At one of his recent Get Closer parties in Amsterdam, Luuk van Dijk was literally handing out pizza to the crowd while his girlfriend mixed cocktails at the bar. Friends later said it felt like they were at “someone’s house party”, mission accomplished for Luuk’s vision of keeping things intimate and fun. If you haven’t heard of him yet, imagine a DJ who pairs an old-school soul with a modern twist, and who cares more about good vibes than hype.
That’s Luuk van Dijk in a nutshell, a rising Dutch DJ/producer making waves in the underground house scene with a casual grin and serious groove.
Luuk van Dijk’s musical journey started early in life. Born in 1996 to an opera singer mother and a music teacher father, he grew up in the Dutch town of Hilversum surrounded by eclectic sounds. As a kid, he was playing piano by age 7 and soaking up everything from classical and jazz to hip-hop thanks to his family’s influences. By his early teens, Luuk discovered the world of electronic dance music, tuning into radio mix shows and spending afternoons at record shops sparked his obsession with DJing. It wasn’t long before he tried his hand at making beats on the computer; he began producing his own tracks around 2011, when he was just 15.
Those bedroom studio sessions paid off quickly. In 2013, at 17, Luuk won the Kunstbende DJ contest, earning a spot to perform at the famed Mysteryland Festival the following year. Imagine being a teenager playing a major festival stage, that was a defining moment for him. He continued to refine his craft, even enrolling at the Herman Brood Academy (a renowned music school in the Netherlands) to sharpen his production and DJ skills. While other kids his age might have been playing video games, Luuk was digging through sample packs and saving up for vintage synths, developing a work ethic that would set him apart.
By 2015 he had released his first EP (on Roush, a respected house label) which earned praise and DJ support from heavyweights like Marco Carola and Joris Voorn. These early milestones, from winning contests to impressing techno titans, cemented Luuk van Dijk’s path in the electronic music world before he was even out of his teens.
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Ask anyone who’s caught Luuk van Dijk behind the decks, and they’ll tell you about his signature sound: warm, punchy basslines and a groovy vibe with an old-school touch. Although he’s firmly rooted in house and tech-house, Luuk isn’t a one-trick pony. In his own words, “I like to make all kinds of house music, sometimes more clubby, vibey, low-key, and sometimes just a banger.” That ethos comes through in both his DJ sets and productions. One night you might hear him drop a sleazy, low-slung basement tune, and the next track could be an upbeat floor-filler with a classic 90s house flavor.
Luuk’s broad musical upbringing definitely plays a role in his sound. Growing up listening to everything from his mom’s opera CDs to his brother’s hip-hop collection gave him an ear for melody and rhythm outside the usual four-to-the-floor template. He’s mentioned that he still listens to genres like soul and jazz on his own time, which might surprise those who assume a DJ only lives on club beats. All these influences sneak into his productions in subtle ways. For example, he’s not shy about incorporating retro elements, in studio sessions he’ll “recycle sounds from the past” with his synth jams, basically digging for old-school samples or classic drum machine hits and flipping them into something new. The result is a catalog of tracks that nod to house music’s roots even as they pack a punch for today’s dancefloors.
Crucially, Luuk’s sound has evolved as he’s grown as an artist. Early on, he admits, he was focused on making outright dancefloor weapons to get the party going. But over time he learned to let go of overthinking what might work in a club or what labels expect, and instead just create music he personally loves. That mindset shift led to some of his best work.
In 2022, he took a bold step by releasing his debut album First Contact, a project that allowed him to stretch out beyond the confines of EPs and singles. On the album, Luuk explores a wider range of tempos and moods than fans might have expected, from laid-back listening interludes to funk-infused grooves, alongside a few guaranteed bangers for good measure. He even brought in unexpected collaborators (like American R&B vocalist Dawn Richard on one track) to add new flavors.
“I just made what I thought sounded cool and let go of thoughts like ‘will this work on the dancefloor?’,” he said about the album process. That freedom paid off. First Contact feels like a personal journey through Luuk’s influences and identity, the kind of album you can enjoy at home or in the club. It’s a testament to how he’s carving out his own lane: staying true to the old-school spirit while keeping his eyes on the future of the sound.
Luuk’s first big break came in 2014, when at just 18 he opened the mainstage at Mysteryland after winning the Kunstbende DJ contest, a debut most DJs could only dream of. That set the tone for the years that followed.
By the late 2010s, he was landing slots at heavyweight events like DGTL Amsterdam, Awakenings, elrow, Cocoon, and Paradise x Loveland during ADE. Whether it was an outdoor festival or a packed club night, he was sharing the bill with big names like Patrick Topping, The Martinez Brothers, and Joseph Capriati.
His discography grew just as fast. Early EPs on Roush and Food Music helped put him on the map, and soon he was releasing on house staples like Hot Creations, Eastenderz, Solid Grooves (and Solid Grooves Raw), and VIVa MUSiC. In 2019, he launched Dark Side Of The Sun, a label built to give him complete creative freedom and a place to release tracks with a slightly rougher edge.
That same label became the home for his biggest statement so far, his debut album First Contact. Released on November 11, 2022, the 13-track LP moves through club heaters, funk-driven grooves, and laid-back cuts, with collaborations from Dawn Richard and Kid Enigma adding extra color.
Since then, Luuk has kept the momentum rolling with the Get My Luv EP on No Art, the peak-time single “Do It Timmy” on Factory 93 Records, and his 2024 collab with Kolter, “Good 4 U”, a 90s-inspired house track that quickly became a crowd favorite.
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So, what is Luuk van Dijk up to these days? In short: a lot! For one, he’s continuing to helm his Dark Side Of The Sun label, scouting and releasing tracks from a range of talented friends and newcomers. He’s hinted that the label’s forthcoming releases will feature an eclectic mix of sounds, true to his ethos of “send me the tracks you don’t know where to send” and giving them a home.
On the events side, Luuk’s Get Closer series, launched in 2024, is still going strong. These aren’t oversized productions with huge stages or fireworks — they’re intimate, all-day gatherings with a warm, house-party vibe. The first edition took over Amsterdam’s BRET for 12 hours straight, with Luuk handing out pizza and mingling with the crowd between sets from friends like Theo Kottis and Kepler. It’s a concept that’s as much about community as it is about music, and with its success, more editions are on the horizon. There’s even a Get Closer radio show, bringing that energy to listeners around the world.
In the studio, Luuk is keeping the momentum going, sticking to the groove-driven style that first put him on the map. His 2025 releases, Disco Tetris (Remixes), his remix of Gorgon City’s “Run It Back” featuring Caroline Byrne, and the upcoming track “Everything”, are all set to make their mark on dancefloors this year.
Touring remains just as ambitious, with Luuk keeping his home crowd well-fed this year. On August 29, Get Closer returns to Lofi in Amsterdam, bringing back that intimate, all-day party vibe. Then, on October 24, he’s hosting a special Get Closer edition during Amsterdam Dance Event, a perfect fit for one of the biggest weeks in the city’s club calendar.
Pro tip: check out his official tour page or Instagram for the latest dates. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to see him live if he’s in your area.
As for what’s next creatively, Luuk seems content to keep doing what he loves: refining his craft, exploring new sounds, and sharing music with people. He’s spoken about being excited for the future and “rolling on the good times” ahead. Given how far he’s come in just a decade, it feels like Luuk’s journey is still only in mid-flight, with plenty of chapters yet to be written.
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