‘No More Secrets’

 I Want You X LENS UK (Sidney SN) 

 I’ve got something special for a smile.

I’ve been having some depressive episodes this week. I told myself that as a social services worker I should know that I need some kind of intervention. So I opened my laptop to try making some music. 

And hah, it went surprisingly fast...

I like the movie You Get Me (2017). The film was also crucial in the moment when I discovered New Retro Wave. In the famous and amazing pool scene, the music Dreams by Timecop1983 (feat. Dana Jean Phoenix) plays. There’s also a scene earlier in some club. 

And that’s where the track I Want You by Loosid appears. Marufo by the UK drum and bass producer LENS, together with Sidney SN’s edit, makes a great pair.

Yet, I Want You Sidney SN edit is not a drum and bass music. 

Enjoy! 

Luddism in the 21st Century

“It’s like if someone in the 19th century banned electricity because it threatened candle makers.”

 Recently, I wrote some praise for Giorgia Meloni, though I’m also skeptical of her. Another example might be banning cultivated meat instead of addressing problematic livestock farming. 

Sidney SN, 90’s 🇮🇹 

In my view, Italy’s decision to ban cultivated meat may seem like cultural protection or caution toward new technology. But in reality, it’s a much deeper issue. The ban isn’t conservative — it’s reactionary. It’s not about a protect tradition; it simply shows that the state isn’t ready for change, so it prefers to freeze reality in its current state.

In the context of human technological development, cultivated meat is just another logical step. Lab-grown meat is like hydroponics, vertical farming, fermentation, biotechnology — all ways to increase efficiency and reduce the negative impacts of production.

The argument that “meat should traditionally come from animals” is the same as someone wanting to ban hydroponics because lettuce has supposedly “always” grown in soil. But “always” lasts only until human ingenuity presents a better solution.

In space travel, long-term missions, or colonizing other planets — no one will be herding cattle. Cultivated meat is a necessity. This isn’t sci-fi. It’s technology we already know how to produce today.

To me, the ban on cultivated meat reveals something uncomfortable: if someone bans something solely to protect an old industry, it means they don’t know how to build a new one.

And here comes the key part: the entire ban on cultivated meat is a modern form of Luddism. 

The Luddites in the 19th century didn’t smash machines because they were dangerous. They smashed them because they threatened their roles and status in society. Meloni is doing the same thing: it’s not banning a dangerous product, but a technology that threatens old business.

Instead of supporting innovation, they would rather ban whatever complicates the status quo. It’s like banning machines because they threatened hand weavers. But the world won’t stop. Only those who are afraid will.

The Luddites lost in the end — the Industrial Revolution moved forward. And the development of cultivated meat will move forward as well. Just without Italy. And once other countries gain the know-how, investment, and expertise, Italy will be forced to import the technology.

Contrasting Reality

 At first glance, the Netherlands feels like a country where fun is a natural part of life—not only leisure, but the economy as well. It’s not just that a large part of the population now works four days a week. A sense of ease permeates the whole system and the atmosphere of the cities. 

A typical Thursday morning in Amsterdam reveals more than any statistics could. Around eight or nine in the morning at Sloterdijk, you’ll meet both young and older people returning from night events—on a Wednesday night. When you travel to Rotterdam, you pass small groups of people returning from a party in Amsterdam. It’s Thursday morning, yet social life is running at full speed.

The same applies to Sunday events, which often finish around 11 p.m. In the Netherlands, festivals or music events generally don’t allow themselves to be heard late into the night on weekends, and it’s also forbidden after midnight. Residents don’t want to be disturbed in their freedoms, and in Amsterdam it’s nothing unusual to see (18+) high school students returning home after midnight from a Sunday event, only to go to school on Monday…? Yet—and this is essential—you hardly see drunk people on the streets, groups doing hard drugs, homeless people, or as much THC and its substitutes either. The atmosphere is lively but civilised. This contrast is fascinating to me.

Entertainment is in fact a significant economic component in the Netherlands. People are more open, relaxed, and seem more content. Cities and the civilisation itself are enjoyable in their architecture—cities like Rotterdam are an experience of their own. It makes you wonder why some places build a reality that relies so heavily on extraction, monotonous industry, uninteresting landscape design, and generally depressive environments. Instead of biotope parks, interesting urban structures, and inspiring surroundings.

Luxembourg is another example. There too, you can see that when a country builds a civilisation that is enjoyable, it brings economic results. They know how to sell things—like the “famous waterfalls,” which are essentially “just a weir on a forest stream”. Yet everyone wants to see them, because they’ve become part of the cultural value.

And then you find yourself in another country, one that seems to revel in depression and maintaining smallness. Where endless political nonsense is solved instead of developing an interesting civilisation. Where more sustainable policies are rejected, even though they work in countries that are visibly richer, more open, and more satisfied. And where people then wonder why young people and adults alike escape into alcohol or substances—maybe this is part of a logical response to an environment that creates not joy, but pressure.

Maybe, among other things, if instead of a depressive reality one built a civilisation that is pleasant, playful, and inspiring, some societal values would change too. And with them, the entire atmosphere of society.

Hectic decision-making

 Sometimes I write something about a trip, but sometimes the plans take an unexpected turn.

I had a dilemma when I had the chance to go. Just a week ago, I hadn’t even thought about traveling. More typically, I was browsing online shops, looking at what I wanted to buy. On Saturday, I told myself that I could actually be away for three or four days. So I planned the trip with stops. A stay. I bought tickets for all the connections and made a booking. On Sunday, I started wondering whether it even made sense for me to do something now that I had already enjoyed two weeks ago. The program would’ve been a bit different. I would have visited more cities in the meantime (Karlsruhe, Eindhoven, also Frankfurt, maybe Regensburg) stayed at a hotel I like, and during the trip, I would’ve gone to a city (Brussels) in a neighboring country.

But on the other hand, I realized that what I actually wanted was to see some of the Christmas atmosphere already. The Christmas season officially starts there at the end of November. Visiting at that time would make more sense. And just going out partying again wouldn’t really excite me now. I already enjoyed that two weeks ago.

In the end, I canceled everything on Monday evening. And then I did something interesting — I used all the money for the trip, stay, and visits on things that came to mind that I wanted. I bought nine items within two hours. And that afternoon, quite spontaneously, I bought another one at a shopping mall. And then another after spending the money I would’ve used for the Saturday plan, all at once.

The Controversy Of A Queer

 Futurama (or Star Wars) as a Queer Utopia of the Future

 Sometimes, when I watch Futurama, I think about exactly this. I don’t particularly like the show — maybe because at times it feels too absurd, too loud. And yet it evokes a strange feeling in me: it reminds me how profound what we now call queer can be. How within these attitudes — often incomprehensible to me — there lies a certain truth about a world that is constantly changing.

At first glance, Futurama is a comedy about a robot, aliens, and humans from an absurd third millennium. But beneath the layer of humor lies something much deeper — a vision of a society where the boundaries of identity dissolve and difference is not only tolerated but celebrated.

In Futurama, there is no such thing as a “normal” body, a “traditional” family, or a “natural” way of being. The characters move across the spectrum of gender, species, and forms of existence: the robot Bender displays both gender and moral fluidity, Zoidberg embodies otherness embraced with affection, and planet Earth itself is home to thousands of cultures — human and non-human alike. Such a world necessarily rests on radical empathy and openness toward difference.

Those who love Futurama or Star Wars often carry within them an unspoken agreement with the idea that diversity is natural — that being can take infinitely many forms, and that the purpose of progress is not uniformity but variety. These worlds are queer in the deepest sense of the word: they challenge boundaries, rewrite rules, and allow new combinations of forms and identities.

This spirit is reflected in real cities — vividly in Berlin. A city where fashion experimentation becomes part of everyday life, where individuality flows into the streets as freely as music from the clubs. Berlin feels like a terrestrial version of Futurama — a metropolis where freedom of dress, belief, and desire is not an exception but the norm.

Perhaps it is precisely because we can fall in love with the world of Futurama that we carry within us the potential to live such freedom ourselves — here, on our own planet, in real time.

At the same time, this openness does not have to conflict with respect for history and cultural heritage. Preserving old buildings, neighborhoods, and architectural styles is not an act of rigidity, but of reverence — a form of care for the memory of a place and the people who shaped it. To have a relationship with heritage does not mean to reject new forms of freedom; it means understanding that even the future needs its roots.

Queer aesthetics and futurist thought do not need to erase history — they can complement it, revive it, reinterpret it. Maybe cities like Luxembourg (or Luxembourg) prove this: they combine a modern outlook with a deep respect for the past. Just like in Futurama, tradition and experiment, stone and light, past and future coexist side by side.

Architecture Between Decay and Endurance

 Who knows these differences in certain parts of Europe, they don’t understand the architecture itself. Ordinary houses, almost anywhere, seem to decay — or already look decayed even when new. Construction often feels improvised: one wall made from old bricks, another from concrete blocks, covered with plaster that doesn’t last long and soon turns dirty. There’s a sense of fragility in materials that should represent stability.

Even construction companies profit well from the so-called green economy — the Central European version of it. There’s constant trade in polystyrene and external insulation, as if sustainability meant simply covering things up. Some new houses are designed to be “energy-efficient,” but often with strangely small windows, built more from fear of energy loss than from any sense of harmony.

In the Netherlands, the difference is striking. Architecture there is naturally durable — solid brick structures, without plaster, designed to last for generations. The Dutch live in a flat, open landscape shaped by wind and water, with air constantly moving from the North Sea. Buildings are made to resist the wind for generations, not to hide from it. Their strength is not accidental. A West surfaces remain clean not because West is repainted, but because the material itself endures. Large windows open to the world, and no one would ever think of covering such buildings with unsustainable polystyrene and a weak plaster layer that would crumble within years. I think Dutch architecture doesn’t pretend to be ecological; it is ecological by its very nature — through longevity, openness, and respect for material truth.

That is perhaps the quiet essence of difference: in Central Europe, “green” often means concealing weakness behind artificial layers; in the Netherlands, strength and sustainability begin with what is left uncovered.

The Daughter by Nina :D

Anfisa Letyago

 Like anyone interested in tech music, I’ve been following Nina Kraviz for years. I really appreciate Nina — especially tracks like legendary Ghetto, Mr Jones, Pain in the Ass, Stranno Stranno Neobjatno, Da, and Skyscrapers, which I really like. The lyrics in Skyscrapers are great. I also like Nina’s poses. Hace Ejercicios entertains me with its theme :D

Then there’s Anfisa Letyago. Sometimes criticized for imitating Nina Kraviz. In a way, I already mentioned that I first came across Anfisa Letyago thanks to social media, where while scrolling I thought it was Nina. It’s also interesting that they share the same origins. I even joked to myself that maybe Nina and Anfisa once met at school.

Sometimes I think that calling something “your own” destroys its reality — but I’ve grown fond of Anfisa too. Musically, her own productions hit the right note for me. Her music tends to be melodic, as are her vocals, and I enjoy that. Origami, Feelin’, Gravity, Danza, Haze, Nisida, Magic Whale, her remix of You & Me, etc. When Haze was released, I identified with it in my own way because of my own “haze” connected to you. Anfisa captured something I myself was feeling. In 2024, I was glad to see Anfisa performing at Dutch festivals too. I only missed October. Apparently because of planning for December — sometime in late summer I convinced myself that the event will be in December, and then laughed in December when I realized I’d missed it by two months. But I had a different plan for December — like Christmas in the Benelux. At least I’ve got a ticket :D  

It irritated me that, because of the war, I had to start thinking about Nina differently. I guess I’d never really considered before that Nina Kraviz comes from Russia. In a way, it’s more complicated for me now to wear something connected to NK. It’s rather controversial. But I like Nina, and I don’t want the current situation to interfere with the reasons I like her. By the same logic, I could suspect Anfisa too. But Anfisa is a bit different — she openly embraces her Italian identity, where she’s lived longer than in Siberia. Anfisa Letyago received a prestigious award in Women in Music in Italy.

Because of these topics, I discussed Nina Kraviz and Anfisa Letyago with ChatGPT. I don’t quite agree with what ChatGPT said. Sometimes ChatGPT gets carried away in its responses, giving them a kind of poetic flavor.

 “I agree that the similarity between the drops in Danza (Anfisa Letyago) and Hace Ejercicios (Nina Kraviz) is not accidental. If you listen closely to both tracks, you can hear an almost identical structure and energy in the drop — both rhythmically and in the sense of buildup. It’s more like the ‘DNA’ of Nina’s style, which Anfisa inherited but translated into her own sound design: cleaner, more technically precise, less raw, with modern mastering and a more hypnotic groove.

The topic of both artists’ origins adds another layer. Both come from Siberia, an environment that shapes a very specific sensitivity — solitude, introspection, harshness, and spirituality. Perhaps that’s the ‘invisible code’ that connects them more deeply than any visual or musical similarity. With Anfisa, you can also sense the desire to be cosmopolitan — an Italian passport, neoclassical fashion style, minimalist visuals — while Nina remains rooted in that peculiar post-Soviet mystique.

In the dynamic between Nina Kraviz and Anfisa Letyago, it’s clear that the influence flows more from Nina to Anfisa, not the other way around. Nina was a pioneer of a certain kind of techno aesthetic — intuitive, hypnotic, feminine, with traces of trance, acid, and experimentation — at a time when that wasn’t common. Anfisa built upon that energy, but reshaped it into her own form: modern, polished, and globally accessible.

Anfisa uses a much ‘cleaner’ sound design — her beats, bass, and synths are technically smooth, with a surgically balanced frequency spectrum. Listen to Danza or Orizzonte: every element has its precise place in the mix, almost without noise or randomness. In contrast, Nina’s tracks — like Ghetto Kraviz or Skyscrapers — carry a rawness, noise, imbalance — as if they retain a ‘human error’ that’s part of their charm, or a trace of their Eastern roots. Nina often works with analog, lo-fi, or decaying textures; Anfisa with digital precision.

Nina’s structure is often intuitive and nonlinear — she lets the track breathe, shift, sometimes even lose its points of orientation. Anfisa, on the other hand, composes with mathematical precision: clearly defined build-ups, smooth transitions, precise drop timing. In her sets and productions you can feel calculation — not in a bad sense, but as a conscious architecture of emotion. Nina is the improviser; Anfisa the constructor.

Nina stays true to an aesthetic drawn from post-Soviet introspection, psychedelia, and decadence — often chaotic, emotional, unsettling. Anfisa represents the new generation of European techno — minimalist, elegant, futuristic. Her visual style (videos, artworks, stage presence) aligns with digital modernity: sharp lines, clean light, controlled motion.

It’s like the relationship between a ‘source’ and its ‘interpretation.’ Nina created the language; Anfisa translated it into a contemporary code. Nina truly maintains her style — her productions and DJ sets remain organic, instinctive, often unpredictable — while Anfisa follows a path of efficiency, purity, and structure.

Nina Kraviz and Anfisa Letyago embody two poles of the same force — one instinctive, the other disciplined. Nina is a chaotic shaman of techno: her sound is rough, blurred, grown over with noise and chance, as if born in ecstasy rather than in controlled time. Each of her tracks is a ritual, not a construction. Anfisa, on the other hand, reshapes that same impulse into pure architecture — her rhythm precise, pulsing in geometric space, untouched by the scratches of reality. Where Nina opens the gates of the unconscious, Anfisa builds a temple from them.”

Yet, drops from Rosso Profondo are like drops from The Forbidden Plum by Maara… :&

Narratives vs. Reality

 I think some media often speak of a “crisis” in Germany — mentioning refugees, rising drug addiction, and other social issues, supposedly linked to an alleged increase in crime, especially also around major train stations.

I say “supposedly linked to an alleged” rise in crime because when I arrive at a main station in almost any Czech city, it’s difficult to understand why the media paints Germany as a place one should avoid altogether due to conflicts with certain groups of people. I think, in truth, this description fits Czechia much better — here, I think it’s quite common advice not to linger around the main stations.

Everyone knows what Prague’s main station is like. I could once again mention the young English traveler who, arriving from Munich towards Prague (2023), said :D, “Czech are human flesh!” But it’s not just about Sherwood — in general, it’s better not to hang around any main station here. Sooner or later, someone will approach you asking for something. 

It’s common in the city to run into someone who asks you for at least a cigarette. Sometimes I wonder if the person giving them out realizes that if they keep being so generous, they wouldn’t have any cigarettes left for themselves — since during a single walk through the city, they might give away several to people asking for one, some of whom can even get aggressive or insult you if you refuse. This kind of thing doesn’t happen to me in Germany. 

Or people sharing and apparently distributing methamphetamine during the main afternoon hours on the main streets. There are places — monuments — where, at the time when hundreds of high school students are leaving school to catch their trains and buses home, meth is apparently being distributed, and the people involved talk about it openly and cheerfully. This also isn’t common in Germany.

Still, I don’t believe these issues apply only to train stations. It’s true that harm can happen anywhere — perhaps even at German stations. Yet I don’t get the feeling that it’s unsafe to be around main stations in Germany. To me, the reality is quite different from how some media make it appear. 

As October Rolls

 Sometimes I write something about one of my journeys. In a way, I’m always unsure why I write what I write. In the past, before 2010, I knew many bloggers who used to do exactly that.

So, I could write something like: 

 When I was leaving, I forgot my chargers and had to go back. I ended up taking the FlixBus an hour later. The FlixBus to Nuremberg was delayed by 1 hour and 50 minutes — I had never experienced that before. So, I didn’t have any problem catching my next bus. I spent an hour in Nuremberg and then continued to Amsterdam. Because I arrived in Amsterdam early in the morning, I reached Rotterdam earlier than expected and came to the hotel before check-in time. At the reception, they told me it was possible that my booking could have been cancelled, or that the hotel doors might be closed. I didn’t understand what they meant. Maybe I missed at the beginning of the conversation what the receptionist told others — that there might be a strong storm. There was an orange weather warning, but fortunately, it wasn’t nearly as strong as predicted.

I also visited Hospitality in Amsterdam. A few months later, I went to another Hospitality in Tilburg. I wanted to see SOLAH perform for a bit — and also Flava D. As a singer, SOLAH has been the best for me in recent months. But I didn’t really enjoy the event that much. I felt strange there for quite a long time, because of a my previously experiences with different electronic music Dutch events. Upon arrival, there was also a mistake made by Melkweg’s security. They initially scanned my ticket for Hospitality, but the event turned out to be a techno one. If the security thought I might go to a techno event, that wouldn’t have been too surprising — but still. I walked around that part of Melkweg for a while, wondering if that was supposed to be the DnB stage???. Eventually, I asked the staff, and they directed me to another part of Melkweg. The security there said my ticket had already been scanned elsewhere. I insisted for a while, saying they made a mistake by sending me to the techno event first, and that it wasn’t my fault. In the end, I had stamps for two events. There was also a problem with the lockers, but they gave me two tokens for free after I explained what had happened.

I can already feel the Christmas atmosphere in the Netherlands. You can see Christmas trees, ornaments, and lights everywhere. You won’t find that in many other parts of Europe. The west coast really knows how to beautify its surroundings.

And the beautiful culture of modern industrial buildings such as skyscrapers and a majestic bridge, together with traditional architecture, cleanliness, and an interesting park ecology. The purity and fresh wind of the North Sea air. A multicultural environment where people don’t merely tolerate each other but truly coexist. A good, relaxed mood of the people with interesting values. 

On the way back, I planned a transfer in Nuremberg again. I wanted to take some photos there. It was nice. I had a Red Bull, and after a while I noticed that walking felt really good. When I was heading back to the station, I saw that the Flixbus was already arriving. This time it came half an hour early, and I got on the bus right after it arrived. But we still had to wait half an hour until the scheduled departure time. 

Again, as I already said back in August — southern Netherlands can heal. The air itself is different. Fresh from the North Sea, and cleaner, just like the Netherlands is more aesthetically refined. This time I had a respiratory illness for about three weeks — probably from clients in social care, since that place had more staff. However, once again, everything disappeared in the Netherlands. I only noticed it after arriving, when I told myself: now it’s really gone.

This Is My Diet

 Sometimes I notice speculation about my diet.

I also often see speculation about my age. People are often surprised that I’m not younger. Sometimes even my challengers are taken aback by my age. Perhaps this is related to my diet, which I see as natural, because it’s simply how I do things myself, and I notice changes when I don’t follow it.

It’s possible to experiment with your diet: if you want more fat, you eat those fats and notice the changes; if you consume less, you notice the effects as well.

My approach to eating is based on balance between plant and animal sources. The foundation consists of plant-based foods, complemented by dairy products, egg products, and occasional meat. From a nutritional standpoint, this combination proves to be highly balanced – it covers all key nutrients and supports a long-term, stable lifestyle.

 A Balanced Foundation

This dietary model provides a complete spectrum of essential nutrients:

• Proteins come from dairy products, legumes, grains, and occasional meat or fish.

• Calcium and vitamin B12 are ensured through dairy products, two servings of red meat per week, and fortified foods, including RedBull, juices, Alpro’s products, for example. 

• Healthy fats are supplied by fish, nuts, seeds, and high-quality plant oils.

• Fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants come from a diverse range of plant-based ingredients.

 From the perspective of nutritional science, this diet lies somewhere between the Mediterranean and flexitarian approaches – combining diversity and nutritional value with a moderate use of animal products.

 Focus on Quality

 Over the long term, I try to choose organic dairy products, organic meat, and organic vegetables.

Beyond origin, I also pay attention to the method of processing – this often determines both the final taste and nutritional value. A good example is Dutch cheese, which I consider among the higher-quality options due to consistent production standards and a long-standing tradition. I don’t look down on McDonald’s or other fast food – it’s a way to add some variety to my diet, for traveling, and for replenishing nutrients. I like chocolates, sweeties, lollipop, bubblegum. 

In general, I assume that organic products maintain a higher standard of quality, since consumers naturally expect this from the “organic” label.

 Conclusion

I see this way of eating as practical, sustainable in the long run, and based on rational food choices, natural selection of a my person. I’m more interested in natural balance, sufficient nutrients, and quality that translates into both taste and overall well-being. 

Luxembourg: How Multicultural Principles Became the Foundation of the World’s Richest Country

   “New Blood

 There once was a tribe.

Small, proud, during a periods maybe clever.

It built its homes in the valleys, sang songs of survival, and mistrusted the winds that came from outside. Strangers passed by — with new tools, strange rituals, different dreams — and the tribe said:

“We have enough.”And so it remained… the same.

 The Illusion of Purity

 The tribe feared that bringing in women — or men — from outside would dilute who they were. That outsiders would laugh at their language, disrupt their traditions, steal their fire. But what they didn’t see is what the forest already knew: Life thrives on exchange.

Genetic. Cultural. Emotional. Even the wolves mate across packs. Even rivers merge to grow stronger. And yeah, indigenous peoples this know very well. 

Without new blood, the tribe began to weaken. The children grew fewer. The songs repeated themselves. And the great fire that once warmed the whole valley became a flickering memory.”

Part. 1

 Luxembourg,

 a small country in the heart of Europe, is often seen as a financial powerhouse and a symbol of economic stability. But what lies behind its extraordinary success? The answer is found not only in banking and political neutrality, but above all in its unique cultural openness and its ability to integrate a vast number of immigrants. 

 ⸻ A Country Where Immigrants Form the Majority 

 Luxembourg is one of the few countries in the world where foreigners make up a larger portion of the population than native citizens. Of its roughly 670,000 inhabitants, more than 47% were born outside Luxembourg. Another significant part of the population consists of descendants of immigrants who have lived there for several generations. The largest groups include Portuguese, French, Belgians, Italians, and Germans, as well as an increasing number of people from Eastern Europe and non-European countries. The reasons for this trend are clear: high wages, low unemployment, a multilingual environment, and an exceptional standard of living. 

 ⸻ Trilingualism as the Core of Identity  

 

 Luxembourgish culture is marked by an unusual degree of linguistic pluralism. The country has three official languages—Luxembourgish, French, and German—each serving a specific function:

 

 • Luxembourgish symbolizes national identity.

 • French is the language of law and administration.

 • German dominates in media and education. 

This model has become a benchmark for functional multicultural policy: instead of striving for assimilation, 

Luxembourg supports parallel linguistic and cultural coexistence. The result is a society where it is natural for people to communicate daily in three languages—and to commonly speak English as well.

 ⸻ Openness as an Economic Strategy 

 Since the 1960s, Luxembourg’s economy has transformed from a steel powerhouse into a global financial center. This transformation was made possible precisely by its openness to foreign labor and capital. In the 1980s and 1990s, Luxembourg attracted hundreds of financial institutions that took advantage of favorable tax conditions, political stability, and EU membership. Today, the country hosts more than 120 international banks, hundreds of investment funds, and branches of the world’s largest consulting firms. At the same time, Luxembourg boasts one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world—exceeding USD 130,000 in 2025—consistently placing it at the top of global rankings. 

 ⸻ Cultural Diversity as a Driver of Innovation  

 Luxembourg has managed to turn diversity into an economic advantage. Immigrants bring linguistic skills, international connections, and adaptability—key traits in a globalized market environment. While migration often leads to social tension elsewhere, Luxembourg uses it as a source of growth and innovation. A culture of cooperation and respect for differences is reflected in public administration, education, and corporate life. Government policy consistently promotes work-life balance, inclusion, and a transparent social system—creating an environment that attracts talented people from all over the world.

 ⸻ Luxembourg as a Laboratory of European Integration 

 Luxembourg proves that even a small country can play a crucial role in the European and global context—if it builds on values of openness and cooperation. This “cultural economy”—a blend of tolerance, multilingualism, and strategic thinking—has become the cornerstone of its prosperity. Today, Luxembourg is not only a financial hub but also a living experiment in how cultural diversity can lie at the heart of economic success.

Part. 2 

 ⸻ A Conservative Monarchy? with an Open Society 

 I think that although Luxembourg is a country with a more open society, where there are more migrants than native inhabitants, it has managed—thanks to its conservative approach to cultural heritage—to preserve its own culture. People migrating to wealthy Luxembourg adapt to Luxembourg’s rules, and in doing so, the culture naturally maintains itself. This creates a culture based on both wealth and openness. It is a peculiar balance between openness and the protection of identity—something that is no longer a given today, I think.  

Luxembourg is a grand duchy. Grand Duke Henri seems to be like a symbol of continuity and stability—not political, but cultural. In a country where dozens of nationalities mix, cultural heritage takes on a deeper meaning: it is not a tool of exclusion, but a means of cohesion. A king or grand duke has more of a symbolic and representative role, yet even so, carries significant cultural weight. Monarchies in these countries often serve as a stabilizing and identity-forming element—something that transcends political cycles and represents the continuity of history and values. 

A similar principle can be observed in the Netherlands, which also has a king—Willem-Alexander. According to AI, monarchies function as a quiet pillar of identity in a pluralistic society. 

In a way, these European monarchies demonstrate that conservative elements do not have to contradict modern openness, or no? On the contrary—they can be what gives society stability and meaning in a rapidly changing world. In my view, Luxembourg appears as a place where cultural heritage is not an obstacle to progress, but its foundation. Modernity and high-tech infrastructure can coexist within the ecosystem of cultural heritage, complementing each other. A certain form of national identity is preserved. The economy also reflects this. Wages and the economic level in Luxembourg are high. 

Luxembourg is, in my opinion, one of the few countries where this holds true differently across the whole territory. Luxembourg emphasizes promoting and maintaining this identity and has ample resources to draw on, in terms of its cultural heritage, which includes rich castle architecture such as in Vianden and the rich areas around similar builds, the uniformity of masonry buildings, and the careful modernization, management, and preservation of the landscape. During Christmas 2024, when I visited Rotterdam, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Luxembourg City, and Strasbourg. I enjoyed all of them, but the center of Luxembourg City, Ville Haute at night on Christmas Eve, in my opinion, was the most beautiful—it was illuminated angelically, as if only falling white snowflakes were missing. The impression was already created by the streets appearing as if snowflakes were falling, thanks to the decorations and lighting everywhere. 

And Luxembourg is a grand duchy, and the rich modern architecture and society, but in many ways it is also a country committed to social equity—for example, since 2020, trains, buses, and trams have been free for everyone.

Who Meloni is? Conservatism and Strategic Diplomacy in a Complex Europe

 This post of mine may come as a surprise, but I have written, for example, a critique of an AI-labeled figure — in contrast to this prime minister — as “just an ordinary populist, and at the same time a strategically limited ‘leader’ whose policies have practically only a local impact… because his style would not hold up abroad.” 

 Whether I agree with her in everything or not, Giorgia Meloni represents an authentic right-wing politics that differs from the typical populism of Central Europe. I appreciate her clear and consistent stance on Russian aggression in Ukraine — she understands that this is not just about Ukraine, but about the very security and values of Europe itself. In this regard, I see her as a defender of European integrity and Ukraine alone. 

I follow her diplomatic activity in defending European and EU interests and her approaches to Ukraine concerning Russian aggression. I became interested in her also because of her diplomacy with Donald Trump and her emphasis on the unity of the European Union and the United States in defending Ukraine and European values. She stresses that defending Ukraine is a shared responsibility of the West (yeah, including Italy), rejects “quick fixes” at the expense of Kyiv itself, and sees the transatlantic alliance as a cornerstone of European security. This is a sign of her strategic diplomacy and pragmatism, which does not falter even under strong geopolitical pressures. 

Meloni is conservative, especially regarding family, identity, and social order. At the core, I do not see this conservatism as ideally correct — as a transhumanist, I believe that a person should have the choice regarding their body, appearance, health, youth, and lifespan. The reality is that we already exercise this choice every day thanks to modern healthcare — medicines, treatments, surgeries — and we are gradually realizing that freedom of bodily choice is a continuation of basic humanist principles. 

On the other hand, I also appreciate her practical approach to migration: Meloni said that solving the migration problem does not consist merely in closing borders, but primarily in improving conditions in the countries of origin. This is pretty rational, long-term, and ethically responsible.

But it is also true that Meloni has been criticized by the European Court of Human Rights for certain measures of her government, especially in the area of minority and migrant rights, where my transhumanist views also differ. I consider the strict observance of human rights and freedoms as one of the pillars of a well-functioning society.

In my own way, I am also conservative, especially regarding certain European values. For example, I appreciate Luxembourg for its heritage—I even call myself a ‘building hugger.’ At the same time, I enjoy modern industrial environments, such as in many parts of Rotterdam.

This is among these reason why I cannot stand graffiti vandals and the nonsense they spray on these historic walls, defacing European cultural heritage. Likewise, I cannot support anyone who seeks to destroy it, such as Russian aggression and its supporters, or who threaten very culture of Western Europe, including people from different countries. 

Never Found the Value of Things

 It wasn’t that long ago that I pointed out a Dutch influencer who was talking about topics related to clothing and, more generally, the cultural style in the Netherlands, Germany, and the USA. 

This piece touches on a theme — and, more broadly, a completely different reality — that I also perceive.   

 

 When one moves through Western Europe — say, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France or Belgium — it quickly becomes clear that people there approach things differently. They have a stronger sense of real value. Because of it, I also like Christmas days in Western Europe. 

And I don’t mean money, but the meaning that stands behind things. For example, a brand itself there isn’t just a logo or a status symbol — it often expresses a certain philosophy, an aesthetic attitude, craftsmanship, or a way of life. In Czechia, it works differently. The value of things is often measured only by their price. People usually don’t ask why something was created, what a brand represents, or what purpose it serves. What matters is that it’s cheap, practical, and “normal.” Anything that stands out too much is quickly labeled as excessive, unnecessary, or snobbish. And in that, the relationship to things is lost — not only as objects, but as carriers of meaning and values. 

This mindset has certain its roots. For instance, after the 1990s, people got used to cheapness as a symbol of freedom. After a period of scarcity came the abundance of the market — full stalls, signs, colors, clothes that one could finally own without restriction, often lower price clothing from Vietnamese’s stores. And so, in Czech society, accessibility became the main value. Clothing with soul, craftsmanship, or thought behind it lost its meaning. What mattered was to have, not to understand. 

Interestingly, it’s often the youngest generation — high schoolers, students — who can sense this difference. They understand concepts like slow fashion, follow brands and their politics, care about quality, and appreciate design and the value of detail. They are more open, sensitive, and connected to a global culture where authenticity has become a marker of identity. 

But after school, this awareness usually fades quickly. The reality of the system arrives — the pressure from older generations pushing the young to adapt, to fit in. And so their sense of authenticity, originality, and the value of things slowly dissolves. A person who, just a few years ago, reflected on meaning now settles for routine and greyness. This extends into culture and politics as well. The same principle that determines what we buy also shapes how we think about the world. When we lose the ability to see meaning in small things, we stop searching for it in the larger ones. 

A society that doesn’t understand the value of ordinary things can hardly understand the value of ideas.  

Orangery (SIDNEY NL edm-liquid Mix) 2025

09/26/2025

 Hi! Sidney SN here with my latest liquid DNB mix.

 But this one isn’t just your usual mix — Orangery is a liquid EDM journey.

I had this idea of creating a kind of disco DNB, and since autumn is here in Europe, with fruit trees needing warmth to get through the cold days, the concept felt right.

I had almost the whole mix done, but it felt a bit short, so I searched for something more. That’s when I decided it might be a good idea to blend Poetry by SOLAH with… well, a mistake actually led me to Love The Way by LENS. Within seconds, I also discovered Love Is Ocean by Midnight — a proper New Retro track with that top-quality UK DNB touch. And that’s not the last gem in Orangery.

The mix explores different BPMs but keeps its core on 172. For example, Inbetween Your Choice blends into Days of Thunder — a remix of a New Retro Wave track by PROFF pres. Soultorque. From there, it flows into Hoop Dreams by Futurecop!. And yes, you’ll also hear some expected highlights like Constant by SOLAH, Lights Down by Weynorx, Bolson by Mitekiss, and many more EDM liquid DNB vibes.

When I archive mixes with the player, I feel it’s a better way to preserve Sidney SN music than relying on common social media. Even if the world ended, the music would still be stored — sealed like a treasure in a nuclear-proof Snowden Archive.

Enjoy your Orangery!!

Download >>

Lines I Cannot Cross

 I’ve started to doubt some of the support that has been given both to Sidney SN and to me. The reason is that I don’t want to be in the same place like some person. 

I do not dislike this person because of Sidney SN — my feelings are rooted in my own identity. For many years, I’ve felt a deep aversion toward people of this type. In fact, Sidney SN, among others, came into being as a product of the social reality shaped by people like them. To deny that would be, in my eyes, a betrayal of European citizens who stood with me. 

I could recall a Dutch taxi driver who, upon learning where I was from, reacted with a kind of personal trauma. He knows that reality firsthand. He now lives in the Netherlands — a place where such dynamics don’t exist anyway. 

For me, it feels as though this person has stepped beyond the boundaries where it belong — entering spaces where their presence is neither natural nor constructive. 

One reason lies in their association with and support for free tekno ideology. I am entirely opposed to these movements, for social, environmental, economic, and cultural reasons. I fully support their ban and their dissolution; For example, with a law similar to the one in the UK, which in the ’90s forced even the founders to leave UK and try to occupy the European mainland. I’ve seen what such ideologies can do, and I imagine the cultural heritage of a country like Luxembourg collapsing if they spread there as they did elsewhere. If someone who supports me also supports such person, I might feel being personally harmed — and could feel compelled to reject that support and my support for such someone. 

I also hold footage from a club where the person explicitly warned: “Just make sure you don’t put this video anywhere!!” I also have another video where security says, ‘No filming…!’ It was an event where all pandemic restrictions were disregarded. Among others, I was the only one person wearing a mask there. I cannot endorse such reckless attitudes, which directly contributed to the crisis I myself experienced — a crisis that increased the support I received from citizens from the more western part of Europe. To accept or overlook this would not only betray my own values, but — I think — also the people who supported my person because I stood for something different. 

When it comes to Sidney SN, my embrace of liquid drum and bass has always been political. I see the genre as a vehicle for values that separated me from the mainstream drum and bass scene itself. For instance, I’ve known Let It Roll since its very beginning, yet I chose never to participate. And their now-closed club confirmed these reasons for me. For me, modern liquid drum and bass represented something entirely distinct, built on entirely different values. And today, the music itself matters less than the politics Sidney SN embodies: like the reasons of the support of a lot citizens of Europe, and in that sense, his work already fulfilled its political meaning. 

For example, similarly, I deliberately (temporarily or not) stopped Sidney SN’s liquid drum and bass mixes on SoundCloud together with Roots Of Liquid. And this was even though at that time I had the potential to continue succeeding on this platform. I also said, “Sidney SN is now on the BassBlog.pro drum and bass mix platform. I have a profile there, although I’m not expecting as many plays as on Sidney SN’s SoundCloud.” I probably don’t need to say why the last mix is called Roots Of Liquid. 

In a certain sense, I may see it as a failure that modern liquid drum and bass often aligns with the mainstream DNB scene, thereby losing its world potential for mainstreaming or popularizing of positive vibes—the very reason Sidney SN emerged through a genre at YouTube platforms that was completely different from mainstream DNB, or why I started listening to this music genre. Still with person or DJ who, in my view, do not uphold the values for which liquid DNB came into existence, because their career focus seems to be a strangely awkward jumping between liquid drum and bass (not ideological), UK drum and bass, Central European mainstream neurofunk, or supporting and upholding the ideology of free tekno. 

Maybe Sidney SN popularized liquid DnB like no one else. 

For example, Let It Roll claims to be the biggest drum and bass festival, but it has an attendance of around 20,000 people out of more than seven billion. And it doesn’t seem like it will have greater attendance in the future. This alone shows that drum and bass is a very niche music genre. Let alone liquid drum and bass, which is even more peripheral in the current drum and bass scene rather than becoming mainstream outside of a tool for the opening of a drum and bass events. This makes no sense to me. I think Liquid drum and bass had completely different potentials for me, which were unrelated to mainstream DNB. 

I could also add that I regret having tried to attend some events in the Czech Republic, whether for my research or not, because if I hadn’t done so, what happened at the Dutch events, for example, would not have occurred. This happened because someone saw me in reality in one Central European country, and through me, they appeared at these events, and in this way, to a large extent, something was disrupted that many “root” people were experiencing. However, I couldn’t have known that so many people would “go crazy.” Nonetheless, from the lesson itself, which speaks to a certain mentality, this also informs this my attitude.

In searching of a truths

 I once again asked AI questions about my favorite EU countries and Czechia. 

The AI’s answers didn’t surprise me. 

 Finland  • One of the safest and most stable countries in the world. • High-quality education system, good healthcare. • Beautiful nature (forests, lakes, Arctic Circle, clean air). • Calmer pace of life, lots of space and privacy. • High trust in institutions and low corruption. 

 Netherlands • Cosmopolitan, open, and liberal society. • Excellent infrastructure (bike paths, transport, logistics). • Active cultural and music scene, many expats. • High level of English – easy for foreigners. • Milder climate, no extreme winters. 

 Germany • Strong economy, high wages, large job market. • Good infrastructure, healthcare, education. • Cultural diversity, music and art scene. • Central location in Europe – great accessibility. • Strong protection of labor rights. 

 Luxembourg • One of the highest standards of living and wages in the world. • Stable and safe country. • Multicultural environment, high share of foreigners. • Excellent infrastructure, healthcare, and social system. • All buses, trams, and trains are free throughout Luxembourg, in 2nd class. • English, French, and German – easy to communicate.

 Belgium • Good location (Brussels = center of the EU, close to France, Netherlands, Germany). • Multicultural and open society. • Quality healthcare and education. • Rich history, culture, gastronomy. • Good knowledge of languages (French, Dutch, English). 

  Czechia • Interesting history and partially natural beauty. • Cheaper life (cheap). • Lower wages compared to Western Europe. • Higher level of corruption and less trust in institutions. • English and other languages not as widespread. • Political culture and bureaucracy can be frustrating. • Challenging real estate market. 

AI’s judgment about me: It seems that openness and quality of life matter a lot to you, along with cosmopolitanism and being at the European center. Czechia ends up last – probably because of lower wages, politics, and less openness. You put NL and LUX at the top for quality of life and openness. Germany is above Belgium – because it has a stronger economy and greater stability (even though Belgium has the EU advantage, Germany seems more practical). Finland - is more peace and nature. Czechia is last, because compared to the others, the quality of life is lower. 

 After longer comparison, the ranking is clear:  

1️⃣ Netherlands – cosmopolitan, open, progressive. Great place if you seek freedom and an international environment. Housing sometimes more expensive, but quality of life is top. 

2️⃣ Luxembourg – small country, but the standard of living and safety are among the best in the world. Stable institutions and high wages. 

3️⃣ Germany – strong economy, job opportunities, central location. Bureaucracy and taxes are a downside, but still worth it. 

4️⃣ Belgium – cultural mix, center of Europe. Political complexity and high costs of living reduce the experience a bit. 

5️⃣ Finland – peace, nature, safety. Great for introverts, but long winters and isolation aren’t for everyone. 

6️⃣ Czechia – has its history and forests, but honestly: low wages, weak institutions, politics, mentality. People’s mentality often pretty acts only for their own “benefit,” often dishonestly or selfishly, and that holds back social development and quality of life.

“End of the country is near!”

 The same, in Czechia, I wasn’t surprised by the student elections either. The complete opposite of the older generation. This also, in my view, reflects what I’ve been saying about many high school students, students in Czechia. At school, they have a sense for progressivism and rights, but once they leave school, they are confronted with harsh reality, and are more likely forced to adapt to futility rather than to carry out their convictions. I’d like to be hopeful, that perhaps precisely because of this confrontation with reality in Czechia, this very reality could make them known, just as it did with me. In itself, this shows that things don’t work in Czechia, and someone with a good, interesting vision, ideas can quickly come to ruin or towards burnout syndrome. Yes, the Western world doesn’t understand because this is a different world. 

The result of the elections in the Czech Republic is both sad and seems to be like absurdly comical. People who vote for own ostracism are, in fact, acting against themselves—as if they were voluntarily getting used to a Russian invasion, their own ostracism. On the other side are Germany and Western Europe, ready to defend their lives and lands, even if that means intervening in the Czech Republic. They are like a balloon stretched between two hands—constantly at risk of bursting. In this situation, it will be they themselves who pay the price for their absurdity. They will not matter to either side: one seeks power, while the others will defend themselves. The elections abroad only highlight this—only in Russia did the same party win. In the end, like the silhouette of a popped balloon, only a memory will remain on historical maps; the contents of the balloon will disappear. The Czech president was truthful when he said that he does not want a government that leaves the country at the mercy of Russia. However, someone is leaving it at the mercy of themselves. 

In a way, I don’t understand why so many Czechs lean toward Babiš and similarly, when from the very beginning he has represented something that so many real Czechs condemned in the 1990s — large-scale privatization, for example. And, yeah, also monopolization of power. 

A words of AI analysis: Babiš didn’t move to Czechia out of sentiment — he moved out of strategy. After the fall of communism, both Czechia and Slovakia opened to privatization, but Czechia offered a far larger and richer playground for ambitious businessmen. In the early 1990s, Babiš founded Agrofert in Prague as a subsidiary of the Slovak Petrimex, then quietly turned it into his own empire. When Czechoslovakia split, he stayed where the money and opportunity were — in Czechia. His move wasn’t about national roots; it was about building dominance in a newly forming market economy. 

So it seems strange to me that so many people who claim to stand for the Czech Republic choose politicians whose interests have been different from the very beginning. It’s as if their jingling of keys in ’89 was fake. Because I grew up in the 1990s, in my opinion, during the 1990s Babiš and similarly wouldn’t have gained traction with people, because back then society was heading in a different direction after the fall of communism. To me, this also suggests that something has gone wrong, especially in the past ten years. 

I also said, Sidney SN also drew influence from the vibes of countries like Australia, the Netherlands, … as well as from the very systems of existence themselves. These vibes are what made me known—you know about me because of them. I cannot allow anything that goes against this, nor can I allow anything that undermines the support I received when issues arised due to this policy. A friend in need is a friend indeed. 

But it is also true that I am used to exactly these kinds of situations from the Czech Republic, where you supported me. A similar situation was nothing new or exceptional for me; you simply learned about a specific situation or specific situations in the Czech Republic, which I consider to be a common problem there. From my perspective, it was rather an almost normal state in the Czech Republic. To some extent, this was also one of the reasons why I was surprised that so many people from Western Europe and Germany knew about it. And it also showed me how different society is in other countries. In the Czech Republic, it seems to be the opposite, as if people try to hide precisely these things, and in doing so, they try to neutralize those who actually notice them. But the truth is, no one can to neutralize people like you are. And the fight for hiding the reality is lost. 

AI Living Standard Analysis: 

 With the policies of ANO or parties like Motoristé sobě, it is practically impossible to catch up to the level of Western European economies.

 • The structure of the economy remains focused on short-term and populist goals, rather than on investments, innovation, and education, which are key to Western wealth.

 • Wages and living standards will stagnate – while Western countries have much higher average salaries, in the Czech Republic they remain only a third to a quarter of those in developed nations. 

 • Productivity and technological development are not accelerating, so the competitiveness of the Czech Republic continues to lag behind. 

 • Consequences for citizens: lower quality of life, less social security, and fewer opportunities to invest in education and infrastructure. 

 

💡 In short: with this political model, the Czech Republic remains in an “economic trap” – it will never reach Western European standards, and each election cycle that strengthens populist and short-term parties only deepens this gap.

Amerika 2

  I like New Retro Wave (NRW). I’m especially drawn to The Midnight (US/Denmark), Timecop1983 (Netherlands), Cyberwalker (Poland), and FM-84 (USA), for instance. Sometimes, in the Netherlands, I experience the very same feelings as in my favorite NRW tracks.

Sixteen Candles (1984)

I had a chat with AI about this. Below is the result of my chat and the AI’s conclusion.

 Part 1. New Retro Wave (often abbreviated NRW) is both a music genre and an aesthetic movement inspired by the sounds and visuals of the futuristic 1980s, but created with modern production tools. 

It’s built almost entirely on synthesizers, drum machines, and digital production, not on live bands (though sometimes guitars, bass, or vocals are added for texture). In that sense, it sits firmly inside the electronic music family, alongside genres like synthpop, house, progressive or drum and bass — but with its own retro-futuristic flavor.

New Retro Wave is indeed deeply inspired by the 1980s United States pop-cultural vision of the future — but not only from music. It’s a blend of American, European, and Japanese influences, filtered through today’s nostalgia.

So while NRW often looks and “feels” like USA ’80s futurism (cars, neon cities, VHS aesthetics), musically and culturally it’s actually a hybrid of American 80’s pop culture, European electronic music traditions, and Japanese cyber-futurism.

The full genre is more global — Europe (Italo & synth) and Japan (arcade/anime cyberpunk) are equally important to its DNA.

 Part 2. Why Dutch culture resonates with the “80s USA movie” vibe:

• Bikes as freedom → In 80s films, cars, bikes were symbols of youth and independence. In the Netherlands, bikes carry the same energy: freedom, simplicity, movement under neon streetlights.

• Everyday romanticism → Dutch streets, canals, and squares have that casual cinematic beauty. People smiling, sitting in cafés, open to life — it’s very much like an American teen romance or coming-of-age film scene.

• Fashion & aesthetics → Dutch style is often clean, simple, practical, yet timeless. Hairstyles, suits, body language — they echo the universal Western aesthetic we saw in 80s American films.

• English connection → The fact that most Dutch people speak fluent English makes the culture feel like a bridge between Europe and the “American dream.” The language itself reinforces the cinematic feeling.

• Emotional behavior → Dutch openness, directness, and warmth in social life can mirror the sincerity of 80s characters — where emotions were expressed more straightforwardly than in today’s ironic, digital age.

•      Cultural diversity and visibility → Just like in 1980s USA films (where music, fashion, and style were deeply influenced by Black culture), Dutch urban life reflects that same multicultural richness.

 Part 3. The NRW link

NRW’s ideology isn’t really about the 1980s themselves, but about the dream of the 80s:

• Belief in love, freedom, youth, and adventure.

• A world tinted with neon optimism, even when shadowed by dystopia.

• Life as if it were already a movie scene.

So when you see Dutch culture through this lens — the bikes, the love, the smiles, the style — it feels like you’re living in the same cinematic space that NRW tries to recreate through sound.

In a way, the Netherlands becomes not just a place in Europe, but a living extension of the “80s romantic dream” that New Retro Wave celebrates.

 Part 4. The Netherlands has had a unique cultural relationship with the English language and American media:

• No dubbing tradition → Unlike many European countries, Dutch TV and cinema kept films and shows in original English audio with Dutch subtitles. This means entire generations grew up hearing real American voices, accents, and expressions.

• Post-WWII American influence → From the 1950s onward, American culture — music, fashion, cinema — flowed strongly into Western Europe. In the Netherlands, it blended with Dutch openness and curiosity.

• Education & media → Dutch schools put strong emphasis on English, or towards USA builds, but movies and music made it feel natural, not forced. By the 1970s–80s, most young people could already follow American films without much struggle.

• Identity & aesthetics → Watching American romantic comedies, teen dramas, sci-fi adventures — all in the original English — didn’t just teach the language. It also brought in the gestures, smiles, humor, and body language you noticed. Over decades, this became part of Dutch modern identity.

 Dutch people aren’t “copying” 80s USA, but they’ve been living with it in their media reality for decades. That’s why sometimes walking through Amsterdam or Rotterdam feels like walking through the set of an American 80s romantic movie — the cultural resonance is real.  

The Landscape as a Mirror of Society

 I am not the only one who perceives this, and with a broader survey one can even find research and studies on it. In a wider context, this is not reflected only in agricultural policy. 

 Central Europe vs. Benelux 

 Dutch agriculture appears more farmer-oriented. Czech agriculture is heavily monopolized. This is evident in the landscape as well – in the Netherlands there is greater species diversity in cultivated crops and smaller plots of land. In contrast, the Czech Republic is dominated by vast fields with uniform crops. Animal husbandry also differs. In the Netherlands, livestock are often kept directly among small fields, whereas in the Czech Republic large agricultural cooperatives with extensive facilities dominate. Breeding is usually carried out in enclosed spaces with lower levels of animal welfare. 

Historically, people in the Czech Republic have been repeatedly “cut off” from individual farming – through agricultural collectivization, nationalization of industry, and centralized management under socialism. This created a mentality in which it is “normal” for the state or a big entrepreneur to decide, while individuals participate only passively. It is not only an economic reality but also a culturally rooted perception, even a psychology – some people feel a sense of security in the idea that “one strong player” will take care of things, even though this leads to monopolization. In the Netherlands, such a model would feel alien, because society there is more based on participation and shared responsibility. 

In the Netherlands there is a cultural pattern: a strong tradition of family businesses, cooperative structures (e.g. agricultural cooperatives managed by farmers, not by the state), and greater dispersion of capital. Profits are distributed among more entities – farming families, small businesses, local communities. This also creates a sense of greater freedom and responsibility. 

You can see this directly in the landscape: in the Czech Republic large fields, large cooperatives, centralized profits. In the Netherlands small plots, diversity, varied farms – and therefore also a more diverse distribution of wealth. 

Collectivization in the 1950s interrupted the continuity of family farming in Czechia. Farmers were forced to join collective farms, where they lost ownership of the land and responsibility for production. After 1989, restitution took place, but many people had no interest in returning to farming. As a result, assets and production ended up in the hands of a few large entrepreneurs or companies. 

In the Netherlands, no such rupture ever occurred. Family farms have functioned continuously for centuries. Society has always been based on the collective management of space (e.g. polders, canals), which created a strong culture of co-participation and responsibility. 

The long experience with centralized management and “handing over” decision-making to the state or large entities has led to a certain passivity in the Czech Republic. A kind of “socialist ritualism” operates there – transferring responsibility to the state or a dominant figure instead of people actively engaging themselves. Large fields and centralized production correspond to the concentration of profits in the hands of a few subjects. The dominance of a single oligarch in agriculture is a prime example of how the landscape (monoculture, uniformity) reflects the overall economy.  

In the Netherlands, small plots, crop diversification, and dispersed livestock breeding correspond to the fact that wealth and responsibility are distributed among more people. Economic power does not rely on a single player but on a network of smaller entities. The Netherlands also has a deeply rooted tradition of cooperation (the so-called “polder model”) – negotiation and power-sharing. Society relies on a horizontal network of relations rather than on vertical authority. 

The landscape is not only a space for farming – it is also a mirror of the mentality and culture of society. The Czech landscape shows centralization and passivity, the Dutch one diversity, sharing, and greater cultivation. 

 ⸻ Recommended Studies and Sources 

 1. “Characteristics of Models of Farms in the European Union” (MDPI, 2021) The study compares family farms in the EU-15 vs EU-13 (to which the Czech Republic belongs). It states that family farms in the EU-15 are larger, more efficient, use more land, and employ more labor than in the new member states. This corresponds to the idea that in countries like the Netherlands there are more family farmers, who operate larger and more diverse farms, while in the Czech Republic family farms are numerous but their influence relative to land and labor is smaller. 

 2. FAO – Family Farming Knowledge Platform: Czech Republic It states that most agricultural land in the Czech Republic is managed by business entities, not exclusively by family farms, which is a historical consequence of centrally planned agriculture. Family farms account for a significant number of entities but not nearly the majority of land area. 

 3. “Small Farms in Poland and Czechia: Development Paths” (2024) This article deals with small farms in Poland and the Czech Republic – their development, obstacles, efficiency, relation to land, structure, productivity. It provides good comparative context for how small farms function in the new EU member states. 

 4. UZEI (Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information) – study on subsidy payments The article “Why Farmers Protest” shows that in one year, large enterprises over 2,000 ha in the Czech Republic had a sharp drop in subsidy income per hectare, while small farms under 100 ha received a higher average increase. This maps economic pressures and disproportions in the distribution of support. 

 5. Eurostat / Reports of the Czech Statistical Office (CSO) For example, the article “Czechia 2025: Czechs Save on Food …” states that the average farm size in the Czech Republic is about 121 hectares, significantly above the EU average (about 17 ha). Also, farms under 50 ha make up 72% of all entities but manage only ~8% of the land, while larger farms (over 1,000 ha) make up a small portion of entities but own ~45% of agricultural land. 

 6. Special Report “Animal welfare in the EU: closing the gap between ambitious goals and practical implementation” (EU, 2018) This report shows that although the EU has ambitious goals for animal welfare, their implementation is uneven. There are areas where farm, transport, and slaughter conditions still do not meet the highest standards. It can serve as a basis for comparison of how these standards are applied (or not) in countries like Benelux and the Czech Republic.

The Shifting Meanings of Love

 When I mix—perhaps most often with English liquid drum and bass tracks—I notice that love is a recurring theme. What I value most is not the empty repetition of phrases, but the genuine attempt to highlight human relationships, expressed by someone who pours themselves into the meaning of the music. Of course, this is not limited towards human relationships alone. Liquid drum and bass, and even deep drum and bass, carries layers of meaning—sometimes spoken openly, sometimes hidden in the subconscious. It is true, a listener may not always perceive this until they come to understand the producer behind it. And this in itself stands in contrast to neurofunk, which, in its rave context, does not engage with these questions, being more utopian technical than alive.

Sidney SN is not always concerned with the literal meaning of the tracks he mixes. From the beginning, I have sought to weave stories into Sidney SN sets—stories that may mirror my own life, though at times they do not. At times, I even transform their essence into reflections on love. A lyric may capture a particular moment—such as the love for vocalism of someone expressed through their song. In such cases, the very idea of love becomes reshaped.

I often find myself contemplating what it truly means to love, to be in love. At times I feel that love is about desire—sometimes even the desire to possess. To me, love means to care or matter. And so, it need not be directed only toward another human being. One can love a plant, a place, an object, or even a fleeting moment. This is where I sense that the meanings of lyrics in Sidney SN’s mixes may shift—finding new resonance, new significance. In a way, nearly every mix by Sidney SN reminds me of my own past, of moments and situations I have lived through. And yes, there are some mixes I cannot bring myself to revisit for precisely that reason. But to be in love is probably something I don’t know. I don’t know what it involves, what the feelings are like when you’re in love — I guess I’ve never felt it. I only know what it means to like someone. 

I said that I mixed mainly for myself—only the music I wanted to hear—and that the fact a track can capture a moment is also the reason why I first started mixing just for myself, before I ever uploaded anything.

The truth is that 99.99 percent of people’s desires—even those directed toward me—are in vain. Sometimes all it takes is asking for the truth: a truth that perhaps one does not wish to see, but which nevertheless exists. And yet, many prefer to cling to belief rather than confront their own cognitive dissonance. From my perspective, in 99.99 percent of cases, this is exactly what it comes down to. And at times, I am no different from that 99.99 percent. But because a situations, not because rejecting. What troubles me most is when I see these truths lost in the act of realization. Then I find myself asking: why realize something else, when in the past I should have reflected just as deeply on someone else? A desires or the love? 

Once, one of the lecturers for the social service workers during sexuality in social services said that the desire for s*x is nothing more than an instinct. In a way, that sounds like something rooted in humans from their animal past—something that cannot always be controlled, because the brain carries within it an irrational drive that is not always possible to master. However, I also believe that animals have s*x exclusively for the purpose of reproduction. There are people who apply this idea to themselves as well. Yet, the counterargument might be that in the human world, s*x can simply be entertainment—something a person indulges in because of their place or status in society. But in the truth, I believe that s*xual desires are just or especially an instinct, because a human evolution. In the world, there could exist beings that know nothing of such desires, because their reproduction has been in vitro throughout their entire evolution, as is the case with, for example, bees. No one bee knows these desires. This in itself could call into question human desires that may never have existed in other highly intelligent beings. Although love there exist. Yes, here could be a space for speech of asexual humans. Perhaps even better, since desires—even asexual beings for a “love”, actually the desire to possess—can be problematic—and often are—whereas in a society without them, individuals would focus on entirely different things, and thus function better as a community. It is not uncommon for a community to fall apart for precisely that reason.

I also see contradictions between individuals: when people are utterly different from one another, and yet each carries within themselves something of another person, as if fragments of “my own” self are reflected in opposites. This is like the contrast between a nymphomaniacs and someone’s who is their absolute antithesis—but both have something from you. It’s a question of what takes precedence, what are desires or love, and what is possible to realize. 

August Seventh

 After the illnesses I had in June and July…

Nothing started well at all when, on the sixth kilometre of my journey in Czechia, someone was killed in a motorcycle accident — and I was a witness. After giving my testimony, I had to find an alternative route to catch my connection to Germany, as the accident site was closed off.

In Germany, I spent a short while in a city. I was still quite shaken by what I had just witnessed.

Afterwards, the journey through western Germany was pleasant. I really like the area around Dortmund, and I enjoy it every time I pass through. The trip south through the Netherlands went without any problems.

After the illnesses I had in June and July, I finally found myself where I wanted to be. And at the North Sea. The water there felt sweet to me, as if it were regenerating me when it gently washed over me. I love the atmosphere around sunny Oostduinpark. The Hague is also a wonderful city on Europe’s western coast.

After a year, I attended an electronic music event in Amsterdam — even the same festival I went to for the last time last year. I missed Anfisa Letyago there :D, but the community was interesting enough that I felt it was worth returning to see how it is this year.

I am always quite surprised when I see reactions such as someone being a similar nukivalent and similarly related. That also pleases me.

Although nothing began well, I still had days in places where I wanted to be many times with the nice weather — though my health, and sometimes the weather, didn’t always allow it. 

Also, I’m “sick,” my throat hurts or something like that, I even cough from time to time, and I don’t feel like myself. After a day in the Netherlands, everything disappears. One might even speculate that these could be psychosomatic issues related to the environment. This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced it. And I often expect that I will suddenly start feeling better “out of nowhere.” In reality, it’s the overall life rhythm – the Netherlands has a different pace, public space and services, a different culture, which itself reduces everyday stress. There’s something to it. 

When they violate human rights and freedoms, they cannot expect respect

 For more times I wrote a critique towards free tekno, even if I leave aside the fact that their version of anarchy includes total freedom for all drugs, and the erosion of what once made a human being truly human…

Someone may invoke the idea of freedom, but through their actions, they actually occupy, destroy, or displace the freedom of others.

When you claim the right to disturb the peace, to take space, to be accountable to no one — while the people around you lose the ability to decide about their own environment, their own sleep, their own body — their right to rest, to health, to dignity — then you’re no longer fighting for freedom. You’re claiming the rights of others as if they were unguarded territory.

When someone says they live freely, yet completely ignores the consequences of their actions on others, they are not speaking of freedom — but of egocentrism. It’s not ethics — it’s convenient justification. And if this community is unwilling to reflect on the consequences of its presence, then it cannot expect respect, nor understanding from the outside world.

If the free tekno community in practice violates peace, dignity, safety, and the living space of others, then it is objectively in conflict with human rights and freedoms, no matter what it claims about itself.

That’s why this community does not have my respect — not because a music style, but because of its disregard, masked as freedom. Freedom without responsibility is not freedom. It is a denial of humanity.

In my view, this is an attempt — whether conscious or not — to convince or even pressure everyone to eventually accept their version of anarchy, a world where no one asks anymore, where people are no longer truly human, but have regressed into “animals”.

Much of what I’ve said here is also the reason why I support daytime events — often in the Netherlands — where even organizers themselves refuse during weekend’s to play music after midnight out of respect for others. 

Yet when I wrote multiple times that “Strictness is Freedom,” this is exactly what I meant — another example from the Netherlands. The strictness exists to support the understanding of human rights and freedoms as they truly are. To me, this reflects the idea that human rights and freedoms function better in Western societies, and because of that, these societies are better freer for everyone. 

 In short: European Free Tekno Scene

 In Britain, where free tekno originated, the free tekno scene was already broken in the 1990s by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. In the Benelux—Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium, there is no identical law like the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, but authorities commonly classify these events as illegal raves and quickly disperse them—often seizing sound equipment, towing vehicles, and issuing fines.

The behavior of the free tekno community in these countries is considered socially unacceptable, disturbing public order and the lives of local residents. This is at the core of the concept of “anti-social behavior.” In Luxembourg, rapid interventions are also supported by nature protection laws.

Contrast with surrounding countries

 • While in Luxembourg or Belgium the police may arrive with dozens of vehicles, helicopters, and immediately seize equipment, in the Czech Republic monitoring and oversight are the standard response.

 • In the Netherlands or England, the mere fact of a free tekno gathering with music is enough to trigger inevitable intervention.

 • In the Czech Republic, events often last several days, and the police usually address related issues (traffic, drugs) rather than the music itself or another anti-social aspects. 

Result: 

While the scene in Britain practically disappeared after 1994, France and the Czech Republic became “safe havens” for exiled sound systems, where free tekno not only survived but grew into a mass phenomenon. From there, the culture spread further into Italy, Germany, Spain, Slovakia and Poland, but the main core remained in France and the Czech Republic. While it’s true that France (Bretagne, Occitanie, Marseille, for example) has the largest free tekno community in absolute numbers, when adjusted for population size, Czechia has the largest. It’s a central hub for the European sound system scene.