Released in June this year, on Nonostar Records, the debut from German duo Hannah von Hübbenet and John Gürtler is quite dazzling. It is incredibly innovative, fusing classical and electronic to great effect. And having lived with the album for six months now, I can confirm that it’s also a grower. I liked it lots in the summer, but I truly love it now.
In my review for Louder Than War, I described it “as though Einsturzende Neubaten had got together with the late Jóhann Jóhannsson to imagine what music would sound like in the year 2050”. The thing about this album that elevates it above so many others is the way it flits seamlessly, and unpredictably, from electronic to classical and back again.
The way it morphs from the otherwordly, sci-fi vibe of Distant Approach into the delicate pizzicato of Counterfeit is magnificent. There are influences ranging from Kraftwerk through Ry Cooder’s Paris, Texas soundtrack to Mahler. There’s even gorgeous euro-pop in the form of Don’t, which features an all too rare outing for von Hübbenet’s vocal chords.
Topping things off, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah later in the year and, as well as being a phenomenal musician, she is also a lovely person who has a very engaging story to tell. You can check that out here.
the dark flux 