music

If you are not already familiar with the rock band Isolation Berlin, now is the time. For a music fan and perhaps as someone who does not make music, it can be extremely satisfying to follow a band or musician over a period of time. Over the course of several albums or EPs, you can […]

There is something so honest about a musician who wears his influences on his sleeve. Maybe that is what makes them an artist. It takes a truly creative individual to take those influences and create something that is completely new. Drangsal is one of those artists. His love of ’80s synth-pop can be heard plainly

While rock is not quite as popular as it once was, that is not stopping Trümmer. The Hamburg quartet may not be breaking new ground or conducting any wild avant-garde experimentation. But with their confident and often restrained garage rock-inspired sound, they are keeping alive a well-loved sound. And what is more, is that they

Fans of post-punk and noise rock will want to tune in to Die Nerven. For over a decade, the trio from southern Germany has walked that fine line between being too heavy or too poppy. There are moments of indulgent noise and pounding punk. But the group never dwells too long on a single sound,

There is something instantly likable about Tomte. The group is part of the ’80s and ’90s indie rock movement in northern Germany. As a result, they have had an important impact on the German language music scene. Their indie-pop music has a sound that would probably win over your mother. But they are still underground

It would not be out of line to call German rock band Messer timeless. If you think about it, the word has multiple meanings. On the one hand, the band has not (yet!) been around long enough for their music to have withstood the test of time. On the other hand, their post-punk meets new

Punk rock trio Die Ärzte have been known to refer to themselves as the best band in Berlin and the best band in the world. While they might not be as well known internationally as their peers Die Toten Hosen, Die Ärzte have played an important part in the German punk scene. Regardless of whether

If you like your rock to be poppy, with a sing-along melody, then you will want to keep reading this month’s German-language music recommendation! Or how about some edgier punk rock, too? Can a band do both? I know one that can: the quartet Madsen. Made up of three brothers, the established northern German band

Do too many cooks spoil the broth? Or is it the more the merrier? For the Berlin-based reggae/hip hop dancehall band Seeed, the latter seems to be the preference. The group features ten musicians ranging from a horn section to a DJ and multiple vocalists. The resulting music is fun, brash, and involved. This is

We’ve all seen the talent shows on television where singers compete to be their country’s next big musical superstar. But even if you don’t end up winning the show, the exposure can be enough to propel your career. Max Giesinger is a great example of how losing can still be winning. The smooth and soulful

When your debut single is a big hit, it can be difficult to live up to expectations. There is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. But for Tim Bendzko, that simply has not been a problem. Since grabbing the attention of music fans in 2011 with the track “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten,”

German hip hop groups and rappers like K.I.Z. and Cro are currently gracing the top of the German language music charts. However, it was bands like Die Fantastischen Vier that paved the way. But one should not talk about the group in the past tense. These guys haven’t hung up their microphones just yet. The