IN CONVERSATION WITH TINLICKER

interview by SARA BRAJKO

From their early days in Utrecht’s underground to remixing legends like Robert Miles and commanding the stages of ADE, Tinlicker has never played by the rulebook. Their sound is less about genres and more about feeling. And as they touch down in Saint Martin for SXM Festival, it’s clear: this isn’t just a performance. It’s a pulse, a philosophy, a refusal to play it safe. 

We caught up with Micha Heyboer, one-half of the duo beachside, just before his set, to talk origin stories, orchestral dreams, and why they’d rather make music that moves people than music that follows the rules.

You blend elements of house, techno, and trance in a seamless way. What’s a surprising influence or genre that has shaped your sound that fans might not expect? 

It’s a bit of a mix, because I come from a drum and bass background. I'm also part of a drum and bass act called Black Sun Empire. So, I come from the underground, and Jordi van Achthoven comes more from the progressive house. And in the 90s, it was more alternative. You know, grunge and metal. But now it's more stuff like Radiohead. I hardly listen to dance music, it's funny. We tend to not be influenced too much by what other people are doing. So, I guess, the fans can expect anything from classical to metal music.

image credit MATT EACHUS provided by the SXM Festival

What’s it like performing in Amsterdam? 

I’m actually from Utrecht, right next to Amsterdam. There’s a bit of a rivalry. As a kid, I went to concerts at Melkweg and Paradiso. Those venues are special to me—we’ve played them both now. The Gashouder is another incredible venue, especially for events like Awakenings and ADE. 

You mentioned that there might be a rivalry between Utrecht and Amsterdam… Do you notice a difference in fan base between the two cities? 

A little. In Utrecht, they cheer with this “U” sound that sounds like booing to outsiders. They even put signs in venues: They’re not booing—you’re being cheered. But I remember we played this show in Amsterdam, and I said, greetings from Utrecht. And then there were a lot of people from Utrecht, and they started making the same sound. So, there's a rivalry, but it's friendly. I guess it has to do with football. And of course, it's the capital city, so they always have enemies. Everybody wants to be the popular kid, and there can only be one. Keeps things fun, though. 

You’ve remixed legends like Deadmau5 and Robert Miles. If you could rework any track from music history, which one would it be and why? 

Oh... It's a dream for us to do something with Thom Yorke—a singer from Radiohead. 

Just because, I guess he influenced us, and I just really appreciate what he does for music. They just keep reinventing themselves. So, it would be really nice to do something with him. When it comes to remixes, it's always really dangerous, because some of those remixes that we do, we do it so we can play them out live. And not to actually release them, but then sometimes you get asked, can we actually release the song, because we like the remix? It's the same thing that happened with Children and with alt-J. 

But it's hard to touch a classic, because it was good already. Why do you want to improve it? It's really hard to maintain the core of what the tune is about and not make it too modern or something. So, we don't really think too much about what we want to remix. Actually, I think we'd rather not remix too much. We want to write a lot of our own stuff at the moment.

image credit JAMES BRIDLE provided by the SXM Festival

Your live performances create deep, immersive experiences. What's the most unforgettable moment that you have? 

It was really like last year. We did our album tour and we did a lot of live shows. And we decided to end it in our hometown in Utrecht. And then the first night, we played a concert with the Metropole Orchestra. So, it was kind of like a classical version of what we do. The day after, we did our own live show with an after-party as DJing. So, it was just a really beautiful way to end the year. And all your friends are there, your family is there. And we brought a few singers. And it was a special two days. So, I think for me, it's a highlight so far. 

So, talking about the festival, set in a tropical paradise. How does performing in such a unique place influence yourself and the audience's energy? 

I'm not sure, because I always just play most of our own music. So, I just hope that they like it. That it will translate. Yeah, but I think it could work real well with the beautiful surroundings. I'm really looking forward to it. But I haven't really prepared for it to be different. I just want people to hear who we are. 

Talking about your music, any new music coming out that your fans can look forward to? 

Actually, we started working on a new album and we have a new single coming out in a few weeks. We're working on a lot of new music. This year is more about writing music than touring. 

Do you have any pre-show rituals to ground yourself—or post-show routines to unwind? Will you be exploring the island, hitting an afterparty, or taking in the Caribbean vibe? 

I try not to have a pre-show ritual, because then you start to get nervous if you don't do it before the set. As for exploring the island, unfortunately, no. I don't have enough time. Maybe next time.