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CD
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BB 473CD
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Genre-resistant Berlin duo Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge return to Bureau B with Neue Kreise, a sharp sophomore LP that shakes a cocktail of musical influences into an irresistible blend of smooth, synthetic pop. If their 2020 debut Der Große Preis saw the N(ewer)DW angst of their early releases give way to bubbling boogie and kosmische funk, this 11-track outing dives headfirst into the deep blues and sunset hues of yacht rock and groove-laden jazz fusion, all while retaining their signature lyrical bite. Finding its final form in nocturnal sessions in fall and winter 2024 -- with off-seasons spent, as always, experimenting in a secluded hotel at Lake Constance -- Neue Kreise ("New Circles") sees Niklas Wandt and Joshua Gottmanns tracing fault lines from childhood torment to contemporary crisis, ultimately offering a cautious hope for healing. Themes of male bonding and bullying, suburban claustrophobia, and family tension manifest in tracks like "Bittere Gifte" and "Jahr Um Jahr," as the duo exorcise their demons over infectious electro-funk and space-age samba respectively. Sonically, this diverse disc showcases a broad spectrum of musical influences, drawing from the obscure German/Austrian records curated by their ever-present producer Ali Europa, alongside John Martyn's late '70s/early '80s era, the skyscraping synth-pop of New Musik, and the tropical jazz of Azymuth. Wandt and Gottmanns wear their influences proudly while retaining all the invention and irreverence which has been a mainstay of their work, packing their personality into every track. The tension peaks in "Bittere Gifte," where stomping '80s machine-funk and psychedelic fusion breakdowns soundtrack a lyrical descent into suburban despair. Elsewhere, "Korsett Der Form" sparks infectious synth-pop joy, while "Nachlass Zu Lebzeiten" harnesses pure jazz-fusion power, complete with shuffling percussion and soaring guitar solos. "Blei" sweeps in with MTV-era widescreen pop, all windblown new-wave grandeur, while "Kalte Asche Und Orchideen" rides a fizzing punk-funk groove. The dreamlike "Puma" sways in a lullaby-like waltz, its jazzy cymbals and hypnotic bass drifting effortlessly, before cinematic closer "Landung" brings listeners back to earth. Fretless bass, chime-like synths, and tropical-tinged drum machines find a magical middle ground between Jamaican John Martyn and an impossibly happy version of The Cure. Across its 11 tracks, Neue Kreise expands and refines Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge's sound, propelling them into new circles, new spheres, and new sonic territory.
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LP
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BB 473LP
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LP version. Genre-resistant Berlin duo Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge return to Bureau B with Neue Kreise, a sharp sophomore LP that shakes a cocktail of musical influences into an irresistible blend of smooth, synthetic pop. If their 2020 debut Der Große Preis saw the N(ewer)DW angst of their early releases give way to bubbling boogie and kosmische funk, this 11-track outing dives headfirst into the deep blues and sunset hues of yacht rock and groove-laden jazz fusion, all while retaining their signature lyrical bite. Finding its final form in nocturnal sessions in fall and winter 2024 -- with off-seasons spent, as always, experimenting in a secluded hotel at Lake Constance -- Neue Kreise ("New Circles") sees Niklas Wandt and Joshua Gottmanns tracing fault lines from childhood torment to contemporary crisis, ultimately offering a cautious hope for healing. Themes of male bonding and bullying, suburban claustrophobia, and family tension manifest in tracks like "Bittere Gifte" and "Jahr Um Jahr," as the duo exorcise their demons over infectious electro-funk and space-age samba respectively. Sonically, this diverse disc showcases a broad spectrum of musical influences, drawing from the obscure German/Austrian records curated by their ever-present producer Ali Europa, alongside John Martyn's late '70s/early '80s era, the skyscraping synth-pop of New Musik, and the tropical jazz of Azymuth. Wandt and Gottmanns wear their influences proudly while retaining all the invention and irreverence which has been a mainstay of their work, packing their personality into every track. The tension peaks in "Bittere Gifte," where stomping '80s machine-funk and psychedelic fusion breakdowns soundtrack a lyrical descent into suburban despair. Elsewhere, "Korsett Der Form" sparks infectious synth-pop joy, while "Nachlass Zu Lebzeiten" harnesses pure jazz-fusion power, complete with shuffling percussion and soaring guitar solos. "Blei" sweeps in with MTV-era widescreen pop, all windblown new-wave grandeur, while "Kalte Asche Und Orchideen" rides a fizzing punk-funk groove. The dreamlike "Puma" sways in a lullaby-like waltz, its jazzy cymbals and hypnotic bass drifting effortlessly, before cinematic closer "Landung" brings listeners back to earth. Fretless bass, chime-like synths, and tropical-tinged drum machines find a magical middle ground between Jamaican John Martyn and an impossibly happy version of The Cure. Across its 11 tracks, Neue Kreise expands and refines Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge's sound, propelling them into new circles, new spheres, and new sonic territory.
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CD
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BB 359CD
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Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge is the musical vehicle of Niklas Wandt and Joshua Gottmanns. They released a single -- "Ich verliebe mich nie" -- in 2018 and an EP entitled Leben in 2019 on the Düsseldorf label, Themes For Great Cities. Now the time has come for the Berlin duo's long-awaited debut album. The seven tracks comprising Der Große Preis distill the inimitable NB sound which blends velvety synth-pop and crystalline digi-dub, basslines like cubes of glass and whiplash snares. The album title certainly lives up to its name: The Grand Prize. It was early 2019 when, led by their very own energy coach Ali Europa, the band ensconced themselves in an offseason hotel on Lake Constance to record the album, the same procedure that spawned their afore-mentioned EP. Between a mothballed breakfast buffet and darkened wood furnishings, bright winter sunshine and lonely nights, Wandt and Gottmanns set about conjuring up smoke clouds. The two protagonists have always been drawn to the most contradictory scenes of local nightlife, indeed the project was born in the underground bars of Berlin. On their lakeside sojourn, they paid a quotidianal visit to the neighborhood watering hole, where a "No Problems" playlist -- parts 1 to 5 -- blared out of the jukebox and semi-anonymous players lost themselves in a blur of numbers and fruit as the slot machines whirred and flashed at one end of the room. Many a Euro coin was lost here, but a valuable concentrate seeped through the ether which would allow new tracks to grow. The magic ultimately reached completion in the converted studio suite; a pile of analog synthesizers and rhythm machines, a Studer desk, computer, a vocal booth in the shower. Irregular working hours, and paradoxical daily routines caused considerable friction and, at times, the two musicians worked separately from each other. One eventful year later, the finishing touches were applied in Vienna 1070, or to be more accurate, in Sam Irl's home studio and the International Major Label Studio just around the corner: "Gelb's Groove" emerged from smoke-laden nothingness in February 2020. The end product was honed with overdubs, refinements and vocals. Finally, the title track, "Der Große Preis", based on supercharged lyrics that had been floating around for some time, was completed with Daniel Meuzard piloting his spaceship-like EMS synthesizer. A month later, cultural activities came to an end and Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge had their debut album in the bag, like one big promise.
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Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
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LP
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BB 359LP
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LP version. Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge is the musical vehicle of Niklas Wandt and Joshua Gottmanns. They released a single -- "Ich verliebe mich nie" -- in 2018 and an EP entitled Leben in 2019 on the Düsseldorf label, Themes For Great Cities. Now the time has come for the Berlin duo's long-awaited debut album. The seven tracks comprising Der Große Preis distill the inimitable NB sound which blends velvety synth-pop and crystalline digi-dub, basslines like cubes of glass and whiplash snares. The album title certainly lives up to its name: The Grand Prize. It was early 2019 when, led by their very own energy coach Ali Europa, the band ensconced themselves in an offseason hotel on Lake Constance to record the album, the same procedure that spawned their afore-mentioned EP. Between a mothballed breakfast buffet and darkened wood furnishings, bright winter sunshine and lonely nights, Wandt and Gottmanns set about conjuring up smoke clouds. The two protagonists have always been drawn to the most contradictory scenes of local nightlife, indeed the project was born in the underground bars of Berlin. On their lakeside sojourn, they paid a quotidianal visit to the neighborhood watering hole, where a "No Problems" playlist -- parts 1 to 5 -- blared out of the jukebox and semi-anonymous players lost themselves in a blur of numbers and fruit as the slot machines whirred and flashed at one end of the room. Many a Euro coin was lost here, but a valuable concentrate seeped through the ether which would allow new tracks to grow. The magic ultimately reached completion in the converted studio suite; a pile of analog synthesizers and rhythm machines, a Studer desk, computer, a vocal booth in the shower. Irregular working hours, and paradoxical daily routines caused considerable friction and, at times, the two musicians worked separately from each other. One eventful year later, the finishing touches were applied in Vienna 1070, or to be more accurate, in Sam Irl's home studio and the International Major Label Studio just around the corner: "Gelb's Groove" emerged from smoke-laden nothingness in February 2020. The end product was honed with overdubs, refinements and vocals. Finally, the title track, "Der Große Preis", based on supercharged lyrics that had been floating around for some time, was completed with Daniel Meuzard piloting his spaceship-like EMS synthesizer. A month later, cultural activities came to an end and Neuzeitliche Bodenbeläge had their debut album in the bag, like one big promise.
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