Newtone: energy, friendship & the future of house

Some stories in dance music aren’t written in studios or on stages but in classrooms, childhood neighborhoods, and years of shared curiosity. For NewTone, the Amsterdam-based duo made up of two lifelong friends, their sound is the natural evolution of that bond; a blend of youthful discovery, creative instinct, and mutual trust.

Their journey from playing around with beats in high school to hitting the Beatport charts and stages like Lowlands and Loveland feels like the blueprint of modern house music: DIY, dynamic, and driven by friendship. Their sets radiate joy, spontaneity, and the same sense of surprise they share when they test out new tracks live.

With recent recognition as one of Tomorrowland’s “Future 4” and a global following that stretches from Amsterdam to Australia, NewTone is shaping the next era of house. One built on connection, groove, and genuine energy. In this interview, we dive into their creative chemistry, milestones, and what the future holds for the duo who keep proving that friendship might just be the strongest rhythm of all.

Let’s start at the beginning. You’ve known each other since childhood, long before NewTone even existed. What were those early days like, and how did your friendship evolve into a creative partnership that still feels fresh today?

NewTone: We met at elementary school when we were 4 years old. The years that followed were when our friendship formed. We both went to the same high school, where we became best friends and started exploring the endless world of music together. The partnership still feels fresh today because we keep exploring new music all the time and challenging each other to do so. When one of us finds a new artist or track we like, we look forward to sharing it with the other.

We also do this while playing live, surprising each other with a new track one of us hasn’t heard yet, which is fun because one of us then experiences what the crowd is hearing for the first time. Because we challenge each other on this, the bar is set high for which tracks are ‘good enough’ to play live, and this has a positive effect on our live set track lists.

Was there a specific moment when you realized this friendship could become a career, not just playing around with music but committing to building something bigger together?

NewTone: It’s fun to think about this, because to be honest, we have had more than 50 moments we hugged because of this realization that we could make a career out of this. These moments occurred during or after sets we played at places we always dreamt of playing, but, funny enough, they happened in the studio. Even five years ago (when the quality of the tracks was a bit less), we were jumping in the room because we thought we had just made the next international hit. If we listen back to those tracks now, we burst out laughing.

Growing up side by side, knowing each other so well, gives you a kind of unspoken rhythm in the studio and on stage. How does that connection influence the way you perform and produce?

NewTone: 100%. Because we have been making and playing music together for so many years, we have developed perfect musical chemistry. Even though our tastes are almost the same, we both have certain sounds, percussion, vocals, and so on that we really love, and we know this about each other. So sometimes one of us enters the room with, “I found a track you are gonna worship,” and then this is always the case.

Your first two EPs went straight into the Beatport Top 3, and now you’re playing some of the most significant events in Europe. When you look back at your trajectory, what moments made you stop and think, “Okay, this is really happening”?

NewTone: Several moments. One we both really appreciate is our set at Lowlands, a festival we always go to and a place where we learnt a lot about music and have always dreamt of playing. When we finished our set, we asked each other, “Do you know what just happened, because I don’t.”

Also, when our second EP ever got into the Beatport Top 3, we couldn’t believe it because we told ourselves after our first EP: “Don’t expect this to happen any time soon again.” But it did.

Let’s talk about your time in Australia. The first tour was a milestone last year, and now you’re preparing for a second run in January. How did the Australian crowds respond to your sound, and what did you take back home from that experience?

NewTone: For us, it was a dream coming true. Playing at the other side of the world and seeing the crowd sing along with our tracks gives an unreal feeling. The crowd was really invested in which DJ and music were playing at a party. Especially this makes us feel extra excited for our next tour in January.

From Loveland to Lowlands, you’ve played almost every key stage in the Netherlands. When you think about your home scene in Amsterdam, what makes it so unique, and how do you keep that local spirit alive as your international career grows?

NewTone: To be honest, Amsterdam will always be our favorite city to play. We often play all-nighters at some of our favorite intimate venues like RadioRadio and Nachbar, and those nights are always very special. All our friends are there, we feel endless freedom to play whatever we want, and at the end of the night, we go home on our bikes, haha.

You’ve been named one of Tomorrowland’s “Future 4” artists. Did that kind of global recognition change your mindset in any way, or did it simply confirm what you were already building behind the scenes?

NewTone: Well, this really gave a boost in terms of self-confidence in that period. We weren’t sure our music was good enough, but getting recognition from a festival like Tomorrowland changed that. These kinds of recognitions give us a boost to make even more music and create trust in the process.

Your collaboration with Sam Alfred on Bébé Recordings feels like a perfect match, two worlds of house coming together. How did the idea for Energy start, and what was the creative chemistry like between you in the studio?

NewTone: Before this collab, Sam and us used to send a lot of music back and forth because we really liked each other’s sound. Since Sam lives on the other side of the world, we couldn’t do a studio session, so we came up with the idea of swapping some unfinished ideas. When Sam first sent us the concept of Energy, we immediately felt it, so we started adding our own sauce. He really loved it, so we sent him our idea for Samba so he could put his sauce on that one. After he did that, this EP was born.

Both tracks, Energy and Samba, capture different moods: one, pure adrenaline; the other, playful and sun-soaked. Can you walk us through how you approached them and what you wanted people to feel when listening?

NewTone: After almost a year of testing both tracks on the dancefloor, we found out that both tracks are absolute party bangers. Both tracks have a break that surprises you on the dancefloor, a real “wow moment,” something we try to seek in every track we make. In our opinion, both tracks work best in a dark club and at festivals where we played them last summer.

Looking ahead, what’s next for NewTone? More releases, more touring, or maybe a deeper evolution in your sound that fans haven’t heard yet?

NewTone: Where we will go sound-wise in the future is hard to tell, also for ourselves. We love a wide range of house music, from deeper stuff to uplifting sounds. We always try to combine different elements from different subgenres and blend them into a new tone. Experiencing and experimenting with new sounds gives us the most inspiration in the studio.