Baut doch eine Mauer
um den scheiß Kontinent
Die Gefahr scheint euch real um euer
scheiß letztes Hemd
[Why don't you build a wall around the wole damn continent The danger seems real to you for your last f*** shirt.] „Gebt doch endlich zu, euch fällt sonst nichts mehr ein“, Die Goldenen Zitronen im Jahre 2019 als Kommentar zu der Flüchtlingspolitik der Europäischen Union)
B O D I E S is the creation of Berlin-based Australian singer, songwriter and producer Kat Frankie. On stage, Frankie presents an a cappella performance about what it means to be made of matter with seven brilliant singers, including the amazing Albertine Sarges, whom attentive Popcast readers should already know. The group's spherical chorales, vulnerable but robust, contrast their timeless beauty and harmony with the melancholy lyrics and in many places seem like a defiant counter-draft to the absurdity and cruelty of the present. In addition to classical passages, the album is also characterized by melancholy passages between pop and soul, which show the impressive range of the members.
The fact that the Turkish people who were invited to Germany as guest workers in the 1960s had established a solid subculture in a foreign country over the years, with their own songs and stars that were heard millions of times but hardly noticed in their home country, was not known for a long time and only came to light a few years ago in the form of well-researched collections such as Songs of Gastarbeiter by Imran Ayata & Bülent Kullukcu or the great documentary Love, Deutschmarks and Death (available to watch for free on our Goethe-on-demand channel until February 13). A second generation of these artists is now setting out to unite past and present. This includes Sinem Arslan Ströbel, a singer with Turkish roots who grew up in Upper Bavaria, who reinterprets classic Turkish pop songs in a sharper and more modern way on her debut album Köşk with Munich-based Tagar from Friends of Gas (guitar) and Tom Wu (drums, loops). As with Derya Yildirim and her Grup Simsek, the result is catchy and exciting music that should have enriched German culture long ago. It's good that this is finally happening and, as Sinem herself says, “everything is finally coming together”.
Ich bin erst zwanzig und ich check nicht was passiert
Um mich herum die ganze Welt sie explodiert
Alles macht BOOM BOOM alles geht kaputt
Wie im Cartoon es fliegt alles in die Luft
[I'm only twenty and I don't realize what's happening Around me the whole world is exploding Everything goes BOOM BOOM everything breaks Like in a cartoon it all blows up] Yu, "Safe Psychopathen"
Twenty-one-year-old Yunus Emre Can aka Yu from a village near Cologne has been taking a militant political stance for several months now, initially only on TikTok. Whether against Nazis or criticizing capitalism, about mental health or for rights for trans people, with drastic words and catchy pop he has carved out a place for himself in the German indie scene in the language of his generation. Now his debut album Please Hold The Line, which he co-produced throughout, is being released, and it has become more than just a collection of already familiar tracks. Whether as a rapper, punk, crooner or chanson singer, Yu slips effortlessly into the most diverse roles and, thanks to his impressively mature voice, always remains in control. Fortunately, even if the quality of the compositions fluctuates slightly, the energy level remains enormous. The revolt becomes a party, the summer festival beckons
Micky Mäuse
Nikoläuse
Pfortenwächter der Partyschleuse
[Mickey Mice Santa Clauses Gatekeeper of the party sluice] Die Goldenen Zitronen, "Lied der Stimmungshochhalter" (2006)
In 1984, Die Goldenen Zitronen formed in Hamburg, an atypical punk band concerned with social justice and whose biting humor was directed against stuffy Germanism and the Bourgeoisie, a successful mixture of nervous punk energy and socialist fighting spirit. The band is still active today, their energy seems fresh and their attitude unbowed, even though their last album was released a few years ago. This episode of the Popcast looks back on 40 years of “Goldies”; 13 albums in which they repeatedly take a stand on incisive daily political events and politics in general, the refugee policy of Germany and Europe, everyday and systemic racism, the all-overshadowing capitalism and the lethargy and unwillingness of the political class to oppose it. Musically, they have evolved from rockabilly-tinged punk rock to electronic miniatures, but this has not detracted from their intensity and they are easily recognizable out of millions through the more shouted than sung vocals of Schorsch Kamerum, who always sounds a bit like a defiant complainant. Their considerable catalog contains some rousing gems, none of which have yet brought them any particular commercial success. At their legendary shows, they perform in colorful fantasy costumes, like proud kings from a socialist fairy tale in One Thousand and One Nights. The Popcast editorial team throws a big bouquet in the direction of the Goldies and is already looking forward to the next 40 years.
Wenn das deine Lösung ist,
will ich mein Problem zurück
[If that's your solution, I want my problem back] Das Format, "Lösung"
The releases by Augsburg noise rock trio Das Format appear on vinyl, which is hardly surprising as the owners of their record company also own a pressing plant. Apart from that, the three musicians from the south rumble on. They are dissatisfied and make this known with great noise and unbridled enthusiasm. They have an impressive range in their repertoire, from wild garage rock to melancholic shoegaze, and a good feel for rousing hooks and efficient arrangements: no note is too much, no passage too long, the album always retains its tension despite its wide range. A band that is guaranteed to be a fantastic live experience!