The next band was a three-piece from the Netherlands, called Labasheeda, who performed a totally different style of music. Led my Saskia van der Giesson on vocals, guitar and violin, and complemented by another guitarist and a drummer (but no bassist) they belted out a powerful set of indie-grunge rock, at times I was detecting the influences of PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth and even during one song a riff not a million miles away from that of True Confessions by the Undertones. All fine influences as far as I am concerned and I totally approve. The venue felt about half full by this stage – not at all bad for a midweek gig – and the band appeared to be enjoying themselves, asking if they had time for one final number. Pedz appeared to be indicating that they had not but an enthusiastic voice in the crowd shouted Yes! and this is the voice they chose to hear. Interesting band whose work I will investigate, some of the songs appeared to have no choruses but they were always good to listen to and gave a healthy dose of energy and noise. - Norwich Blog

door Mike Shields – Nine Hertz (www.ninehertz.co.uk), 8 augustus 2012
Labasheeda are a dutch three-piece who pack more ideas onto their new album than you’d imagine possible.
Having had this on heavy rotation since I received it a while ago, it’s one of the most interesting releases we’ve been sent this year.
Driving, yet inventive and experimental, it spans a wide musical remit, taking in stoner rock along the way, but with post-punk ghosts of Sonic Youth, The Breeders, Pavement and all sorts on here besides. The singer and guitarist Saskia has a voice that will remind you of British 90s indie a la Elastica, Sleeper and Lush, but her lyrics and variance of delivery will consign those comparisons to the wayside. The band also move from quite awkward passages to epic, full-on acidic freakouts at the drop of a hat too.
The cool and calm ‘Detective Song’ plods along with a subtle and excellent bass sound, but grows into a steady and paced rocker as it gets going, Labasheeda gradually increasing the volume deftly to create an almost film-noir effect. Same goes for ‘Light Blind Dark Intentions’ where the band launch into that perfect, restrained style that Slint cornered back in the 90s, but with these oddly out of place vocals all over it, giving it an unsettling quality.
The band constantly pull out other strings to their bow too, the string-infused ‘Double Exposure’ sounds jarring compared to the rest of the album, its jerky, off-kilter stylings offering something odd, but it works. The following track ‘Fake Italian’ sounds like Slint with a bottlerocket placed in a strategic location which means Labasheeda make the sound their own.
‘Tippy Toes’ sounds slightly riot grrl, but the repetitive guitar lines could well be lifted from the 00s-era Fall albums where they sound like a garage band, which equally, is no bad thing.
The band are totally unique and a quick scan suggests this is the latest in the growing discography of a highly-prolific bunch. Available either on green vinyl or as a digital download, Labasheeda are an oddity you’d do well to let into your life.
- Nine Hertz

As Holmes no doubt said to Watson, I think we have another case here so don’t be shy with the non-prescription medication. Labasheeda have been this way before - with their album The Twilight State – and I even have a district recollection that I actually purchased a copy of said album which must mean that I liked what I heard. Parting with cash is such sweet sorrow, after all.
Onwards and upwards to the potential case in hand which is their album Castfat Shadows. Although suffering from occasional interludes of strummalong longeur, there is much to admire here. There is the shadowy truculence Saskia van der Giessen’s voice for a start. She simply exudes torment and underlying malevolence. Then there are the hypnotic guitars on the loose pointing their sails in to the wind for a storm that is on the horizon and, whilst the title song, ‘Castfat Shadows’ might well set the scene, it is songs like ‘Double Exposure’ – complete with an edgy violin - and ‘Fake Italian’ that show this band at their most focused. Prior to these two, you might well have been thinking that Labasheeda sound a little too much like, say, Love Is Chemicals, for their own good but those two songs soon sledgehammer their way righteously into your musical affections. There’s a method in there and a purpose.
Of the other songs, ‘Last Ride’ and ‘Cars’ stand out. ‘Cars’ for being as good as example of current day European rock as you will get and ‘Police Song’ for being so damn indie rock American style. All said and done, there is no case to answer here. Labasheeda have proven that they capable of getting better all the time.
- Bluesbunny

Vetšina kapel, které nesou odkaz devadesátých let, se úzkostlive drží ikon, které víceméne vídáte na trickách z polské burzy. V pátek však zacíná ceská cást turné amsterdamských Labasheeda, kterí sice trendy nesledují, ale na druhou stranu nefungují jen jako truhlice obsahující pozustatky 90. let.

Labasheeda pristupují k muzice sympaticky minimalistickou cestou. Hledat nové cesty a zkratky dobre známou zástavbou je sice duležité, ale ne vždy zábavné. Trojice vedená Saskií van der Giessen to moc dobre ví a jejich trasy jsou sice ocekávané, ale zato sakra zábavné. S minimem pomucek, které si berou na cestu, tvorí skromne chladnou deku, kterou se Saskiin vokál prokousává a mení se v ponco, které jí padne jako ulité. Dve kytary si navzájem nekradou prostor zbytecnou ekvilibristikou, bicí jsou tady od toho, aby dohlížely na korektnost boje. Obcasný výpad zkreslených houslí je spíše prežitek, temi ale pohrdá málokdo.

Chte nechte se nabízí srovnání s hrdiny devadesátek. Labasheeda pripomínají to nejlepší z US indie první poloviny dekády, zvlášte pak The Breeders nebo Polvo, když se retez napíéná, tak Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Skladby nevytvárejí dojem nejakého konceptu, ale díky pomerne charakteristickému zvuku je návaznost zarucená. Ale co je nejduležitejší: Tahle deska je opravdová. Tahle deska je to, co chcete slyšet. Šminky pryc, kudrlinky pryc. Cistota. Ale rádne špinavá, žejo.

Labasheeda se vrací do Ceska a bylo by dobre být u toho. Pokud to máte daleko, nebo se nemužete hnout z domu, naladte parádní StreetCulture Radio , které bude v pátek koncert prenášet žive. - Musiczone

Ah, this takes me back to the early days of post-punk when we did not know what post-punk was. This band combines simple punk rhythms (with energetic drumming), edgy guitar with droning stylings, and chilling female vocals that have just a touch of snarl. There is a mixture of songs where there is some cool distance along with a few that are cozier with more pop hooks and even some violin. The vocals move from distant to immediate and are delivered in a Kim Gordon style, if she were channeling Ari Up. Although the songs vary a bit here and there, the band identity is strong and consistent. This sound is not for everybody, but for someone like me who really enjoyed the bands that tried to go in different directions yet retain their position in the 1979 punk scene, Labasheeda offers a lot to enjoy. I am quite happy to discover bands breathing life into this kind of music.

Songs to try out first:

‘Castfat Shadows’ - One guitar noodles along in the high register with another striking jagged chords. The vocals are twisted and everything meets in an psychotic middle. Intensity established.
‘Double Exposure’ - The poppiest song with nice vocal turns and some fabulous violin.

‘On Tippy Toes’ - The most punk song of the album. Great raucous music with a nervous Siouxsie Sioux vocal part (yes, you have pretend that Ms. Sioux was ever nervous).
- DC Rock Live

Labasheeda are a three-piece noise/alt/rock band from Amsterdam, Holland who use 80’s era Sonic Youth as a template with a few other tricks up their sleeves as well. After a few line-up shifts over the years they release their latest LP Castfat Shadows.
The title track and opener sounds like… well 80’s era Sonic Youth, with the same sort of Kim Gordon tuneless warble that somehow still works and dissonant guitars that have a mind of their own. But it only works if there is still a semblance of a good song and luckily Labasheeda know this full well as halfway through the song throws a fit and sounds all the better for it.
Light Blind Dark Intentions is a slower and even more menacing affair, and singer Saskia van der Giessen provides some eerily gorgeous backing vocals. Not to pigeonhole them as simply as a Sonic Youth tribute band they also pull off the New York indie/punk sound of Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Cars.
The album throws a curveball halfway through with Double Exposure as we’re introduced to Giessen’s talents on the violin. The idea of this on paper sounds potentially horrendous at worst and a cheap gimmick at best. But they so totally nail it to the point that you wish the first half of the album had some essence of this as well.
As you would expect with this DIY sort of affair the production is raw and there are odd bits of squeaks and duff notes but it all adds to the charm of this sort of record, and to be honest you could say it is sort of expected.
There are a few weak links throughout the album and it falters a little towards the end. Plus a lack of the bassist is always a hindrance unless you really know how to work around the limitations (which not many do). But there are still many highlights and strong points that if you are a fan in anyway of the obvious influences mentioned, by all means check it out.
- Gold Flake Paint

Labasheeda sent me their cd The Twilight State. Labasheeda is Saskia van der Giessen on vocals, guitar and violin; Arne Wolfswinkel on guitar; Thanos Fotiadis on bass; and Dyan Ramekers on drums. The Twilight State was recorded in Amsterdam in June 2009 and February 2010 and released by Presto Chango in 2010. Labasheeda’s, The Twilight State is a moody rock album, reminiscent of grungy times. The album has spacy, anthemic numbers you can really lose your head in, such as “Bad News for Batman.” The delicacy of their craft comes out in “Headquarter,” a stripped, elegant song emboldened by sonic guitar accents and violin solos. But this is just a display of musical diversity; there are plenty of driving and intense songs, all with their own hook and dynamic; if you enjoy this you will enjoy “Winter,” “Indulgent,” “Way Out,” and “Duplicated.” Still, I really liked the songs like “White Leather” that are moody and mystic and strung in the musical intricacy of the band playing together as one, and well worth the note. I really enjoyed listening to “The Crash Within Without You.” All in all, The Twilight State is an album that paints a midnight pasture of music, organic in its nature, real to the touch, and musical to the ear. I recommend this to any rock n’ roll fans, classic rock fans, grunge fans or anyone who just likes real, good music. Visit http://www.labasheeda.nl/ for more information. - Virgogray Press

Labasheeda sent me their cd The Twilight State. Labasheeda is Saskia van der Giessen on vocals, guitar and violin; Arne Wolfswinkel on guitar; Thanos Fotiadis on bass; and Dyan Ramekers on drums. The Twilight State was recorded in Amsterdam in June 2009 and February 2010 and released by Presto Chango in 2010. Labasheeda’s, The Twilight State is a moody rock album, reminiscent of grungy times. The album has spacy, anthemic numbers you can really lose your head in, such as “Bad News for Batman.” The delicacy of their craft comes out in “Headquarter,” a stripped, elegant song emboldened by sonic guitar accents and violin solos. But this is just a display of musical diversity; there are plenty of driving and intense songs, all with their own hook and dynamic; if you enjoy this you will enjoy “Winter,” “Indulgent,” “Way Out,” and “Duplicated.” Still, I really liked the songs like “White Leather” that are moody and mystic and strung in the musical intricacy of the band playing together as one, and well worth the note. I really enjoyed listening to “The Crash Within Without You.” All in all, The Twilight State is an album that paints a midnight pasture of music, organic in its nature, real to the touch, and musical to the ear. I recommend this to any rock n’ roll fans, classic rock fans, grunge fans or anyone who just likes real, good music. Visit http://www.labasheeda.nl/ for more information. - Virgogray Press

(…) More punky rocky indie now, and the album The Twilight State by Dutch pop-rockers Labasheeda, who are led by vocalist/guitarist/violinist Saskia van der Giessen. The album rocks and rollicks its way through eleven fairly short tracks, occasionally (‘Headquarter’) veering into quieter, calmer territory. Saskia van der Giessen can sing and play violin well, peaking on tracks like the energetic ‘Indulgent’, the slightly scary ‘White Leather’ and album highlight ‘My First Choice’, whose six and a half minute duration allows the cut to breathe and develop. Good fare for those of an indie persuasion. - Ptolemaic Terrascope, januari 2011

The Dutch Labasheeda were headlining, Joe was loving that souped up Bettie Serveert parallel... for me, it took a few songs in to completely dig the vibe, but by the time the violin was cutting the action into tasty echoes I was really hooked... crouched in the corner scribbling along... my biro dancing to that aggressive riffery they continued to ply. A welcome change from the cover version norm of this town - Rottenmeats

There's a certain grimy menace to opening track Hackney that's quite delicious, whilst Saskia Van Der Giessen cautiously coos sultry lyrics, the track has similarity to early Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and it bubbles over into curious semi-heavy bursts of frustrated guitar and tentative little riffs played on Saskia's violin. It's a good start for this sophomore LP from the Amsterdam-based quartet, though the elements rub up against one another a little awkwardly in the track's closing moments.

Bad News For Batman is feisty upbeat grungey rocker with a strong guitar riff driving the verses, and a brilliantly off-beat breakdown towards the track's close, building towards a poppy Sonic Youth-esque finale. Saskia's vocals become a breathy, woozy tumble on the doe-eyed Headquarter which works as a better showcase of their violin-infused alt-rock with its mellow, grumpy swagger. Meanwhile Winter is a barked and howled track that recalls Land of Talk's mix of choppy guitars and wailing choruses, ending on a despondently defiant note.

Indulgent is the record's first duff note, a pacy but flavourless track, that winds up sounding like an Evanescence song played at the wrong speed. From You to Me sashays from sleazy refrains of 'Is this a test?' into chundering joyrides of guitar, flitting back and forth from its angular moments to these miniature explosions of energy with vigour. Elsewhere Thanos Fiotadis' bass on White Leather is a big, buzzy joy, cutting into the track like a grumpy buzz-saw whilst Saskia's voice moves around with a certain abandon and her eventual violin a sweet and sombre lead in to the track's fat bursts of staccato noise. The track has a playfulness that the band have occasionally teased at, but here there's a palpable sense of fun that reaches out of the speakers excellently.

Things slow down for The Crash Within Without You, which has a pretty good minimal arrangment, but Saskia's PJ Harvey-like vocal works better on the song's eventual ascent into a thunderous noise than the softer sections. Way Out is a jaunty return to pacy rock n roll, Saskia's voice dancing up and down, whilst Arne Wolfswinkel's guitar is equally, entertaingly explorative as the track rattles towards a sparky close.

Penultimate track My First Choice is a lengthy and occasionally exhilirating instrumental, though it has a few slightly clumsy moments, it, for the most part is a great little wig-out, with focus shifting neatly around the four band members over the song's six and a half minutes. Closing track Duplicated brings the band back to the familiar structure that runs across the whole record, soft verses with occasional darts towards heavier asides, there's some fun stop-start moments enlivening this closing number and it draws the record to a decent if not exactly revelatory close.

This is a fine record from an interesting band, there's a certain pattern to how some of these tracks are arranged and that means a few here and there can feel like repetition, but there are some real stand out moments as well. - God is in the TV ZIne

Bearded Magazine / Albums / Labasheeda / Presto Chango
Labasheeda - The Twilight State (Presto Chango)
As far as I could tell from two visits, the average punter in Amsterdam prefers 90’s cheese, euro dance and hammer metal to the more experimental or down to earth projects. But like any city, it had to have its underground somewhere and, as usual, I had to return to the UK to find it. Labasheeda is a doorway to its gritty basement scene, one that reflects a local, more clued in angle. In a way, Amsterdam’s subculture found me.
Released Feb 7th, 2011 via Presto Chango / By Brendan Morgan
Labasheeda - The Twilight State (Presto Chango) Labasheeda formed in 2004 and since then have been recording consistently. Under a seriously driven work ethic, they’ve released nearly a record every year. Their newest, The Twilight State is warmly produced, runs beautifully from track to track and hits every goddam mark.

You can hear it all in there: Pavement’s lyrical grunge, Fugazi’s bass lines and tight acoustic punk (circa The Argument); the singer, Saskia van der Giessen, moans like Karen O, pronouncing a strange, sometimes funny version of English (for any other band, this would be a defect but for Labasheeda, it only gives them character).

Overall, the main source is extracted from Sonic Youth’s expansive exploration of guitar screams, tonality and inventive riff changes. They’ve even selected painted cover artwork suggestive of The Eternal as well as incorporating a small amount of a Kim Gordon sophistication that puts to shame most current “girl punk” attitude (the comparatively tame and superficial Paramore for example). There’s no posing, no acting, no dressing up, no falsity, no frills or flashing lights, no tactical target marketing (unless its so tactical I can’t tell) – simply rock music, with guts and realism, made by approachable people who don’t wear tight black. People you could actually enjoy a conversation with.

After an intense opening to clear your head, ‘Headquarter’, an unsettling ballad shoots ripples down the spine by building guitar harmonies over a repeated note of ‘B’. It seems to point an accusing finger: “There’s liars in this room” sings van der Giessen. ‘From You Too Me’ interweaves downcast chords with kicking rhythms and ‘White Leather’, a neat package of all their hooks, tops their myspace at the moment (trust me however, they save the best stuff for the records).

The grumpily wasted ‘Way Out’ leads into the evil, drooling instrumental epic that is ‘My First Choice’ and then to close with imprinted force from ‘Duplicated’. Playing thee note melodies, van der Giessen’s violin is the band’s most unique feature. It’s too bad that it appears so rarely and so timidly in the album’s mix.

Although Amsterdam is riding the 90’s, some at least have taken on the decade’s better side. The Twilight State is an impassioned and pragmatic number five from a superb rock band. Labasheeda do pain and sadness, red rage and subtle sarcasm; and, over the next few months, Labasheeda do England. Get out of your hovels and support them. - Bearded Magazine

http://www.repeatfanzine.co.uk
Labasheeda - My City your Hometown (single, presumably self released)
The sixth thing I've listened to, and the first to get to the end with me still listening - bravo! Dutch and grungy/indie/experimental, Labasheeda remind me of PJ Harvey when she was a bit weirder and not signed to a major, and they'd certainly fit into that old Fortuna Pop category. There's some nice fuzzy guitar stomping, interesting pedal effects and you could certainly have a good lurch to them, if you were so inclined. I'm really looking forward to hearing or seeing more by this lot - check them out yourself at http://www.myspace.com/labasheeda-my city your hometown - repeatfanzine

Labasheeda - A Few of the Population
Owain Paciuszko


Related content:

Labasheeda- Charity Box

More by Owain Paciuszko:

Madame Pamita- Madame Pamita's Wax Works
Mikky Ekko- Strange Fruit
Hi-Def TV- Leave Behind
Animals and War- Self-Titled
Miri- Canvas
Sleazy rock riff and snarled female vocals welcome us into Two Too Late (Three in the Whole), before surging into the string-tinged chorus; it's a glorious pic-n-mix of indie-rock influences, you can hear The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Veruca Salt, The Pixies all jostling in the primordial ooze that has evolved into Labasheeda. The juxtaposition between the guitar and the strings all melded together by lead-singer Saskia van der Giessen's vocal makes for perfect filthy-rock.

Saskia on violin leads into the Queens of the Stone Age-like swagger of Free Lunch, a cacophonous instrumental number that perfectly encapsulates the unique sound of Labasheeda. Guardian Angels with Familiar Faces is a more straight-forward number, moving from riff to riff with menace and verve.

There's more instrumentalness on The Broken Windows of New York City, a sprawling number that struggles to hold interest, but throws in a rather nice finale where the violin swoons in the background of erratic guitar playing. The EP closes on Free to Destroy which sashays between moody-rock and scrappier Pavement-like fuzzouts.

A huge bucket of influences seem to jostle for prominence on this EP, yet Labasheeda manage to wrangle their collective unconcious inspiration into something that sounds individual. Occasionally their sound is marred by directionless tunes or an idea unformed, but overall this is a solid EP with some great tracks
- god is in the TV zine

Amsterdam based quartet whose sound is deeply indebted to late 1990s Sonic Youth, but who still manage to hold my interest. It has a strangely charming quality, maybe because the version of English they're singing in sounds more like Esperanto. And it's pretty damn hip they covered a Jon Spencer instrumental. Eh?" (Byron Coley) - The Wire june 2010

Saskia forgot no one on the planet speaks dutch but her.

The 3rd act is Labasheeda. This act brings gritty and alternative underground rock songs. They are from Amsterdam. In a short period of time the band has already an impressive list of gigs with only a home recorded demo.

Saskia sounds a bit like PJ Harvey not only in her songs but also the manner that she plays guitar. She uses fingerpicking in combination with staccato battle jet ear.

The bass player David Jackson pumps and batters as an enraged bull. A handfull of fx do the rest for this bass player.

Labasheeda would do very well on festival podiums, we see the pictures before us already. In an overflowing festival Tent at Lowlands or Pinkpop they would be completely at home. We must not be suprised if this fantasy actually happens.



De derde act is Labasheeda. Dit trio brengt gruizig en alternatieve underground rockliedjes. De Amsterdamse band timmert hard aan de weg en heeft in een korte tijd al een aardige staat van dienst opgebouwd. Met slechts een huisopname als demo heeft Labasheeda flink wat optredens weten binnen te slepen. Saskia, Paolo en David gaan op de hoogste versnelling en beuken de luisteraar de wereld van PJ Harvey binnen. Niet alleen de zang van Saskia van der Giessen doet denken aan de Britse Undergroundqueen maar ook haar manier van gitaarspelen voegt hier iets aan toe. Een soort van fingerpicking in combinatie met staccato slaggitaar. Bassist David pompt en beukt als een op hol geslaagde dolle stier. Een handvol effecten doen de rest voor deze bassist. Labasheeda zal het heel goed doen op de festivalpodia. We zien de beelden al voor ons. In een overvolle tent op Lowlands op Pinkpop zullen ze de gemoederen daar hoog op doen lopen. We moeten niet gek kijken als deze fantasie eens werkelijkheid wordt. - 3v12 den haag

Bruce Turnbull God is in the tv zine 2007

Nice album title. Maybe the intention was to inform the music-buying public where they will be able to pick it up, for visually, Labasheeda’s debut “Charity Box” is about as interesting as a lecture on financial planning. The crude backdrop and unintelligible centre piece is in no way representative of the band’s musical output, and if you can get past that, fans of 90s flavoured gen-x metal will find much to assimilate here. Cresting the rise of modern inferiority, the Dutch three-piece can safely empty their saddlebags, and casually mosey on into town. Filled to the brim with caustic glee, opener “99% Woman” pours through the stereo with a droning, derisive disposition. Musically closer to bands like Cay and Sonic Youth, there is a touch of progressive rock steaming its way through the notes, particularly in the time signatures employed by drummer Paolo Panza. Incessant, scornful and irritatingly high quality, Saskia v.d. Giessen’s melodic swoon penetrates the songs with the luxuriant whine this sort of thing craves.

There are plenty of highlights to be enjoyed: the dirty mud-slap of “My City, Your Hometown” and the experimental atmospherics of “Opaque” are very commendable on both performance and execution. In contrast, the snappy head-banger “Black Blood” will no doubt become a live favourite, and the disturbing, confessionary “Taking Pills” is as mind swallowing as the title suggests. A nice introduction into the dynamic world of Labasheeda, with a production that not only recalls the days bygone, but stands on its own as an honest piece of work without an inch of pretension.

- God is in the tv zine

Netherland-based band / project Labasheeda, mainly consisting of David Jackson, Paolo Panza and Saskia van der Giessen, are about to put their new CD ‘Charity Box’ on the circuit within shortest of time, a nine track journey recommended to all lovers of high quality leftfield/indie/alternative pop music. Melancholia meets electric guitars meets fragile female vox and kinda catchy vibes. Sometimes Labasheeda’s sound is not so far away from what happened in the underground structures of the so-called ‘Hamburger Schule’ throughout the late 90’s - anyone reading this by chance remembering the various artist compilation ‘Hamburger Bunker Sampler’ from back in the days? – and revealing the same power, a fresh, energetic, individual sound that is hopefully to stay when the band’s about to gain the mainstream attention it surely deserves coz they’re good. Get that.

- Baze.djunkiii

Wayne M. Todd Life of Sin Records

With a mix of post-punk sensibilities and new world pop backlash, Labasheesda’s recording Charity Box will be familiar to all those who speak in run on sentences and grew up too soon. Frantic anticipation and sorry memories permeate the whole record. With dynamic changes from angry mathy rock to scientific space pop, it aims to please a new generation of displaced music listeners. With catchy noisy perfection, it succeeds.

- Life of Sin Records

In the dark recesses of the back bar a young man is sprawled out on a table desperately trying to catch forty winks.
Amsterdam based Labasheeda are in the middle of a particularly hectic UK tour and bass player David Jackson is recuperating while members of Glasgow’s Co Pilot Effect shoot the breeze in pre-gig anticipation.
Eventually he rises like Lazarus and galvanised by a poke of chips steels himself to play his part in a night of spellbinding indie rock.
Labasheeda are a truly international proposition, comprised of one revived bassist from the States, drum-guru Paolo Panza hails from Italy; while multi-talented singer, guitarist and violin player Saskia van der Giessen is the sole native. Oh, and the band’s named after a village in County Clare just to keep you guessing.
The support act set a high bar, but Labasheeda took it to another level! Utilising a frightening array of distortion pedals to build up a dense atmospheric fog before plunging into a thick narcotic post-rock headrush, recalling a time when Mogwai remembered to rock!
Elsewhere there’s a fringe waving nod to the dynamic sensibilities of the early 90s shoegazing scene coupled with an exquisite grasp of pop melody bubbling to and sinking from the surface. It’s a bit like Frank Black being able to scream in tune!
The sawing use of the violin brings to mind Belgian art rockers Deus, and in a similar vein to those twisted Antwept boys, Labasheeda can conjure up a smoky jazz bar ambience at will. The rhythm section’s unbelievably tight working up and down a rocking, hypnotic groove.
The ever jovial Paolo Panza delivers a drum masterclass, providing primal clout when required and driving breathtaking style and time changes.
David Jackson’s distorted bass paints grunge-injected space rock shapes in the minds eye. This is music to immerse yourself in. Saskia’s minimal guitar playing adds a further layer of thrillingly weird noise; then there’s that voice impossibly cool and seductive, a promise of redemption.

- Sean Murphy

27-Apr-2007 10:38 AM - Labasheeda - Charity Box (9tx cd, 30'59" - self-prod. 'o7) - A three pieces based in Amsterdam, although only the singer/gtrst/violinist Saskia van der Giessen is native, while bassist/baritone gtr David Jackson is from USA and Paolo Panza at drms from Italy (cool!). Corrosive bass lines, caustic guitar dynamics over powerful percussions, - Labasheeda - Charity BoxLabasheeda slow down only with violin-driven track Gas Station Sandwich, instrumental, although the bass suddenly starts like burning into distortion and all sounds turn on a saturation level. - Said that, all Labasheeda's songs are honest indie power-noise, precise drumming, eleveted on a lyrical plan by Saskia's melancholic harrowing beautiful voice, clean and sweet, with spectacular guitar explosions like on the opening track 99% Woman. Sometimes closer to a sonic chatarsis and labyrinths dear to Unwound, sometimes not far from Star Pimp's jagged sound diversity, - Labasheeda simply kick ass. [see below for audio/video] - ikoma italy

Sandwiched (arf) between two local favourites, you fear for Amsterdam’s Labasheeda on a night like this; sure enough, many take the opportunity for a lingering fag break or a chat at the back. They miss a bit of a treat, though, as the unassuming quartet offer some nice slow-building art-rock with undeniable echoes of Sonic Youth (Saskia van der Giessen’s vocals on the first couple of songs are a dead ringer for Kim Gordon) and dEUS amongst others. Van der Giessen switches from guitar to violin halfway through and the set diverts into more experimental, drawn-out territory as she tentatively navigates a forest of wires and pedals. It’s a song or two overlong, but rewards attention; a considered, slow-building swirl with a particular charm reminiscent of Dutch peers Bettie Serveert or Seedling. Nice. - The Joy Collective

According to Wikipedia, Labasheeda is a small village in Ireland. It’s also a four-piece rock band from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Members Saskia van der Giessen (vocals, guitar, violin), Arne Wolfswinkel (guitar), Thanios Fotiadis (bass) and Dyan Ramekers (drums) play a melodic, and often chaotic, blend of music that’s familiar to indie fans – both catchy and oftentimes heavy.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a blue vinyl copy of the latest self-titled 7” single, which includes three tracks. From the first listen I was hooked.

“Circle” kicks it off with a very melancholic and dron'y staccato guitar part before building up to the chorus, where the song evolves into a distorted sonic mass and van der Giessen’s powerful voice really shines.

A simple drumbeat leading to a thumping and spacious bass line begins “Subsoil Streams,” the EP’s second track. Frantic guitar drives the pace and feel of the song, along with more of van der Giessen’s mesmerizing vocals. It’s difficult to tell Labasheeda is from Amsterdam, as there is really no discernible accent when she sings.

The final track is titled, “Relax-her.” It rounds out the much too short EP and places an exclamation point at the end it.

All of these songs, excluding “Relax-her,” can be found on Labasheeda’s MySpace page as well as other gems such as “The Broken Windows of New York City,” an almost six-minute instrumental that starts off placid and then crescendos into a lovely rock anthem. It is both delicate and forceful, proving the band can switch it up and vary its sound.

Judging from videos of Labasheeda’s live performances, they know how to gesticulate the genuine energy that comes from their studio recordings. They are currently touring the Eastern Block of Europe. Keep your eyes and ears on the lookout if they happen to come your way. www.labasheeda.nl
- The Levee Breaking

‘Two Late Too Late’, which introduces Labasheeda’s new EP, offers some menacing punk with its caustic power chords thrashing around while Saskia van der Giessen sneers and rants out her lines. It appears a serviceable, if unexciting jaunt, but the last few seconds, which see the riffage colliding with a wall of chaotic electronic noise, hint at experimental tendencies beyond the garage rock remit. This side of Labasheeda is most boldly shown by two of the tracks – that’s a third of the record – being instrumentals, both of which see a surprisingly good team-up between the dirty distortion of the guitars and an unexpected but beautiful violin.
Contrastingly, the most conventional – and infectious – moment on the EP comes from scuzzy three-chord stomp ‘Nite Bright’, a quick and dirty foray loaded with lairy hooks and jagged riffs. But this is a CD that broods and mopes more often than it explodes, and closer ‘Free to Destroy’ is a strong finish: a sprawling, angsty track of shifting dynamics and the most rousing display of van der Giessen’s great vocal work.
- Glasswerk