It’s dance, it’s bass, it’s benaaihilism, it’s Van Pletzen. Dropping their 5th studio album at the end of April and we are ready for the legehness for “Benaaihilism”.
If you haven’t listened to the new album, you are seriously missing out on getting your ass shaken like you live in Gqeberha. You will enter the grootness of a party you just created by yourself by opening your Spotify and gooi the volume. “Benaaihilism”.
I have my firm favourites, “Maia-hee” is high on the list due to a cool little connection with the song (read our review on the song), “Skud Skud” and “Kinders van die Kosmos”. You have not partied karate till you popped this album onto your car playlist and drive to an epic adventure – might be to the Spar, might be to a braai.
In between their shows in the Nederlands and touring SA non-stop, Peach van Pletzen, die Groot Hond, squeezed in some time for a few questions we had.
STM: Why should the people in the world listen to Benaaihilism?
PvP: To feel benaai and to not feel alone in their feelings of nihilism. To feel seen and to find a balance between the beauty and the brokenness of being human.
STM: One of my favourite tracks is “Maia-Hee” ft SOSSI, most probably due to the nostalgic feelings. Do you have a favourite track on the album?
PvP: Benaaihilism and Dis nie so diep nie. “Skud Skud” and “Gqeberha Shake Dat Ass” are also live favourites.
STM: Your co-lab on the album are Emma B “Kinders van die Kosmos” which is great live by the way, tell us a little more about this song?
PvP: Emma B is an amazing and hugely underrated singer. We have collaborated before on “Beurtkrag” and “Hartedief” and it just felt right to have her on this album. “Kinders van die Kosmos” is also a favourite off the album and we hope to do it live in the near future. To me the song feels like being lost and found at the same time. Not belonging and finding a home in that acceptance.
STM: Who will be the ultimate artist to co-lab with for you?
PvP: Tommy Cash. We have been fans of his for a long time and I love his absurdism and social commentary.
STM: We just saw you guys live at Misty Waters in Secunda. Do you have a favourite festival or venue you love to perform at?
PvP: There are so many great ones! This year alone, three standout ones were Up the Creek, Splashy Fen and Misty Waters.
STM: What is the weirdest town or city you have performed at? That you wake up and wonder, “Sjoe, we played here?”
PvP: Haha, I think the towns find us weirder than we find the towns. We love travelling around our beautiful country and seeing all the weird and wonderful people.
STM: “Skud-Skud” reminds me of an old TV game intro song, if you could create a TV game, what would you call it, and what would it be about?
PvP: Awakening the Legehness. Groothond and Nax are on a quest to defend the galaxy using the sacred art of the Legehness and martial arts. Nax also has a side quest where he developed a naxine to naxinate people against a virus called the kak-bleakness.
Oh and we utterly destroy AI music with the raw power of the kakgroot kuns.
STM: The album is extremely well produced and completely different from your previous album, How Many Months of blood, sweat and trane has it taken to give the world these amazing tunes?
PvP: We worked on this album on and off for about a year and a half. Touring in between and also releasing our acoustic album called “Om Lig Te Maak” as well as a season of Praating.
STM: When you are on tour overseas, what is the one thing you can’t leave without and that will only make sense for South Africans to have?
PvP: My passport and visas.
STM: Despite the fact that your music doesn’t receive a lot of airplay on radio stations, your shows are extremely popular. What is the secret?
PvP: Be authentic in what you create and let the love of creating and art be your motivation. Don’t try to become famous. If you want to be famous, something is wrong.
STM: Any wise parting words from you to the readers?
PvP: Not all popular music is good and not all good music is popular.
