Barbara Morgenstern hails from, Berlin, Germany. She is described as an electronic musician. And she has just moved onto my radar screen. There is so much talent around the world that just does not get too much of a mention in the USA. So time to at least right that a little bit. I've been listening to her new album, Sweet Silence. And I cannot recommend it enough to you. Make sure you check it out.
Here's a tune that is embedded in my brain, it kind of creeps up on you and won't let go.
Spring Time
This is from her previous album, her 5th, BM.
Come To Berlin Come To Berlin is the fantastic single taken from Barbara Morgensterns 5th album, BM. the 12" feat. mixes by Chloe, Telefo Tel Aviv and the Rice Twins. Video shot on location in Berlin in places that are about to disappear or already have.
Another earlier delightful song. Im Schlaf (Where Were You)
The Operator
Sweet Silence is no less than the sixth album by Berlin based musician
Barbara Morgenstern. Following 2010's Fan No. 2, a greatest hits compilation
of a different kind, the album contains a fresh collection of all new songs
sung for the first time only in English. As with all of Morgenstern's music,
SWEET SILENCE exudes a glorious honesty which is just what makes her
electronic-pop sound so appealing. The record was mixed by Shitkatapult
founder Marco Haas aka T.Raumschmiere giving the whole thing that
unmistakable Berlin sound.
In keeping with The Tremeloes classic, BM breaks the ice on the album with
the title song Sweet Silence, an anthemic intro enriched with vocal delays
which sets the mood nicely. Morgenstern soon picks up the pace though on Need
To Hang Around. This spirited song is a friendly reminder of how important it
is to step back every once in a while. It's lighthearted while still carrying
an important message; indeed it remains a large part of the singer's charm
that she never takes her music seriously.
SWEET SILENCE is in many ways Barbara's most accessible record to date, not
least of all for all those international listeners out there as this time the
lyrics are sung exclusively in English. As German fans already know,
Morgenstern's song texts have always contained a great depth of meaning and
imagery as well as humour. Now with SWEET SILENCE, everyone can join in
understanding the ideas and experiences at the heart of Morgenstern's songs,
rather than just enjoying the sound of her voice on a purely instrumental
level. That said, KooKoo works on both levels with both profound lyrics and
extensive creative use of vocal sampling. Jump Into The Life-Pool tells the
time old story that is the cycle of life, spiraling ever onwards just like
the arpeggiated synth loops that are to be heard in the song.
Side two of SWEET SILENCE opens with a short interlude Bela. It is one of
only three instrumental tracks on an album so reliant on Morgenstern's
tremendous vocal presence. Highway is probably the most orchestral tune with
a swelling string arrangement setting the mood and the song is proof that the
way is the goal, and you never know what's around the next bend.
The Minimum Says is one of the few songs to feature guitar on a predominantly
electronic album. While Auditorium switches instrumentation again, this time
to a rhodes and some seriously jazzy riffs. Hip Hop Mice is the second
instrumental number on SWEET SILENCE and so is somewhat reminiscent of
Morgenstern's collaboration with Robert Lippok on Tesri, with the focus being
purely on electronica and less weight being given to any pop aspect in the
music. At just over five and a half minutes, Status Symbol seems to have
almost epic proportions on an album that otherwise pretty much sticks to the
3 minute golden rule of pop. It is the penultimate song on SWEET SILENCE and
with it long drawn out hypnotic-jam nature, certainly has something of a
Nichts Muss feel to it. And SWEET SILENCE draws to a close with Love is in
the air, but we don't care the third and final instrumental on the album,
which appropriately enough fades out unassumingly leaving only silence.
SWEET SILENCE is in many ways a milestone in the career of Barbara
Morgenstern. A career which has spanned achievements such as collaborations
with the likes of Robert Wyatt and Bill Wells and the afore mentioned Robert
Lippok, as well as side projects such as the improvised trio September
Collective (with Stefan Schneider and Paul Wirkus) and tours which have seen
her travel to the furthest reaches of the globe and earn fans throughout the
world. SWEET SILENCE is a journey or at least the next leg in Morgenstern's
ongoing musical journey, one on which gladly we are all invited to come
along. [Press Release]
5 Bears
