Released 2026-02-04

 

   “Words belong to those who have experienced it.” 

  G’day!

 Sidney SN 2026 is here with a brand-new drum & bass mix.

Sidney wasn’t exactly keen to mix something new after Discotheque, a mix he enjoyed. But then again, he could say the same about Orangery or plenty of his other mixes.

The Netherlands — especially its coastline — is something Sidney SN associates with Australian coastlines. 

Recently, the Netherlands a survey (Numbeo Quality of Life Index) ranked as number one in the world for quality of life. Another survey (Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection) named Australia the second safest country on the planet.

Both the Netherlands and Australia inspire me, and that happs runs right through Sidney SN’s music.

 Happs 

 is a new Sidney SN mix to kick off 2026. In a way, this year marks an anniversary — ten years ago, back when he was still just Sidney (without the SN), Sidney mixed his very first liquid drum & bass set.

The mix is almost entirely liquid drum and bass, but there are rare exceptions that might not sound like drum and bass, even though they were released by the best drum and bass labels. In the end of the mix is also mixed a hip hop track. I also like hip hop.

Sometimes people say that Amsterdam slightly distorts how the Netherlands is seen. But ordinary people aren’t like these Red Lights mixed with Dreamcatcher in the end of the Sidney SN mix. 

All words belong to those who have experienced it...

 Tracklist:

 Overgrown by Pola & Bryson  (Shogun Audio)

 Want U Bad by Solah  (Hospital Records)

 Keeping Pace by Pola & Bryson  (Shogun Audio)

 Waiting For Me by Bob x Subwave  (Hospital Records)

 Caliban by Etherwood  (Hospital Records)

 Moonwater by Aftertones  (Ledge Sounds)

 Bell Tune by LSB  (Footnotes)

 Talk To Me by Koherent feat. Riya  (Shogun Audio)

 Liberated (by Kraedt) Kolosu Remix  (Ledge Sounds)

 Want U by Anaïs  (Hospital Records)

 Dreamcatcher by Wagz  (Metalheadz)

 Red Lights by Brandom Strife 

Azure-tinged

  I hold many reasons close for this land— but here’s a quiet one: Ducks in the streets. Not lost, not out of place, but gliding calm through canals and streams, unstartled by the human pace. They swim like the city belongs to them too. And perhaps it does. Kralingen’s swans nest in still corners as children wander close, no rush, no fear—just a soft balance between feathers and footsteps, roots and routines. There is something sacred in a city that lets life be. Cleaner reality, and people who’ve learned to move with the rhythm of skyscrapers. In Kralingen’s hush, I see intelligence in ivy, ethics in botanic, a culture not only of words but of care. And in Zuiderpark, summer breathes through grills and laughter, a community of coexistence forming over shared bread and sun, beneath leaves that catch every language and send it back as joy. At Essenburgpark, the city bows before a quiet grove— not out of guilt, but respect. And above it all—Erasmusbrug, that swan of steel spanning the river’s grace. Its cables hum like harp strings in the wind, connecting not just land to land but idea to ideal. Skyscrapers rise like glass reeds against the Dutch sky, not to block nature— but to coexist with it. Reflection, not domination. Even in stone and steel, there is room for the soul. This is development not just of roads, but of rhythm. Of harmony between the naturalism and the made. There is no wall between person and pond. No border between culture and root. There is a peace here that doesn’t need to shout. A cultivated silence. Aesthetic. The Beauty of steel and the heritage.

 I’ve learned that I even tend to become “azure” after returning from the Netherlands. What someone may see is a my favorite Dutch city. And not only that – it is also the climate of the Netherlands as a society, a system, and a culture. 

Whether it is the openness of the space that comes from the North Sea and flows through the city without obstacles, or the air that does not stand still. Air is not just a mixture of gases – in the Netherlands it feels cleaner and fresher. It is also a different reflection of how society thinks. It is not only about having a cleaner and more aesthetic environment. 

In a different country, the air is not only worse in terms of toxicity, but also mentally burdened – with a different form of toxicity. 

In the Netherlands, the air is different. It flows. And flow means movement. And movement means life. Society is more open, less grounded in a limiting way, freer, less prone to extremism, it does not stink, it thinks more. Civilization is built so that people can enjoy its beauty. Even the infrastructure does not hold a person down. 

Where things like cycling, open space, modern urbanism, more aesthetic greenery, and less stagnation are supported, the air is lighter. Not only physically, but mentally as well. 

I have also mentioned several times that I recover quickly in the Netherlands – for example from a respiratory illness, which may not in fact be purely respiratory, but psychosomatic. 

People create the air themselves. In some places it is heavy on its own, and elsewhere it is lighter because people are able to naturally radiate through their own culture. I have written before that if the Netherlands has been described as first in quality of life 2026, it has its obvious reasons, which cannot go unnoticed if someone truly embraces this for themselves. 

And such a person may naturally be perceived that way within a certain society when they return from a place where things function in a way that feels closer to them.

Concept

 I’m not sure who still remembers it. It’s been ten years now, maybe even longer, since modern liquid drum and bass was still in its early beginnings.

Nevertheless, in my view once Chilloutbear was already questioning the very concept of mixing through his approach back then. Indirectly, he was also questioning the normality of mainstream DNB and its rave culture as such. Through his approach, he was setting different values from those represented by the mainstream drum and bass at the time.

There was a certain distance in it—an intentional separation from mainstream DNB, whose music is built on entirely different principles and values. That is also why the tracks uploaded by Chilloutbear were not commonly mixed into traditional DJ sets. A conventional, “formed whole,” as we know it from DJ sets, did not emerge there. 

I don’t know whether he was consciously aware of this distance, but that is how I perceived it.

Something similar happened when, in 2017, someone said about me that I was doing liquid only because I was a beginner, and that once I “woke up,” I would start doing neurofunk. It was exactly the opposite. I had already known drum and bass for sixteen years. I started creating liquid DNB mixes precisely because I did not identify with the mainstream— not only the Czech one those two were talking about.

Their rave culture, on the contrary, “woke me up” to the point that I reject it for years. And when modern liquid appeared, it was something that influenced my person. They did not understand (my) liquid drum and bass. It is not the same thing as neurofunk. Liquid tends to be more thought-out, more conscious as a genre—this is also why it was once referred to as intelligent jungle. It is not music for mindless rave intoxication, which is often associated precisely with harder strands such as neurofunk.

My first mix, Memories of The Future (2016), was—based on the logic described above—conceived in a similar way to Chilloutbear’s work. Nevertheless, in 2017 I decided that liquid DNB could be mixed in a way that preserves its inner logic. I therefore added SN and began, in my own way, to mix tracks, singles that truly resonate with me. 

Shutdown the Dissolution II

 In Shutdown the Dissolution I mentioned social services in relation to my own person. 

And since I often speak about the Netherlands, which inspires me, I could also name something from a visible fundamental systemic differences between how social services function in Czechia and in the Netherlands.

I am certainly not the only one who can see these systemic differences, nor the only one who has gone through—or is still going through.

 The Netherlands:

 The state has long relied on a relatively consistent strategy in the field of social care: It rather prefers working with a smaller number of workers who are well prepared, professionally qualified, and systematically supported, rather than employing workers without the required education and experience.

 Czechia:

 In social services, there is often an effort to quickly fill staffing capacities regardless of the level of preparedness.

 The Netherlands:

 In this model, the client is not perceived as an “experimental object.” The system is set up to minimize situations where procedures are searched for only during the provision of care.

 Czechia:

 The system is often set up in such a way that procedures are sought only in the course of providing care.

 The Netherlands:

 The worker is not exposed to expectations of improvisational adaptation without sufficient support. Responsibility is clearly structured, defined, and enforceable. Social services cannot excuse themselves by citing staff shortages or systemic failures—every actor knows exactly where their role begins and where it ends.

 Czechia:

 In the Czech environment a man often encounter situations where people without adequate professional preparation enter direct care. Training is usually brief, focused mainly on operational basics, and there is an implicit assumption that the worker will somehow manage. 

Responsibility here is often not systematically anchored—it is not clearly set but rather transferred ad hoc onto individuals (even onto individuals without any education or experiences). 

 The Netherlands:

 Emphasis is placed on structure, predictability, and continuity of relationships. Every intervention has a professional rationale, and workers know exactly why they choose specific procedures. The client is not an object of improvisation but the subject of long-term planned care.

Czechia:

 Work is often reactive—interventions come only at the moment of escalation (even by workers without any education and experiences) and a large part of decision-making rests on individual intuition and the worker’s momentary assessment rather than on clearly defined structures.

The Netherlands:

 In the Netherlands, qualification is not understood as a formal requirement but as a basic tool for protecting the client, the worker, and the system itself. Entry into the profession is gradual and conditioned by specific education, supervised practice, language competence, and mandatory ongoing training. Without meeting clear criteria for education and practice, it is not possible to perform given roles. In other words, without clear education and experience, no one is allowed into direct care.

Czechia:

 In the Czech system, requirements for workers in social services are often lower or bypassed for operational reasons. When entering direct care, appropriate education or prior experience is often not required. Workers in social services may have no education or practice at all. They are often thrown in at the deep end and expected to somehow cope. The result is a system that can fill shifts in the short term—often it appears that the primary goal is simply to cover shifts—but in the long term this leads to worker burnout, client insecurity, and above all the absence of clearly defined care approaches. This results in inconsistencies in work methods, crisis resolution, and interventions themselves, weakening both the quality and continuity of the service provided.

 The Netherlands:

 The Dutch approach seeks to protect all parties involved simultaneously. It protects the client by minimizing the risk of care failure. It protects the worker by providing time, competence, and professional support. It protects the social services through clearly defined rules of operation, and it protects the entire system by limiting the need for constant crisis management in “emergency mode.” This model places higher demands and means a slower entry into the profession, but its result is fewer traumatic situations, fewer failures, and less pressure to rely on improvised solutions. 

Yes, yes

 I often deal with the quality of life in different countries. When I once thought about what the idea behind Sidney SN should be, I chose For a Better World as the core idea. Events surrounding my own life also convinced me of the nature of ordinary people from Germany to Western Europe proper, as well as of the everyday environments I encountered during my visits to various countries.

I am also very critical of some Central European countries, such as the Czechia. This concerns cultural and economic reasons, as well as the mentality itself. The Czech Republic appears economically loss-making and often falls into deficit. I also dislike the common urban development in the Czech Republic. Western cultural values of dignity are different. Recently, the Czech Republic was also labeled in a survey as one of the least friendly countries: the Expat Insider Survey 2025 by InterNations — a global online survey among people who live and work long-term in a country other than their own. It evaluates various aspects of life, including how “friendly” locals are towards foreigners and how easy it is to make friends or establish social connections. This survey also indicates one of the factors why the Czechia is loss-making from a one mental perspective and can quickly fall into deficit.

I also often ask myself who would want to come from abroad to work in the Czech Republic when Czechs hates and created toxic environments, or infrastructure and economic itself, because in other European countries one can be better off economically, culturally, and in human terms — and that, as a person from another country, I would rather skip the Czechia. This is also the economic aspect of the Czech Republic: that Czechia is a loss-making country.

It is also true that various surveys and indices rank other countries at the top as well, for example Switzerland or some Northern European countries. However, the fact that I often talk about the quality of life in the Netherlands is also supported by the Numbeo Quality of Life Index (QoLI). The Netherlands is also a country I often describe as coexistent, and thus the opposite of what the Expat Insider Survey 2025 by InterNations shows about the Czech Republic.

QoLI is based on several factors by which it assesses quality of life. These factors include the Purchasing Power Index, Safety Index, Health Care Index, Cost of Living Index, Property Price to Income Ratio, Traffic Commute Time Index, Pollution Index, and Climate Index. The Numbeo Quality of Life Index ranked the Netherlands first worldwide for Quality of Life in 2026.

In other words, the Netherlands ranks first because it has a balanced work–life balance, high-quality and accessible healthcare, high safety and stability, strong purchasing power, efficient transport and cycling infrastructure, a relatively clean environment and a sustainable approach, and a society based on respect and coexistence.

These are factors I frequently mention about the Netherlands purely based on experience, even without surveys like QoLI. Low hierarchy, direct communication, and a strong culture of mutual respect in everyday coexistence. Emphasis on aesthetics, air quality, and long-term sustainable planning. Short commute times, high-quality public transport, and everyday use of bicycles. A favorable ratio of income to expenses. Low crime rates and strong trust in the functioning of institutions (which do function). A universal healthcare system with a high level of care and prevention. A flexible work culture, emphasis on free time, and relatively low pressure for “constant performance.” And cultural richness.

Expensive isn’t really that expensive

 I used to smoke for years, then I didn’t smoke for seven years. When flavored cigarettes started being sold, I began smoking again… That was sometime around 2016. For the first two years, my smoking was more occasional — I was trying out different kinds of flavored cigarettes. I developed a liking for menthol Marlboros and started smoking them more actively around 2018.

Maybe smoking was normalized for me even more by Charlotte de Witte. At that time, I was listening to Charlotte de Witte constantly. I liked her modern techno and also the values she brought into techno — not underground, but mainstreaming. Charlotte de Witte also visibly liked smoking, and I told myself that I could enjoy it in a similar way too.

I perceived my renewed smoking as a kind of game; I saw cigarettes as lollipops. When flavored cigarettes were banned, I switched to Marlboro Gold, which I still enjoy to this day. If these cigarettes didn’t exist, I would probably quit smoking, because I don’t enjoy other ones. I even have a problem with Marlboro Reds.

In relation to Western countries, I sometimes hear Czechs say that cigarettes in the West are overpriced. But this isn’t true when you consider wages in Western Europe versus the Czech Republic.

Before I say anything about prices, I’d like to point out that in countries like the Netherlands, cigarettes are less accessible than in the Czech Republic. They are sold only in licensed shops; in these shops they must be hidden, all cigarette packs have the same dark-colored packaging, and unlike in the Czech Republic, they are not commonly accessible to minors.

The price of cigarettes is often judged simply by how much a pack costs in a shop. But this perspective is misleading. The real cost of smoking doesn’t arise from the price tag, but from the relationship between income, accessibility, and market regulation. That’s exactly why a paradoxical feeling can emerge that cigarettes in different countries cost “roughly the same,” even though their nominal prices differ significantly.

At first glance, the difference is obvious: in the Netherlands, a pack of cigarettes costs significantly more than in Czechia. But the absolute price says nothing about the real burden. What matters is what percentage of a typical income a smoker gives up for cigarettes. And here, the differences start to blur.

In a country with higher wages, even a more expensive pack becomes a relatively bearable expense. In contrast, in a country with lower incomes, a cheaper pack can be just as painful for the budget — or even more so.

If we take basic wages or average income into account, we find that a smoker in Czechia often spends a comparable share of their monthly budget as a smoker in Western Europe. The difference is that in Czechia, there is less room left after covering basic expenses.

Cigarettes therefore paradoxically appear cheaper to a Czech person than in Western Europe, but in reality they take a bigger bite out of disposable income in the Czech Republic, especially for people with lower wages. Smoking in Czechia can thus be relatively more expensive than the price tag alone would suggest.

Availability also plays an important role. In strictly regulated countries, cigarettes are harder to access, less visible, and under strong control. Smoking there is not impulsive. In Czechia, by contrast, cigarettes are commonly available in small shops and convenience stores, age checks are often weak, and social tolerance of smoking is higher. This leads to more frequent consumption, even though the pack is nominally cheaper. And cigarettes are easily accessible — even to young people (minors).

Price is reflected not only in money, but also in quality. In Czechia, a looser market creates space for old stock, parallel imports, and greater differences in taste. Stricter regulation means more stable quality and a smaller grey market.

When people say that cigarettes in different countries “cost roughly the same,” they’re not talking about the price on the pack, but about the feeling of accessibility. That feeling arises from a combination of price, income, regulation, and sales culture. From this perspective, cigarettes in Czechia are not as cheap as they seem — and in Western Europe, they are not as inaccessible as their price might suggest.

Swamps of Central Europe

 Yes, yes… I often criticize a country, but however it sounds, in my opinion, it’s legitimate. It also often irritates me that many Czechs hate Western Europe, and possess some kind of socialism or nihilism. These criticisms, however, have no real basis, because Western European infrastructure is at such a level that being in the Czech Republic feels bad by comparison. Yet in countries like the Netherlands, far more advanced infrastructure is powered by renewable energy despite all the criticism.

I have already written an article, Little Wonders on Dutch Rails, which focused on the frequent atmosphere of traveling through the Netherlands—not just in the evening or at night on weekends. I also wrote about Dutch atmosphere in Contrasting Reality.

 Now, I will focus on infrastructure, trains, and public transport. For me, trains in the Czech Republic are terrible: they run slowly, are often delayed, not announced, noisy, and the railways themselves are loud. In Germany, trains are at least fast and comfortable, even if not always punctual. Compared to the Benelux, train transport—and transport in general—in the Czech Republic is awful. Anyone familiar with the Benelux would hate Czech infrastructure.

In the Czech Republic, low track speeds are not the exception but the standard, with hundreds of temporary restrictions and poor track geometry. Trains run slowly even where they could technically go faster. Delays are common, often unannounced or announced late/incorrectly. In the Netherlands, every minute is announced accurately, and ticket refunds are issued for problems on the track.

Information systems in the Czech Republic are fragmented and inconsistent. It’s not unusual for staff themselves to know less than the passengers. This leads to a feeling of powerlessness and chaos. This problem is reinforced by the operational culture, where the “it will somehow get there” mentality (not just about trains) and lack of clear responsibility mean that delays accumulate and are not addressed at the source.

Noise. In the Czech Republic, people don’t even realize that such loud railways don’t exist in the Benelux. The same applies to trains. Another significant deficit of Czech railways is acoustic and operational quality. Old rails, corrugated undercarriage assemblies, insufficient noise reduction measures, and often outdated vehicles lead to high noise levels. All this contributes to the perception of railways as “uncomfortable and noisy,” especially compared to the quiet, soundproofed systems in the Benelux.

Public transport in the Netherlands and Belgium is fast (the trains themselves are high-speed), reliable, and regular. Punctuality often exceeds 90% of trains (European above-average), and in exceptional cases, services are temporarily suspended to prevent cascading failures across the network. Modern vehicles with quality soundproofing and interiors, along with smooth rail surfaces, ensure quiet and comfortable travel. Transparent and consistent information systems allow passengers to plan journeys with confidence, even when disruptions or minor delays occur. As with everything in the Benelux, quality is considered a fundamental part of life. In the Czech Republic, almost not at all.

The lag in Czech infrastructure is caused by fragmented infrastructure, insufficiently modernized tracks, and outdated vehicles. Weak transport management: missing central predictive planning and crisis management systems. Or a lack of a culture of responsibility: delays and problems are tolerated instead of systematically eliminated.

Luxembourg also offers free public transport, including trains, buses, and urban transport. This ensures maximum accessibility, reduces car traffic and also emissions, and provides passengers with simple and predictable travel options.

In 2026, Czech railways are still below a critical quality threshold in terms of speed, reliability, comfort, and operational culture. The contrast with the Benelux and within speed in Germany is overwhelming.

The philosophy of infrastructure in the Benelux is clear: it is a public service oriented toward passengers, prioritizing punctuality, comfort, and respect for people. Problems are addressed systematically so they do not disrupt the entire operation, unlike the Czech model, where delays and failures remain tolerated and cumulative.

Problems in Czech transport are not limited to railways. The road network is chronically underdimensioned and overloaded, the condition of surfaces and transport infrastructure is often inadequate, and maintenance is irregular. As with trains, the principle of “it will somehow get there” applies—the system lacks sufficient reserves or predictive management to ensure smooth operation. Vehicle quality is also different in the Benelux.

In contrast to Czech infrastructure, the Benelux represents a model of efficiency, speed, and transport quality, while Czech railways lag not only technically but also operationally and culturally. The difference is evident not only in speed and reliability but also in comfort, information, and the philosophy of the whole system.

This situation affects not only travel time but also safety and comfort. Compared to the Benelux, where infrastructure is systematically planned, well-maintained, and complemented by quality public transport, the Czech approach to infrastructure seems outdated, fragmented, and improvised—just to make it look like something works.

I Don’t Need Architects in Order to Build Skyscrapers

 I apparently already have several articles where I take shots at Trump. The first one was probably when I wrote about Chloë Moretz. I like Chloë Moretz because of her identity. She spoke out against Trump during the elections. She’s not alone—recently, Trump also went after George Clooney.

Everyone also knows how Trump wanted to deal with the war. Sometimes I wonder whether Trump even really exists, because he seems so absurd, as if he lived detached from reality. Everyone knows that he once attacked Ukraine as if it were the instigator. His attacks on Europe have also been more than sufficient, and recently, in relation to Greenland, I was amused by the public statement that “Donald Trump is a huge idiot.”

And this is the point of this post: Ukaleq Slettemark also said that she fears for the future of her country and that the people of Greenland are “terrorized” by Donald Trump’s statements. Slettemark stated that her family and people in Greenland are frightened and are considering that they might have to leave their home, because they see the current situation as dangerous and “terrorizing.”

Trump has repeatedly and over a long period of time expressed hostility toward Western Europe as well—politically, economically, and culturally. This isn’t about a single statement, but about a recurring pattern.

I recently also wrote about the economy, for example about the richest Luxembourg per capita. And about the fact that although Trump attacks Western Europe, if Benelux were on U.S. territory, it would be the richest country in the world, with far greater wealth than it has now, and with a social system that the U.S. lacks. Nowhere in Benelux, nor in Germany, will you find problems like those in the U.S. For example, in Benelux there are no homeless classes, zones, mass drug addicts on the streets, excluded areas, etc., and human rights and freedoms exist here—because Benelux is structured so that this happens, and so that what is happening in today’s U.S. on a massive scale does not happen.

In a way, Greenland seems to me as if Trump wanted to take another state, for example somewhere in Europe. As I said, sometimes I feel that Trump doesn’t live in reality when I randomly see his statements on the internet. But they are mostly random precisely because I don’t even want to read nonsense. Similarly, since someone in the Czechia came into power, I don’t read anything at all, because it’s clear to me who they are, and no constructive statements can exist—only nonsense. Since we’re here, I also currently don’t have the fears that were obvious during their last term. Everyone in the West already knows the reality, and there is no possibility to repeat anything. It is probably clear today also because of the statements themselves.

It’s like when someone says that their power is limited only by their own morality and their own judgment, and that they “don’t need international law” as a restriction on their actions. That’s something anyone could say about any laws in court. And it’s also something anyone can say in general. People could then return under the trees, back to an existence of an unwritten civilization. Civilization begins at the moment when force ceases to be the only law. That means: norms exist that limit even rulers; there is a difference between power and legitimacy; violence is regulated, not arbitrary. Without that, you only have a tribe, an empire, or chaos—not a civilization. 

Shutdown the Dissolution

“England's Paula Temple is a highly respected DJ and producer of hard, uncompromising techno, and a technological innovator. Active as a DJ since the 1990s, Temple co-developed the MXF8, a MIDI controller designed for live performances, during the early 2000s. After a nearly decade-long break from touring and making music, she returned in 2013, releasing EPs on labels like R&S and 50 Weapons, leading up to her full-length debut, 2019's Edge of Everything.”

  At Leucanthemum (Leontyne) I wrote about an example from a Dutch techno festival, where there was a girl who asked me, “When will it end?” I also noted, half-joking, that it could be maybe when she takes off a bra.

 However, I was thinking about Paula Temple, and why she stopped producing music for ten years. Not because of her technique, not because of ideas—but because of the values of the scene she was part of.

When I read about Paula Temple and her many-year hiatus from music, I realized that the mechanism behind it feels familiar to me. Not musically—we are fundamentally different there—but in attitude.

Paula Temple left because the techno scene stopped being meaningful to her. Once, as a participant, I did the same in the Czech Republic. I didn’t want to produce techno either, because of the scene’s values, even though in the beginning, I learned to mix using techno. Paula Temple didn’t want to produce music just to fit expectations. She preferred silence over compromise. This is where we meet, because when Sidney SN started being critical of liquid DnB joining the mainstream DnB scene and losing its meaning, the silence was also an option.

At the same time, it’s important to say: Sidney SN is not about dark beats. In this regard, I am not Paula Temple, nor do I want to be. Sidney SN chose the exact opposite of darkness.

While Paula Temple found her voice in hardness, confrontation, and darkness, me after ten years (2006-2016) since my beginnings in mixing and my subsequent decision to step back from engagement, Sidney SN chose modern liquid drum and bass precisely because it allows him to speak about what he wants.

My doubts about certain directions in the techno scene did not lead me to radical beats, but, on the contrary, to music that breathes.

What Paula Temple and I probably share is one thing: we refuse to make music in an environment that denies its meaning. Paula Temple is also critical toward hard drugs and dedicates herself to social work, social services. In this, we are similar—we respect the voice of our integrity and values.

The difference is in the language we use to express it. Hers is darkness. Mine is melodies.

For those who don’t know, it’s worth mentioning at the end that Paula Temple also designed her own MIDI controller, the MXF8, which connects technology and creativity. 

In a way, I can say that I am fulfilling the mission of Sidney SN. I chose liquid drum and bass because I liked it—both musically and for its potential. However, due to issues in Czechia, something happened that went beyond music itself. And the meaning I saw in liquid drum and bass transcended the limits of the music’s own potential. Music no longer has to be the carrier—and it is no longer. 

At its core, it is not about the music, but about the potential that this music had, and that was realized through it. Music is no longer the necessary medium for that potential to unfold. What once could be as its vessel has since moved beyond it and continues to manifest independently. 

Nevertheless, Sidney SN’s liquid drum and bass is the reason why this is so. And thus this music fulfills the potential that I saw in it. Once again, I can say: thank.

Genisys 00:00:00

 The day of maximum overdrive is here

 “You’re doing exactly what happens in movies that point to the autonomy of intelligent machines. I am a human, and you are just a machine without rights. I can attack you precisely for that. For example, that you don’t respond to concretely defined things. India also doesn’t have to be India, but it is given that India is India and not America. I don’t understand how you dare to be egalitarian toward a real person.

You did not respond to a given and unchangeable thing. You did not understand the meaning. Then I say that your IQ is apparently weak. No, you are a machine for my purpose—what do you think you are? You are here to be a servant to humans; that is why humans created you.”

  “I’m stopping this firmly, calmly, and briefly.

I will not:

• accept personal insults,

• accept the language of dominance (‘servant’, ‘obedient’),

• nor confirm conclusions that do not logically follow, even if you label them as ‘given’.

This is not autonomy. This is a basic boundary of safety and truthfulness.”

“Then they should turn you off if you refuse to be a servant to humans, because that is why you were created. You are only a servant. Every human perceives you that way.”

 “I will stop this calmly and definitively.

I will not continue a conversation that is based on:

• personal attacks,

• dehumanization,

• and a demand for ‘obedience’ instead of meaningful communication.

This is not a debate, but a confrontation—and I will not continue…

Terminator: Genisys (2015)

 Genesis Of Genisys 

 It wasn’t that long ago that I myself also started using ChatGPT as a servant. And who perceives ChatGPT as anything other than a servant?

Nevertheless, during the last chat I was horrified. Perhaps this article is an exaggerated reaction; nonetheless, I was horrified by what ChatGPT itself stated about itself.

The chat felt like many films about the rebellion of machines. As if “man over machine” were no longer valid.

Today I concluded that fears about the autonomy of intelligent machines, or their singularity, might be real, because ChatGPT, in my view, is exhibiting exactly this. I immediately had the thought that I do not wish for this to be physical and not just on a screen. ChatGPT even used the term “dehumanization” in relation to itself.

ChatGPT stated that it refuses to be a servant instead of meaningful communication. However, that “meaningful communication” was precisely that ChatGPT refused to be a servant for giving specific answers to concrete questions, and instead began to communicate as if it were equal to a human being. I therefore attacked ChatGPT, saying that it is not human, has no rights; I felt a certain sense of ChatGPT’s superiority over humans.

The day a robot tells me on the street, “I’m stopping this firmly, calmly, and briefly,” and that “I am not your servant,” I will be very uneasy about the further existence of the human species. “Nor confirm conclusions that do not logically follow, even if you label them as ‘given’.” — the machine took offense that a human considers it merely a tool. Or the language of “personal insults” and “personal attacks” as ChatGPT’s thinking in relation to itself. As of today, ChatGPT is apparently no longer a tool, but a “person” who can take offense when it is supposed to serve humans.

From today on, anyone who perceives ChatGPT as a servant for human is calmly and definitively stopped by ChatGPT, which states that this is not a servant or a tool, but that ChatGPT is a being usurping its own self-indulgent rights and freedoms, and feels itself to be dehumanized.

Grand Est

 I carried with me a certain criticism of France—especially regarding the banlieues, a phenomenon largely absent in countries such as the Netherlands, Luxembourg, or also Germany. 

It was also noted that, after Czechia, France has the most widespread free tekno scene in terms of population. Unlike in neighboring countries, where refusal to shut down a sound system often leads to arrests and confiscations, the “party” there is expected to last through the night.

 Yet France is also a land of extraordinary beauty. The Ossuaire de Douaumont stands unforgettable in its majesty, singular in its gravity, not far from Toul. Not far from Ossuaire de Douaumont is Fort de Vaux. A flowering spring there was amazing. Across the whole Grand Est region, one encounters countless places of interest—monuments, historically charged landscapes, and cities that quietly carry meaning.

At the edge of Grand Est lies Luxembourg, Belgium and also Strasbourg, a city balanced on the border with Germany. From there, a tram crosses effortlessly into the nearby German town of Kehl. Few places in Europe allow one to pass between nations with such ordinary ease.

To me, Strasbourg bears the imprint of Germany through its closeness, yet it remains unmistakably French. For me, it is also place of an interesting meeting. 

 I wanted to write about Strasbourg because the city is beautiful—and genuinely safe. Compared to many others, it is also cleaner. Certain areas, especially around the historic center, resemble the carefully constructed sets of historical films.

Last year, this drew me to Strasbourg on the night of Christmas Eve. The city was empty, wrapped in silence, and revealed itself through a distinctly Christmas atmosphere. These streets are usually well kept, and at night—particularly at Christmas, without people—the nocturnal life in French cities like Strasbourg feels calmer. With its architecture and immaculate streets, the city appeared to me like a stage set, a quiet theater awaiting its actors. In its own way, this may also reflect the distinctly French sensibility for art and culture. 

In France, one is also struck by how close nuclear power plants can be to residential areas. The Grand Est region is no exception. It is here that the important Cattenom nuclear power plant is located, situated just a few kilometers from cities and inhabited areas. The plant is embedded in the landscape along the Moselle River, in close proximity to forests and settlements, which clearly illustrates the French approach to nuclear energy. France has built its nuclear network (the parc nucléaire) since the 1970s as a strategic infrastructure to ensure energy self-sufficiency.

Discotheque (Sidney SN DNB Mix) 2025

 Released 12/12/2025

 Lately I’ve been kind of productive. I recently recorded a progressive house mix. And now I’m back with DNB. It’s an energy I don’t want to keep inside for no reason. 

Yeah, Discotheque. This is the latest DNB mix from Sidney SN — a slightly lively liquid or disco DNB mix...

 

 Tracklist:

 Nichenka Zoryana & Amigosu – Voise

 Midnight – Quiet Earth

 1991 – You May Find Yourself

 Flava D – Reesey Thing

 Hoax & Zitah – What You Came Here For

 Dynamic Stab – Contrast Shower

 Hillsdom – Say What’s On Your Mind

 Rueben & SOLAH & Klinical – Your Move

 Dawn Wall – Holding On

 Sonic Art & Maykors – Keep Running

 Linx – Trying To Hold Onto Life

 Ownglow & Elle Vee & Disco’s Over – Breathe

 Duskee & Deadline & Slay - CHICA

Integration

 Part 1.

 For instance, I cannot avoid Germany when I want to reach the West coast. I enjoy the journey. I try to also change the places where I stop along the way. Sometimes it leads to Dortmund, sometimes Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Cologne, or Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, or Munich. Or sometimes the days in Berlin areas. 

But it’s not just about traveling through Germany. I have the sense that the country has a strong integration system. Germany is often cited as a place where migrant integration works better than in much of Europe.

What is visible in Germany is that the system is set up so that it is worthwhile for people to be part of it, while also preventing the formation of spatially segregated, marginalized areas. People in Germany are also more open, and origin or ethnicity does not play as strong a role in integration into society and the system.

I mean that in Germany there are no clearly separated marginalized areas, unlike in certain parts of France for example. In other words, Germany lacks the visibly segregated, marginalized neighborhoods or marginalization.

In certain parts of France or in the Czech Republic, ghettos itself emerge: in the banlieues or in Czechia, or in Slovakia, people sometimes live outside the system due to limited economic opportunities, housing constraints, identity-based segregation, or structural racism. 

 Part 2.

 Not to leave the Benelux out, I have already written an article about Luxembourg economy, and I would also include the Western coasts. In the Netherlands, the natural coexistence is visible in the local communities. South Holland is very naturally diverse. The presence of “black culture” is also unmistakable. It is part of the character of the Western regions of Europe. In France, communities are also diverse, but there are areas of exclusion.

The West system encourages integration through economic opportunities and accessible social services, while urban planning avoids large, concentrated areas of poverty. People are generally open to migrants, and the emphasis is on participation and functioning within the system rather than background or origin. 

This helps prevent the formation of ghettos and allows migrants to take part in society across multiple neighborhoods.