It’s not every day that a German band, and a virtually unknown one at that, who has just released their first single, gets on the New York Times’ radar. But the debut single by the three musicians from Munich, Leipzig and Berlin (but mainly from the internet) ensnared critics on both sides with its stunningly easy-going production by Walter P99 Arkestra and the interaction of the singer Nalan and the rap by Ebow of the Atlantic.
The joint album TEMPLE, released in 2019, delved even deeper into the syrupy sound of the Dirty South. These influences can also be found on ROMEO MUST DIE, but complemented by pop influences from the noughties (remember Timbaland?) and contemporary elements such as UK drillbeats.
It’s probably no coincidence that the album title refers to the film of the same name starring Jet Li and Aaliyah, whose emotional R’n’B not only singer Nalan has probably heard more often. In its entirety, however, the trio creates a far more coherent work with their album than the B-movie template is capable of. That’s particularly impressive considering all three are otherwise busy with their very different projects of their own. But Gaddafi Gals is more than the sum of its individual parts.
SIMILAR REVIEWS
Shygirl :: Nymph
Huh and hot, in and out: This not at all shy girl pops rhythmically to immaculately produced post-bass music.
George Michael :: Older
The pop giant sounds older on OLDER than he was at the age of 32.
Jens Friebe :: We are beautiful
Glamor agitprop for fighting exhaustion, neoliberalism and despair.
SIMILAR ARTICLES
From Ariel to Armie Hammer: How Toxic Fandom & Toxic Stardom is making us all even more broken
“Who actually shit in your brain?” Paula Irmschler in the new edition of her pop column about “fans” of Arielle and “Rings of Power”, about the families of Armie Hammer, the Queen and The Kelly Family.
Queer pioneers or epic stadium rock: Who needs Queen these days?
“We Will Rock You” can already be recognized by the annoying drumbeat, with “Another One Bites The Dust” you only need to hear the notorious bass line. But what do you get from these and so many other internalized Queen classics? In the new pop column, Linus Volkmann digs behind the scenes of a band that, even dead, is larger than life. Interview with book author, Queen fan and ME editor Stephan Rehm Rozanes included.
“We are the good guys”: why left-wing or woke staging alone is not enough in any scene
Paula Irmschler about Mallotze, Die Ärzte, #punktoo, Marlies Krämer, Demi Lovato, Leo DiCaprio and so on.
<!–
–>
<!–
–>