaker: a bigger focus on off-grid drum patterns and different textures, while never letting go of what he loves most: chopping soul and jazz samples, using raw drums and dirty basslines. All for the love of the perfect loop.
Sit back, roll one, and enjoy.
Credits
released September 11, 2020
Produced by Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs)
Released by Rucksack Records rucksackrecords.bandcamp.com
Artwork by Elies Thijs eliesthijs.tumblr.com
Initiated by SoulFoodForTheKidz soulfoodforthekidz.blogspot.com
“Dedicated to my dad.”
Raw drums, dirty basslines, and spontaneous melodies connect the dots between Thijsenterprise’s releases. His first mark was a sling of four hip-hop beat tapes, crafted for the love of the perfect loop. ‘Snits’ is his first official outing as a saxophone player and composer—using his instrument of choice that actually got him into making music years before chopping jazz and soul samples did. On the ‘Snits’ EP, Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs) bridges the gap between jazz and hip-hop grooves. Or, as described in his own words: “headnod punkjazz,” a distinctively personal style which draws inspiration from hip-hop, punk, jazz, and African music.
To record this EP, the Dutch native took an unorthodox approach: he took parts from recorded shows, soundchecks, and raw sessions with his band. Which he then cut up, stretched out, replayed, overdubbed, and sampled. While doing so, he plays around with the idea of what was recorded live in the studio or reused; what was one-take or looped; and what was improvised or written. Or basically: what is reality.
‘Snits’ is his first release since last year’s ‘Proefmonster,’ which was part of a series of self-released instrumental hip-hop albums on Bandcamp, praised by the likes of Okayplayer, The Find Mag, Brooklyn Radio & LDBK. The Dilla-inspired ‘Stepbacks & Setbacks’ beat-tape in 2018 was the first one that set things off for Thijsenterprise as a beatmaker. “When I started making beats, that came from a deep love for hip-hop, but also to see if I could create music without my saxophone,” says Reinier Thijs. “In that sense, I’m more of a musician rather than I’m a beatmaker.”
‘Snits’ is the Frisian name for the city of Sneek, in a province at the northern tip of the Netherlands where Thijsenterprise was born and raised, before moving to Amsterdam. The EP is the first taste of his upcoming full-length record ‘Lahringen,’ to be released in the second half of 2020.
Credits:
Released June 12, 2020
All songs written by Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs)
Released by Rucksack Records: www.rucksackrecords.com
Mastered by Timewarp Music: www.timewarpmusic.org
Design by Carla Osma Cortés: www.cosmac.es
Special thanks to Martina Martinez for laying some extra basslines, Pep Krupp for keeping the groove on the drums on several tracks, and to Geri Melis for adding details on percussion here and there.
Dedicated to my dad
Proefmonster is the fourth release of Thijsenterprise and is an album full of hiphop and r&b remixes.
The beatmaker picked acapellas, from old and new favorite artists, to lay over brand new beats. The project originated in April 2019 as a study on making remixes and learning to work around vocal keys, different bpms, crappy audio and other obstacles to create renditions of classic hiphop and r&b songs.
This is by far a complete project of songs that the producer wanted or could include and should serve mainly as an introduction to his music and the work of the rappers and singers. It could be seen as an open application for new collabs and is an invitation to anyone out there to collaborate.
All the instrumentals are 100% sample based, taken from any source, genre and period of time. Proefmonster is Dutch for ‘test sample’.
All songs are free to download and could be played whenever, wherever. Please give a shout out when possible and don’t use for commercial purposes.
Credits:
Released July 5, 2019
Mixed and mastered by Reinier Thijs
Artwork by Eric Smilde: www.ericsmilde.com
Dedicated to my dad
Smoetsie is the third release from Thijsenterprise as a producer and is a full-length, sampled based album, entirely focussed on love and lovemaking.
The album takes you on a romantic journey, with chopped up soul and jazz records to create greasy hip-hop loops and cuts. It’s a silky record you casual play while opening up a bottle of wine for your date, start holding hands, look at each other in the candle light and you just want go smooth before going smoetsie.
Smoetsie can be considered a follow-up to the beat-maker’s Stepbacks & Setbacks, released in September 2018, where newfound love rises and heartbreaks get waived. The title and the original concept of the album are inspired by the stories of one of the producer’s closest friends, known as the Smoetsieman. Smoetsie is Dutch slang for ‘Smutty’.
Credits:
Released March 27, 2019
Mixed and mastered by Reinier Thijs
Released on label Thijsenterprise
Artwork by Carla Osma Cortes: www.cosmac.es
Dedicated to my dad
Dokkum is the second release from Thijsenterprise as a solo producer and focuses on the backbone of almost any band: the rhythm section.
The Dutch beatmaker shows you the chemistry between different drummers and bass players imagined at a sound check. These dynamic duos get their funky groove on while their fellow musicians are still in the dressing room going over chord changes or haven’t plugged in.
This EP contains straight up chops and loops of drumbreaks and catchy bass lines, with no singers allowed. This is a personal tribute to the place where the beatmaker was born and raised: Dokkum, the Netherlands.
Credits:
Releases December 14, 2018
Mix by Reinier Thijs
Released on label Thijsenterprise
Artwork by Carla Osma Cortes: www.cosmac.es
Dedicated to my dad
Which started as tribute to one of the greatest instrumental hip-hop albums slowly evolved in a devastating breakup record:
Stepbacks & Setbacks shows Thijsenterprise (Reinier Thijs) his love for old school hip-hop with soul and jazz samples, dusty breaks and raw chops. Started in 2015 in Barcelona, the A-side is inspired by the city and dedicated to Dilla’s Donuts, while the B-side deals with much more personal issues: cheating, heartbreak and solitude. This second part was made in Amsterdam during darker days, in the first half of 2017.
Stepbacks & Setbacks is Thijsenterprise first album as a solo artist, after releasing Je Hebt De Boem En De Klap with the 2-Two Legged Dogs earlier in 2018.
This album is in many ways more than just a beat tape.
Credits:
Released September 17, 2018
Scratches by Laurens Beijer (Of My Soul, Amsterdam)
Mixed & mastered by Laurens Beijer (www.laurensbeijer.com/).
Released on label Thijsenterprise
Artwork and logo by Elies Thijs (eliesthijs.tumblr.com)
Dedicated to my dad
2-Two Legged Dogs are Laurens Beijer (Drumma Sheen) and Reinier Thijs (Thijsenterprise). Two musicians with a preference for explosions, table tennis trick shots, wheelies in Kanaleneiland, dusty synths, The Box, shooting on crossbars, het Weerbericht, grilled cheese sandwich, Prince’s birthday concert and dogs without front legs. Je Hebt De Boem en De Klap is the mad outcome of these fascinations and comes to life after 10 years of hard work. Also known as ‘a small hour of coke for the ears’.
Credits:
released May 18, 2018
All songs composed and performed by Laurens Beijer (Drumma Sheen) & Reinier Thijs (Thijsenterprise) with exception of Piano Intermezzo (by Marcel Duijs)
Laurens Beijer (drums, percussion, bass, keys and vocals)
Reinier Thijs (alto & tenor sax, clarinet, keys and vocals)
Thanks to all the people who participated (in order of appearance):
Waar Het Asfalt Ophoudt (Choir: track #1)
Dennis van der Laan (Guitar: track #1, #6, #9 and #19)
Pim van der Meer (Trumpet: track #1, #6, #9, #12, #15 and #18)
Maarten Beijer (Cello: track #4, #22, Choir: track #10, )
Benedek Kiss (Double Bass: track #5, #6, #10 and #11)
Maartje Strijbis (Vocals: track #6, #15 and #21)
Jurgen van Loenhout (Tenor Sax: track #6, #18 and #21)
Erik Beijer (Vocals: track #10)
Steven Beijer (Vocals: track #10)
Saskia Coolen (Vocals: track #10, Recorder: track #16)
Hans Wijers (Vocals: track #11)
Marcel Duijs (Piano: track #13, #14, Synth: track #19)
Daniel van Loenen (Trombone: track #16)
Jochen Oosting (Guitar: track #19)
Philster (Rap: track #20)
Chiel Zwinkels (Guitar: track #21)
Vink Beijer (Kids Choir: track #21 and #22)
Roskam Beijer (Kids Choir: track #21 and #22)
Elina (Kids Choir: track #21 and #22)
Mixed & mastered by Laurens Beijer (www.laurensbeijer.com).
Released on label Thijsenterprise
Artwork by Merlijn van Bijsterveld (www.merlijnvanbijsterveld.com)
Dedicated to our dads