Stomps and Sweets
Edition #38 • Kat Frankie, Christin Nichols, Albertine Sarges, Fishbach, Egopusher
Initially, I wanted to shortly write about this week’s biggest music news: Neil Young leaving Spotify in protest. However, it got out of hand, and words kept flowing. So now, there’s a whole separate post for this topic if you’re interested in my thoughts:
Janosch Troehler
The problem, however, is that I don’t know what to write here instead. So rather than wasting your valuable time with some half-baked intro, I let four great female artists do the talking with their songs, ranging from driven indie-pop to stomping pacifism.
In the end, a Swiss male duo will accompany you into an endless sea.
And if you enjoyed today’s recommendations, don’t forget to share them with your friends. It helps me to grow this community of music enthusiasts.
Thanks,
Christin Nichols – I’m Fine
German-British actor and musician Christin Nichols recently released her solo debut record, I’m Fine. After being part of the punk-rock duo Prada Meinhoff, Nichols explores the realms of pop and indie rock.
I’m Fine—the record’s namesake opener—is a shimmering hymn. Simultaneously, Nichols evokes euphoria with the track’s driven rock vibe and drowns in melancholy with her sombre voice.
The fascinating, ambivalent nature of I’m Fine peaks in its chorus, which has the ecstatic quality of a summer hit but is delivered in such a bittersweet, sarcastic way that it feels beautifully torn apart.
Kat Frankie – The Sea
The Sea makes quite an entrance. Kat Frankie, the Berlin-based Australian singer-songwriter, opens the curtains to her latest single with a heavy, dragging guitar. And the song keeps its leaden nature throughout. The Sea is a fatal stab against warmongering, power-hungry men.
Come on down, take it over the sea
Let the disrespectful laggers darken the sea
Big men, the men, are you waiting for me?
Spill your body for your countries, the election needs you
The Sea sounds as dark and dangerous as the inhumane political demagogy it condemns—a slowly stomping masterpiece.
Albertine Sarges – Bird’s Life
There’s a connection between Albertine Sarges and Kat Frankie featured above. Sarges used to be a live musician for Frankie until the pandemic hit, and gigs were a thing of the past. Sarges used the downtime to work on her debut. The Sticky Fingers was released in 2021.
Now, Sarges already delivers new material: Bird’s Life is a groovy indie-pop track, highlighting her characteristic voice that reminds me of Skunk Anansie’s Skin.
Bird’s Life brilliantly combines the pleasing aspects of pop music with the emotionality of soul and finally adds rock’s coolness to the mix when the strolling guitar gets its moment of glory midway through the song.
Fishbach – Dans un fou rire
Since I’ve featured Téléportation in last year’s final edition, Fishbach released the disco track Masque d’or in anticipation of her sophomore record, Avec les Yeux, which will be released on the 25th of February.
This week, the French singer doubled down with another single: Dans un fou rire. And it took a while until the song crawled under my skin. It’s a sugary, dense ballade, dripping of 80s reminiscence. The pan-fluty synthesizers immediately remind me of Hans Zimmer’s theme for the movie Rain Man (1988)—probably the most cliche 80s track out there.
Once you’ve digested the syrupy-sweet sound, the attention moves towards Fishbach’s vocal performance. And then, there’s only one possible verdict: Her mystical, dark voice is just incredible. Devilish and angelic. A generational exception.
Egopusher – Patrol (Rework)
My story with Egopusher’s Patrol dates back almost five years. Back in 2017, when the Swiss duo first released the song, I recommended it in the Weekly5’s predecessor, “Songs of the Week”, on Negative White. Now, Alessandro Giannelli and Tobias Preisig took another shot at the track.
The first version is an utterly unbelievable work of art, torn between pumping beats and a virtuous violin. Listening to it is an indescribable experience.
The reworked Patrol is an entirely different beast. Egopusher replaced the original’s crushing rhythm with atmospheric, infinite synthesizer waves, swelling like a tsunami washing away reality. The violin, instead of creating contrast, cuts through the water like a ship’s keel.
Browse The Archive
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