The first time I had the pleasure of meeting Fries Taillieu, we met in Amsterdam before driving down to Ghent, Belgium together, back when mans was driving a Mercedes 220 CDI.
He’s since traded in his Merc for a bicycle, now that he’s living in Amsterdam permanently, although don’t mention his bike. It was stolen last week so it’s a touchy subject right now.
Sharing any drive with someone can be tough when it comes to conversation, but it’s music choice that’s a real dealbreaker. We’ve all been there. Sitting in shotgun gritting our teeth whilst said driver sings along to something you fucking despise. Luckily that moment never came, for as we set off on the A4 south, the familiar sound of Aphex Twin – Xtal filled the car space.
“You like Aphex Twin right?”.
“Yes Fries. Yes I do”.
That drive flew by and as we arrived at Fries’ places I was greeted by a copy of Teeb’s’ Estara on vinyl. It had literally dropped a week prior and at that point I didn’t know anyone else who knew Teebs, let alone owned his album. Looking back it was probably a watershed moment in our friendship. You just know when someone’s on the same frequency musically. We’ve been sharing tunes ever since. Which is why we asked Fries to share some music with you. And despite the aforementioned artists stemming deep within the electronic realm, the playlist below is a far broader mix, showcasing Fries’ eclectic ear and love for all genres.
Don’t take our for word for it. Listen.