I’m convinced that East German city Leipzig is a better, more relaxed East London. I know, that is being very specific. But hear me out. German band Elephants on Tape has just released their stunning debut Lightweights this past week, and in my opinion it’s very similar to a British band that has always bored me terribly: The XX. And I swear, I made myself listen to all their records. Still, Lightweights manages to really entice me. Where the London threesome never changes their inflections and their style, Elephants On Tape vary their compositions beautifully, creating a somber and melancholy atmosphere. Still, their songs soar while their London counterparts just, well, drag.
“Traffic Signs” is a perfect example. The song lives from the calm melodies and subtly complex arrangements, as well as a lightness transcending the earthiness of the theme. Next to the gorgeous instruments are the voices of singers Lisa Zwinzscher and Markus Rom, doubling as a mournful watcher of people. I just love a line from the second verse, where Lisa sings: "I tried to find you in a crowd of crooks and cynics and cineasts” She really enunciates the fuck out of that line, it’s a real pleasure to listen to it.
You can learn more about Elephants On Tape here:
About the curator - Julia Maehner
Julia knows two main passions: Music and writing. From an early age she has been making music after a fashion. When she was 13, she sat herself down and decided: “I will be a music journalist. Because I love music and writing.” After a brief intermezzo in New York City working for the music boutique agency Girlie Action as a digital marketer, she moved back to Germany. This experience helped her build her know-how for her marketing client, the IT company .objective Software. She still writes for several German music magazines and is working on launching her own blog, amps on ears.
Find out more about Julia and her projects:
- juliamaehner.com
- ampsonears.com (coming soon!)
- objective.de