Nine new songs raging against far-right politicians & rich tax dodgers in the Netherlands and worldwide..
Founded in 2000, Antillectual are melodic punks from Nijmegen in the eastern Netherlands. They released their first LP ‘Silencing Civilization‘ in 2005. They name Crass and Hüsker Dü among their inspirations. Riekus has been their drummer since 2006. Ben has been their bassist since 2021. Their guitarist, Willem, is the only one left from the original line-up. All three band members sing.
Willem contributed to the 2022 book Punks Listen. The theme of the book is to ask punks and their friends from many countries which record inspired them most. Contrary to most contributors, Willem did not name a particular record. His article, ‘Being in a political band‘, is about Russia. Antillectual played there in 2011, when tyranny was still in its infancy, with Pussy Riot. Like Pussy Riot, Willem opposes the dictatorship of Putin and his war of aggression against Ukraine. As all profits from this book go to Red Cross work in Ukraine, Willem’s contribution is exactly right.
After expressing themselves in the English language for over 20 years, the band is taking a radical turn, with an EP sung entirely in Dutch. After every full length album, Antillectual release a concept EP; for this release the band felt urged to write songs in their mother tongue about local symptoms of the current global shift to the right. The title of the new EP, ‘Antillectueel‘ is the Dutch translation of the band name. Its cover shows various Dutch right-wing politicians, with artwork by Thomas Mennen.
There are nine songs, all in Dutch, on this record. It came out on November 11th as a vinyl 7” and a digital release. On the A side, two songs. On the B side, six of the seven songs are ‘covers’. Well, the melodies are derived from other people’s songs, but with new Antillectual lyrics.
First track on the EP is ‘Voorrang Voor Rechts‘. This song was released last month as a single. Its title means literally: priority to the right, in traffic. This fast, thrashy song is not about traffic rules, but about politics: the current worldwide shift to the right and authoritarianism. Putin in Russia, Trump in the USA. That is also taking place in the Netherlands, with Geert Wilders’ PVV, Putin follower Thierry Baudet’s FVD, and their often violent accomplices.
Ever since the 29th October 2025 Dutch general election, the PVV is no longer the biggest party in parliament. But unfortunately, the FVD increased its number of MP’s. In this political situation, Antillectual released the song to strengthen resistance to the merchants of racism and violence.
The second A-side track is ‘Minder, Minder, Minder‘. At a PVV meeting, there was a massive yell that there should be “minder, minder, minder” (less, less, less) Dutch persons of Moroccan ancestry. Antillectual‘s lyrics castigate Wilders’ xenophobia:
The B side kicks off with ‘Belastingparadijs‘. This song is about the Netherlands being a tax haven for big corporations. Next is ‘Ik Zag Veel Boeren‘. The melody is a ‘cover’ of a Dutch nursery rhyme about bears buttering buns. Antillectual’s new lyrics are about right-wing farmers burning asbestos on highways as their protest against measures limiting environmentally-hazardous nitrogen. Based upon a Blink 182 melody, ‘Klimatennaaiers‘ lyrics discuss corporate and government caused global warming. ‘Marissa & Mike‘ takes its melody is from Dutch band Heideroosjes. The lyrics are about drug-using, superficial young people.
‘Ongevraagd Stemadvies‘ lyrics oppose voting for right-wing parties. Its melody is from Tröckener Kecks, a Dutch band founded decades before Antillectual. Tröckener Kecks are one of a minority of Dutch punk bands singing in Dutch, which also includes Hang Youth, a younger band than Antillectual. While Tröckener Kecks was ‘apolitical’, Hang Youth sing anarchist lyrics about political and social issues in the Netherlands, just like Antillectual.
The song ‘Sywert van Lienden‘ is about a right-wing politician who became a millionaire by fraud. The subject of ‘Fabertjesland‘ is a racist PVV minister from the 2024-2025 government, Marjolein Faber. She was ‘economical with the truth’. The music is from the Dutch children’s TV series De Fabeltjeskrant. It is a forest inhabited by different anthropomorphic felt animals, with a felt toy owl reading them fables. Translated for ITV in the UK, the title of the series was The Daily Fable.
To support their EP. Antillectual will embark on an exclusive Dutch tour. This occasion will be the only chance to see the band play their Dutch songs live – for dates see this poster:
The direct Dutch language is the perfect medium for in-your-face, leftist-populist counterculture. ‘Antillectueel‘ will help people process the recent election results with songs about the shift to the right, the Netherlands’ main populist parties, tax evasion, farmers’ protests and the like. There is an English translation of the lyrics on the band’s page HERE
You can order the ‘Antillectueel‘ EP HERE and via streaming on your favourite digital platform!
Main Photo Credit: ROOS DE HUU
A1: Voorrang Voor Rechts
A2: Minder, Minder, Minder
B1: Belastingparadijs
B2: Ik Zag Veel Boeren
B3: Klimatennaaiers
B4: Marissa & Mike
B5: Ongevraagd Stemadvies
B6: Sywert van Lienden
B7: Fabertjeslan
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