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PREORDER
Ships When IN STOCK.
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ARTIST
TITLE
Motel d'amour
FORMAT
LP
LABEL
CATALOG #
EDGE 032LP
EDGE 032LP
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
6/20/2025
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When The Outer Edge first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project Mit den Puppen tanzen, it never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached the label with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, The Outer Edge was floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" -- a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals. For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what it'd been searching for. Motel d'amour is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation, encounters with men, the pulse of nightlife, love, one-night stands, and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time -- and remains refreshingly bold today. While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat." The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound. It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen. A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, The Outer Edge were able to remaster them to a high standard -- but in some songs light distortions remain.
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