Win 1x2 Tickets for Dennis Kiss at Albani Music Club
Dennis Kiss ends the era of his debut solo album, «Norddeich Mole», with a tour. As a media partner, we are giving away 1x2 tickets for his show on December 19 at Albani Music Club, Winterthur.
A year ago, German-Swiss musician Dennis Kiss released Norddeich Mole, his solo debut album filled with heartfelt songs about coming of age, the notion of being lost, and love.
Now, Dennis Kiss closes the album’s cycle with a final round of shows. The tour leads him to various locations in Germany and Switzerland.
As an official media partner, Negative White is giving away 1x2 spots on the guestlist for one of his sprawling, energetic live shows at Albani Music Club in Winterthur on December 19. Click the button below to participate in the contest:
Deadline for participation is Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 11:59 am. We will inform the winner by email.
Matze Pröllochs processes Miscarriage in «Stay»
Today, Negative White hosts the premiere of «Stay», the first single of Matze Pröllochs’ upcoming album «BIRTH NO BIRTH».
At first, it seems like any other relationship song. Matze Pröllochs sings: «Hey, it’s been a long way already / Hey, why don’t you stay here with me.» And in a way, it is about a relationship. The one built with an unborn child, but one that unfortunately will never come to full fruition due to a miscarriage.
I won’t ever be able to fully understand this pain. The hopes, the imagined future, the uncertainty, and the unconditional love shattered. Processing the death of children has been put into music, Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton, for example. But miscarriages are rarely discussed publicly and even rarer from the father’s perspective—even though it is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of pregnancies end in one.
In his upcoming solo album, BIRTH NO BIRTH, the Berlin-based drummer, composer, and performer Matze Pröllochs explores the topic of birth and—in the case of Stay—grants space to the taboo aspect. The touching song, alongside an evocative video, premieres today with Negative White:
Stay certainly features a melancholic, even sad undertone, espcially when Joel Siepmann’s cello enters, yet Pröllochs keeps his position on the lighter and warmer side. Glowing synths lead the way into a colourful universe where art-pop‘s whimsical nature teams up with dream-pop‘s elusiveness.
Stay, unlike the largely instrumental album, features Pröllochs‘ soft, comforting voice. Somewhere between forgiving and pleading, the few lines carry the whole emotional weight. But there is no need for more words for a pain and loss beyond language.
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Edition #138
This week, we recommend the new songs by Alina Amuri, XHER, Hathors, Dressed Like Boys, and Minor Conflict.
From afrobeat to avant-garde. From the darkest corners into the sunny warmth. Yes, today’s edition stretches quite far. Enjoy our latest, considered picks.
❶ Alina Amuri – Take My Time
The dragging rhythm seems odd at first, but then you get hooked. Alina Amuri’s Take My Time is a hymn to deceleration and the perfect tune to unwind and celebrate the moment surrounded by a captivating fusion of afrobeat and neo-soul.
❷ XHER – Sobriety
Sobriety is the debut single of Zurich-based Polish-Ecuadorian artist XHER. A promising clash of hyper-pop, post-punk energy, and Goth aesthetics symbolising the darkness in a digitised dystopia.
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❸ Hathors – Special Bird
Taken for their new album, When The Sun Is Out (When The Skies Are Grey), Switzerland‘s Hathors find the balance between a raw grunge-styled rock anthem and a regretful, heavy-handed ballad in Special Bird. As if the Foo Fighters fell into depression.
❹ Dressed Like Boys – Jaouad
Jaouad is a heartfelt and touching admiration of Muslim LGBTQIA+ icon Jaouad Alloul. Within the song lives hope and strength—for anyone who needs to hear it: «Do you wanna be understood without having to be understandable?»
❺ Minor Conflict – Parallels II
A weird and unique sound is hailing from Bristol. Trio Minor Conflict’s Parallels II brews an unusual yet eclectic cocktail of folk, drone, post-rock, field recordings, and krautrock. An easy-listen? Definitely not! But for the brave and experimental minds: Give it a spin.
«The wave of the future, Dude. 100% electronic!»
Author Amon Adamantos on creativity and art in times of generative AI.
Even if you have seen the classic movie The Big Lebowski (1998), you may not recognise the quote I just put in the title there. I don’t blame you. Most of my friends (me included) have seen the movie while stoned, which allegedly makes remembering things a tiny bit harder. Let me quickly summarise the scene in which said quote appears: Jackie Treehorn, the antagonist behind the quote, is a wealthy pornographer who tries to explain to The Dude, the protagonist, how technology is changing his world. He is lamenting how amateur performers are ruining his business and that people don’t care about stories or feelings anymore in porn. Then, he goes on about how new technologies will make things even worse. The Dude shrugs it off by stating: «Well… I still jerk off manually.»
So, let’s talk AI because it’s all the rave right now. While many people seem excited about the new creative possibilities it provides, an increasing number of artists in all fields are rightfully worried about this development. AI has given people without skills the tools to create images, music and more. Just by typing a few words (so-called prompts). What used to take hours or even weeks to finish can be done within a few seconds. No matter where you’re standing on this issue, we should all admit that it is, in fact, very exciting. Even though it has already started erasing jobs and opportunities for an established creative workforce that depends on it.
But where does this lead?
Some people are talking about the so-called «democratisation of creativity». And listen, I am all for easy-to-use tools for people to create. I think it’s great that more people are empowered to create without the need for expensive equipment. And yet, the biggest and most important question, as with all things in life, is: Why? To be precise, in this particular case: Why does one need tools for say easier music production? Well, ultimately, to make (more) money with less effort. That’s all there is to it. Is that a bad thing? No, but yes. Nobody should blame anyone for wanting to escape the capitalistic rat race of life-draining, more and more dehumanising jobs that barely pay one’s bills. I get it.
Yet, on the other hand, we all must ask ourselves one thing: Does the addition of even more stuff in an endless sea of over-abundance make anyone’s life really better? Does it enrich us? How does art, which is created with the sole purpose of going viral in order to make one person some money, benefit us all?
Please don’t get me wrong: I am adamantly convinced that artists do not owe anything to anyone. Ever. But what is an artist? Some might argue that it requires a certain amount of skill to be rightfully called an artist. I disagree. An artist does not necessarily need the skill to produce, be that music or drawings or anything else, to be just that. What defines an artist is, in my humble opinion, the intention behind their work. Be that the intention to entertain or to shock, the intention of creating something they perceive as beautiful, perhaps the processing of one’s personal experiences or maybe just for some playful fun (Are you noticing how we seem to have forgotten about the importance of this one?). Yet, if the sole intention boils down to just making a few bucks, I am personally not convinced. Money is a means, not an end. If you don’t think that’s true, go ask any therapist who regularly deals with wealthy people.
Now, back to The Big Lebowski. In the past as well as in the present: If you want a glimpse at where technological advancement is leading us, you should dare to observe the realm of pornography. It may sound ununderstandably crude to most people, but next to the business of killing people, it has always been at the forefront of where humanity is heading as consumers. Porn has decided that the BluRay is the superior medium next to the HD-DVD, and it has advanced the digital streaming technology faster than anyone could have predicted. Without porn, there would be no Netflix today.
So, where are we right now? While there seems to be an endless plethora of professionally created content, that’s not really where the money is. The money lies in one thing: personal connection, or at least the illusion of it. Performers with no connection to big studios are making more money faster than any of the big stars a few decades ago. Much more money. And the funny thing is that seemingly an increasing number of people are not particularly paying for explicit content. Explicit content is available for free. Anytime, anywhere. What today’s consumers truly crave is connection and meaning. That’s also why a rising number of pornographic performers are leaning towards non-explicit streaming on platforms like Twitch, where they do mundane things like gaming, cooking or even folding laundry whilst talking about their rather uneventful day.
The truth of the matter is this: People love spending time with other people. AI is already able to provide this kind of entertainment today (see AI companions). But what ultimately makes people spend money is, in the knowledge that today’s performers are real people, the faint hope of one day meeting them. Human connection will, at least for the foreseeable future, be the main driver for people to spend their money. Not just when it comes to art or media. It’s this very fundamental need that represents the root of our desires.
That’s also why the feeble arguments by older generations about «music not being as good as it used to be in our days» are moot if we’re brutally honest. There has always been technically amazing music, and there has always been low-effort trash. Both have proven to have a right to exist. Because ultimately it wasn’t really the execution that mattered. It was the human connection and meaning the audience felt when experiencing it.
So, this is my advice to people who consider creating art with AI: It doesn’t matter how «good» your work looks or sounds. What matters is what it means and who you are. If it is success and fame that you seek: Be a real human being who has something to say that is worth listening to. And that can be done with just a pencil and a piece of paper or a cheap mini synthesiser and a mic you bought online. You don’t have to be an excellent writer, painter or musician. The most important part of creating art that will resonate with others is to experience real life. Be it good or ugly. To quote Hemingway: «Your work is good as long as it contains (human) truth.» And that’s something AI knows nothing about. ●
Amon Adamantos is a Swiss author. «Léthe», his first novel, was published in 2021. His first self-published novella «Pluto» was released in 2015. The main themes of his work are social issues and existentialism. His next novel «Coma» will be published in early 2025.
Alrighty Aphrodite premieres video for «Loud But Silently»
German-French indie rock artist Alrighty Aphrodite shares video for his single, «Loud But Silently». Watch the premiere here today.
Nostalgia for the early 2000s indie rock—that is undoubtedly the first thought that springs to mind when you listen to Alrighty Aphrodite’s song Loud But Silently. A snotty attitude, a roughness to the sound, but also an unparalleled honesty.
Loud But Silently was already released in July 2024. But before Marc Feldes, the creative mind behind Alrighty Aphrodite, unleashes the first single of his debut EP next year, Loud But Silently receives some more love with a new video.
Directed and shot by Thea Seddig, the sepia-toned video underpins the song’s vintage aesthetics. Today, Negative White is proudly hosting its premiere:
But before you dismiss Alrighty Aphrodite as yet another retro cosplay with no substance, Loud But Silently does actually have lyrical depth in the pockets of its upbeat sonic outfit.
The juxtaposition of «loud» and «silent» metaphorically represents outer appearance or perception and inner struggles, respectively. The moral of the story, however, is not about these challenges but a worthwhile reminder:
And then you're asking me, ‚What's it all about?‘
And then I'm telling you something, honey, life’s about
How you, yeah, how you live it
Not how you make it the most vivid
Between living life fearlessly and consciously, the lesson ultimately is to find a mindful balance. To find meaning and joy. To find the right path for you, unbound by external expectations.
The November Playlist Updates
Our exclusive playlists «Capacitor», «Shadowdancer», and «Mindwanderer» received extensive updates. Check the latest here.
Edition #137
This week, we recommend the new songs by Searows, Melicious, Mary and the Sharks, Albert af Ekenstam, and Moyka.
❶ Searows – to be seen
Taken from his new EP flush, Searows’ to be seen is an exceptional work of beauty, exploring the urge to be fully recognised by a loved one. Alec Duckart arranges his haunting voice with piano and strings to a profoundly intimate ballad. It’s a touching, even heartbreaking song.
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❷ Melicious – Flooding The Bus
How explosive can a track about crying on the bus be? Switzerland’s Melicious says: Yes! Flooding The Bus is the perfect amalgamation of pop music with the driven energy of fun punk. You should check out the new EP Ugly Starts and Promises.
❸ Mary and the Sharks – Prophecy
In her new single, Prophecy, Berlin-based Mary and the Sharks farewells juvenile jauntiness with a pinch of regret and nostalgia but also welcomes the continuous change and grounded moments coming with age. Underlined with an almost post-punky indie-rock.
❹ Albert af Ekenstam – Ghost in Us
After six silent years, the Swedish singer-songwriter Albert af Ekenstam returns with the impressive Ghost In Us. A folk song that escalates ever more into this overwhelming and seemingly infinite composition. An experience that leaves you vulnerable and invigorated.
❺ Moyka – Rear View (Heartbreak Edition)
Moyka’s Rear View is a raving masterpiece of Nordic electropop. The Norwegian artist has released a severely reduced Heartbreak Edition of the track: no beats but vast synths expand, and her raw voice in the most stunning and chilling performance. Wow!
Songs Of A Lost World, Indeed
The Cure’s new album, «Songs Of A Lost World», resonates around the world. Let’s take a closer look.
What else can I write that hasn’t been put down on paper? Yes, Songs Of A Lost World, the new album by The Cure, the first in 16 years, is a masterpiece. And one wonders what diabolical pact this Robert Smith must have made to still sound 25 at 65.
The album has since climbed to number one in the album charts in both the USA and the UK. Comparisons were drawn with the band's undisputed opus magnum: Disintegration from 1989. As ever, The Cure sounded dripping with melancholy and full of world-weariness. And in general, no one disagrees with this conclusion.
Transience is a constant companion throughout the album. In I Can Never Say Goodbye, Smith heartbreakingly deals with the death of his brother. «As a memory of the first time, in the stillness of a teardrop / As you hold me for the last time in the dying of the light,» laments Smith in And Nothing Is Forever.
Songs Of A Lost World is a desperate beacon, written by an ageing man in an ever faster-changing world. What is actually the perfect template for something cringeworthy works because Smith laments but doesn’t point fingers. It has always been that way with The Cure: profoundly personal but with a way of finding yourself in the songs.
When I asked on the Threads platform why the album resonates with people, Alex Storer replied: «I’ve experienced a lot of loss, so the lyrics speak to me personally on that level, but it seems to go further than that; it’s about the passing of time, the sudden feeling of being old(er) and the realisation that the world you've grown up in and been shaped by has changed for the worse.»
And Chris Jakins added: «The message may be bleak, but there's hope in the fact that they’re still saying it and sounding so good.»
And my personal favourites among the answers were provided by these two users:
I remember walking the streets of Zurich at the age of 18 with the album Bloodflowers playing on endless repeat. The soul bathed in adolescent despair, accompanied by The Cure.
Even more than Disintegration, I see a direct kinship between Songs Of A Lost World and 2000’s Bloodflowers. Both have this meandering quality; both take their time in the sprawling compositions and celebrate a warming sadness.
The success of Songs Of A Lost World is both surprising and natural. The Cure have almost prophetically chosen the perfect time for the release: at the turn of an era, while dreams and hopes were shattered in the US elections and a shock wave of bewilderment was sent to Europe. Instead of anger, discouragement and disorientation are on the agenda today. And this album is the perfect soundtrack to the question: What is happening to us right now?
At the same time, The Cure deliver the perfect anachronism, at least musically. In a music industry in which algorithms increasingly influence songwriting, the band creates a bastion of escapist, writhing anthems. It often takes minutes for Smith’s voice to ring out. Hooks in the first three seconds? Not a chance!
The ultimate pinnacle of despair and escapade remains the overwhelming Endsong, the album’s closing track.
It’s all gone, it’s all gone
Nothing left of all I loved
It all feels wrong
It’s all gone, it’s all gone, it’s all gone
No hopes, no dreams, no world
No, I, I don’t belong
No, I don't belong here
Songs Of A Lost World is unwieldy, wants you to take your time. It’s a stew album: the longer it simmers, the more often you stir it, the tastier it becomes.
This is anything but a matter of course today, especially for younger generations. And yet, the album also resonates with them. Characterised by a drastic pandemic and fears about the future, a new wave of melancholy and thoughtfulness has emerged in music, inspired by post-punk and dark wave.
Society and young people today are too fragmented to make generalised statements. And generalisations are always dangerous. But the days of escaping into hedonism seem to be over. Hangover mood. The challenges are too great to simply ignore.
The Cure and their Songs Of A Lost World create catharsis not through ignorance of the world but through empathy. Robert Smith knows how to say with his songs: I see you and feel your pain. It’s okay to feel desperate.