Cool Band Alert - The Hobknobs

Do it clean

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Name: The Hobknobs
From: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Members: Yaël Dekker, Arie van Vliet
RIYL: Aventuras de Kirlian, The Submissives, Feeling Figures, Artificial Go
The Gist: A strummy, post-punk puzzle box built by two for you.

Something’s up in Rotterdam because it can’t stop producing world-class art rock, the latest of which is a remarkable new record from The Hobknobs, a duo made up of Arie van Vliet of Lewsberg and Yaël Dekker of The Klittens (who also have a terrific record coming out later this summer.) There’s nary a note out of place on this perfectly constructed work of sparse, melodic post-punk that stands out for how it spins so much out of seemingly so little, each guitar strum, lightly plonked keyboard note, and cerebral (but never snobby) lyric delivered straight, sometimes spoken and sometimes sung, given plenty of space and zero reverb. With an atmosphere this dry and clean Helmets Off might feel like something of a hermetically sealed world, a conversation between two people on which we are only eavesdropping, and sometimes it does, but the overall effect is warm and chummy thanks to the natural chemistry between van Bliet and Dekker, which shines through even the record’s darkest moments, such as when the pair are quite seriously discussing what they’ll do now that the world has ended in the surreal “The Extra Mile.” One of the best records of the year so far, for sure.

Helmets Off is out June 26th on 12XU. Get it here.

Dig this record and want more like it?

Someone pitch us a scene report on Rotterdam so we can link it here (seriously, e-mail Mariana). In the meantime, you can find similarly-inclined, arty-rocky-poppy guitar tunes on this list of bands left behind by streaming, our guide to 2025’s class of indie pop, and a post-Swell Maps project from Epic Soundtracks and Jowe Head. Oh, and don’t forget San Francisco.

Listening Party Picks, June 25th - July 1st

Come hang in the chat with artists celebrating their record release this week on Bandcamp.

June 25, spiral staircase for your inner world is deeply uninteresting. RSVP.
June 26, Noodle Therapy for Field Notes. RSVP.
June 28, Thurnin for Termina. RSVP.
June 28, Glass Coffin Club for End of Time. RSVP.
June 30, Aesthetical for Konstellationen by Camilla Pisani. RSVP.
July 1, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble for Live in Berlin. RSVP.
July 1, Stick Men for Let’s THRAK Again (REEL ONE). RSVP.
July 1, Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development for People and Industry. RSVP.

To see the full calendar, go here