The Sound of Eindhoven: Hangmat, Joost & Pim

It was literally the first song he ever wrote. And it was a direct hit as well. During The Sound of Eindhoven, the public chose 'Lichtjesroute' as the anthem of the city. A song made in collaboration with Pim Latour en Joost Prins. Paul Lichtveld, alias Hangmat, is new to music, but here to stay. "Last night I put that trophy in the middle of my parents' kitchen table. Switched the lights on and just bursted with pride."

Music was always there. For as long as he can remember, his father has been making Latin music, and in high school, he regularly performed with a band. Singing covers from the past.  

But with a pre-university diploma in his pocket, he decided to proceed in that direction. He studies business and consumer sciences in Wageningen. For four years music disappeared into the background until corona came along. "I was looking for a hobby and thought, let’s try making rap songs. I love hip hop, and that's how the account Hangmat on Instagram came about. With just a few followers, by the way, it's actually the first time I've done anything on social media. It all began with about 15 friends who started following me. I asked them to give me four random words and I forced myself to start playing with those words."

Together with friend Pim Latour, producer of Lichtjesroute, he spent hours in the studio this year. "One time I said to him: we should actually make an anthem for Eindhoven. Not much later Pim sent me a link to the Sound of Eindhoven. It just had to be that way. Together with Pim and Joost Prins we recorded this song."

Lichtjesroute begins with himself:

Ben een jongen van de stad en de g is misschien zacht, maar de mening die is hard

Then:

Wat maakt Eindje Eindje? Kom ik neem je mee

(...)

Als de nacht valt, en ik half dronken vanuit Stratum naar huis toe strompel na een paar borrels, volg de lichtjes zodat ik niet in slaap dommel volg de lichtjes omdat ik niet meer aanrommel …

"I just had to make a pun about Dommel. Ommel..., that's really an Eindhoven sound. My sister used to say 'strombol' too, instead of strandbal (beach ball)."

This interview with Paul takes place the morning after the Sound of Eindhoven. He still can't believe he won. After the announcement, his phone exploded and he spent until four in the morning toasting the victory. "I'm really bursting with pride. It's not that I'm already very well known in the music scene, I also just have a handful of followers on Instagram. The fact that the public chose this song really does something to me. When I came home last night I put that trophy in the middle of my parents' dining table. Switched the lights on. Yes!"

He just finished his thesis, and soon he will return to Eindhoven. "I sincerely feel like living here again." He's going to look for a job, but most of all, he's going to try very hard to move forward in music. "When I'm in the studio, it's almost meditative. It’s just me and the music. Nothing else. But I also truly enjoyed performing for the Sound of Eindhoven. A fucking awesome feeling too."

The Sound of Eindhoven track - Lichtjesroute

Hangmat - rap and lead vocals
Pim Latour - piano and production
Joost Prins - guitar and backing vocals