Stories

It was the song Missing Me that introduced me to Angie McMahon in 2019. The single's raw and reduced composition felt like a long-awaited return to rock music's essence.

With Salt, the Melbourne-born artist delivered a highly praised debut album, even shooting up to 5th place in Australia's charts. Eddy Lim, reviewer at the Beat Magazine, wrote: «While Salt is primarily driven by deft guitar work and a tight rhythm section, it's McMahon's stunning vocal performance that unequivocally captures the spotlight.»

Four years passed, and finally, Angie McMahon released her sophomore work: Light, Dark, Light Again. And it sounds significantly different from Salt—already anticipated with the first single release, Saturn Returning—yet arguably even better.

I have been listening to Light, Dark, Light Again for weeks at this point, yet I still struggle to fully grasp the album and put my thoughts into sentences that pay justice.

There are obvious observations like the piano replacing the guitar as the main character in most compositions—a development that originated in the 2020 compilation of Salt songs in piano versions. 

Or that, suppose Salt was a raw blueprint of blues-infused rock music, the new album seems like a natural evolution: Its compositions are more complex and refined, sophisticated gems of singer-songwriter brilliance, encompassing all from rock, folk, blues, and country music.

Or the connection to nature as a facilitator of healing with references in the lyrics and soundbites introduced in songs like the opener, Saturn Returning.

However, none of these facts scratches the depth of the brilliance Angie McMahon displays in the 13 songs of Light, Dark, Light Again. There is more to unpack here, maybe too much for a single review.

With his debut album, Norway's indie soul hope Beharie presents twelve songs with a kaleidoscopic range of tones, sounds, and colours—tied together with his raw singer-songwriter lyrics, swinging between self-confidence and vulnerability.

In 2021, Beharie won the Spellemann prize for his second EP, Beharie // Beharie, and was nominated again a year later for the subsequent EP, Beharie, the Third. Both moments demonstrate the artist's rising profile in his home country and beyond.

In Are You There, Boy?, Beharie delves into the aspects of his identity as a queer person. Artistically abstracted into different characters, each song is a fragment of Beharie's self, meeting in their common urge for belonging. Or, as Beharie puts it:

Dennis Kiss has published his debut album since he became a solo artist. Norddeich Mole was released on October 6, and it's an opus for the thoughtful, the dreamers, and the sad. Raised in Switzerland, now living in Hamburg, Dennis Kiss sings in his native language for the first time.

Melodic Heartache

With «Norddeich Mole», Dennis Kiss presents his debut album. It’s a deep introspection of a young, longing, and seeking man.

Negative WhiteJanosch Troehler

Songs like Bordeaux, previously featured in Weekly5, or his latest release, Gewitterwolken, are bittersweet indie-pop songs that perfectly complement Germany's rise in something called «Neue Neue Deutsche Welle», a resurgence in post-punk-esque, melancholic sound spearheaded by artists like Edwin Rosen, Betterov, or Temmis.

At least in Kiss' case, the musical inspiration for his sound, labelled by himself as «Neue Deutsche Einsamkeit» [New German Loneliness], is, in fact, driven by the more saddened works of other artists.

We asked Dennis Kiss to share five songs and artists that heavily influenced his own musical creativity. For Negative White, he opens his treasure chest of influence and tells, in his words, how these songs and artists inspire him.

Editors – Open Your Arms

I love the first Editors album, The Back Room, for its simplicity and bluntness. There are very few other albums that encapsulate tristesse and melancholia like this one does. It always appealed to me how Tom Smith somehow manages to gather so much bitterness and sorrow in so few words.

It’s a fine art to write a song in this typically post-punk-esque manner of monotonously repeating the same line and theme over and over again and then, at some point, just slightly changing it in the most painful way. That’s what always fascinated me about this album: the that lives in monotony.

The Cure – Pictures of You

It was my mother who first showed me The Cure. Generally, if it wasn’t for my parents, I don’t know where I would have gotten my musical education. From early on, they confronted me with bands like U2, the Chili Peppers, Nirvana, and so on.

I remember trying to dislike The Cure as an act of rebellion as a teenager. Obviously, this act didn’t last long, and I soon had to give in and admit that this band probably inspired me more than I would even imagine today. Pictures of You is the second song on Disintegration, my mother‘s favourite album by The Cure, and it’s a downright masterpiece.

My 20-something self would have devoured Norddeich Mole, the debut album of Dennis Kiss. It's a brilliant collection of sad indie songs, a descendant of Hamburger Schule tuned to churn out maximal melancholy.

But can you really enjoy this tribute to longing for love and coming of age beyond a certain threshold?

Born and raised in Switzerland, Dennis Kiss first made an impression together with his band The Sleepers. In 2021, they released the album Poco Bono. The beginning and the end were wrapped up in one as they split up right after. However, in parallel, Kiss already started to work—maybe unknowingly—at his next step.

Flaschenpfand marked a new phase for the musician: He wrote a song with German lyrics for the first time. During a pandemic, shaking up everybody's life, Kiss shook up his songwriting.

Now, around three years later, Dennis Kiss lives in Hamburg and releases Norddeich Mole. It's not only an hommage to his home, Northern Germany, but a deep introspection into the heart of a young, sensitive man—and beyond, a generation that feels lost yet yearns for connection and love.

Negative White presents Dennis Kiss on Album Tour

Dennis Kiss will release his debut album on the 6th of October. Negative White presents the subsequent tour of the Swiss-German artist. Here are the dates.

Negative WhiteStaff

The power of metal to captivate and enthral its listeners is truly unique. The intense sound created by heavy riffs, thundering drums, and hellish vocals evokes deep feelings in those who appreciate the genre.

Especially when experienced live on stage, the music's raw energy and emotional expression bring people together, creating a sense of unity that is hard to find in other forms of music—something I witnessed once again when I attended this year's Summer Breeze Festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.

Although only a small portion of my personal heavy rotation accounts for metal, the sound these bands produce is undeniably fascinating. Today, I share five metal acts I recently discovered—some of them rather late, others on their way up.

Blackbraid

Sgah’gahsowáh, the artist behind the one-man band Blackbraid, combines Black Metal's heavy sounds with a focus on nature. Stumbling over a New York Times feature anticipating the second album, Blackbraid II, the combination of themes rooted in his Native American heritage and the raw sound of Norwegian's Black Metal origins instantly intrigued me.

Initially, I expected a more progressive approach to the Black Metal sound, as seen with Zeal & Ardor. However, Blackbraid's sound remains traditionalist, offering pure, aggressive, but excellent compositions.

The year 2013. I, aged 22, was about to start my studies in journalism and decided to travel by train through Europe for a month. It was a surprising, sometimes strange, but inspiring trip that filled almost an entire notebook worth of recorded experiences, moments, and thoughts.

On July 3, the train left Zurich Main Station at 9:33 am for Paris for a journey that would end in London.

A day later, I picked up the most expensive concert ticket I'd ever bought (until then, at least). The Rolling Stones live at Hyde Park—Silver Circle access. 200 pounds I paid, and again 180 for two regular tickets I would later hand over to my aunt and uncle who travelled to London too.

Sensu's career shows an undeniable upwards trajectory—not only regarding exposure but very much artistically. The Swiss producer has come far since 2017 when she debuted with the EP Lose Sight.

The early work is heavily inspired by hip-hop's slow beats and a soul-like vibe, clearly audible in her debut album Embrace, released in 2019.

One year later, Sensu was nominated for a Swiss Music Award—as the first woman who «only» produced sound, not as a singer. The jury at SRF 3 Radio wrote in its nomination: «The electro producer breaks down clichés of electronic club music and has created her own music genre.»

Jasmin Peterhans, aka Sensu, started playing the piano at seven. 2010, she began producing her own music. «I wanted to contribute something to hip-hop culture,» she said in an interview with The Pit London. But she gradually shifted towards more intricate electronica, prominently marked by the 2021 single Drawn and the EP Inner Monologue, which draws from both sonic worlds.

The transformation to one of the most lauded electronic acts Switzerland has to offer was completed with last year's EP Numéro LDN. While hip-hop vibes are still present in tracks like Both Sides, a collaboration with rapper Denyher, or Pink with Jamal Bucanon, Sensu's sound now was clearly inspired by UK garage and jungle.

After releasing Numéro LDN, Sensu shared five tracks with us that inspired her in the process, like Overmono's So U Kno. «When I first heard this song in London, I was utterly blown away by the euphoria it triggered in me. […] The details and the build-up are absolutely insane. Overmono are definitely one of the most inspiring acts in the past half-year,» she wrote then.

5 Tracks That Inspired Sensu

Swiss electronica artist Sensu has released a new EP. In this special edition, she shares five tracks that inspired her creative process.

Negative WhiteJanosch Troehler

2023 marks another milestone: AM___PM, released on June 9th, is a small but precious four-track collection showcasing another progression.

While three of the songs have already been released as singles, the collective gathering on the EP prompts a deeper reflection on Sensu's latest work.

Opening the sonic experience is Fuse, featured in one of this year's Weekly5 editions. The track fiercely raves although the UK garage vibe is less present.

However, the gap gets filled with a constant rush of beats, foggy synthesisers, and an alarming melody. Fuse spreads excitement without indulging in cheesy cheerfulness.

Instead, Sensu's sound often sounds more melancholic and thoughtful, compellingly contrasting electronica's pumping nature.

The sombre, almost sinister atmosphere continues in Perfect Life—a collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Lawrence Hart. Here, UK garage makes a comeback, referencing a beat similar to 2022's Hypnotize Me Baby, just faster and crisper.

Perfect Life advances and retracts repeatedly; sometimes, the composition is reduced to its bare minimum, only displaying the beat or the melody, making it even more impressive when Sensu and Hart open all the tabs to unleash the entire arrangement.

Clear My Mind then pushes the pedal to the metal: The hyperactive beat alongside the heavily pitch-shifted vocal sample creates a frantic, restless track, yet grounded by a deeply humming bass in the background.

However, the song's nervousness cannot drown out the fact that Clear My Mind remains the track that requires the most getting used to and is probably the EP's weakest entry.

AM___PM's only previously unreleased track closed the EP. Night Drive features an upbeat ambience; it's almost galloping in its breakbeat.

But at first, the track misleads you: «At the beginning, it appears to be a somewhat harder rave track that could be played in a dark cellar. But then the Arp sounds suddenly pull you into a kind of dream world, and it gets brighter again,» explains Sensu in the press release about one of her favourite tracks on the EP.

«The energy stays until the break and then it feels like a free fall. In the second drop, the euphoria sets in.»

The song feels like a shimmering reconciliation, a sharp handbrake turn away from the gloomy vibe AM___PM features in its other tracks.

«Night Drive is a journey, just like all the different phases of life that we go through,» says Sensu. «The energy stays until the break, and then it feels like a free fall. In the second drop, the euphoria sets in.»

With AM___PM, Sensu again highlights her entitlement as one of Switzerland's most intriguing electronic artists, one that pushes boundaries and explores new territories. Her compositions are highly detailed, precise yet playful, often unconventional and complex.

But what truly sets Sensu apart is her ability to infuse her music with genuine feelings. Whether it's the melancholic atmosphere or the euphoria of a soaring melody, her compositions are always emotionally resonant.

AM___PM is a testament to Sensu's musical skill and commitment to creating music that speaks to the soul and body.

If you attend a band's first gig in your country, there are two possible futures. Option one: The band gets traction and will play in larger venues. And you'll proudly say: I've seen them in front of 30 people. Option two: They don't break, and you'll forget about them.

I went to see the Californian band Thumpasaurus' first concert in Switzerland to find out.

Admittedly, I only learned Thumpasaurus when an email reached me last Tuesday inviting me to their concert at KiFF's Foyer in Aarau, Switzerland. Now, these emails are rare: Usually, you must ask for accreditation to attend a show as a journalist—at least as a reasonably small blogger. So, automatically, you think: They must be pretty desperate to fill the venue.

But the email sounded enthusiastic enough, and I dove into Thumpasaurus' discography. And, man, it's a wild ride: Imagine a blend of rock, punk, funk, and jazz—that's what you can expect from Thumpasaurus.

The band, formed at USC Thornton's Division of Contemporary Music, plays a sound that defies conventions. «There are no two songs on this album that sound alike, and yet they all THUMP. These guys are eclectic and often swing in unpredictable directions,» Music-Survival-Guide writes about their 2021 album Thumpaverse.

After hammering down the highway to Aarau, my first hunch was correct: Pre-sales were underwhelming. About 30 to 40 people found their way to the venue in the city's industrial area. It was a colourful, diverse crowd: Older jazz enthusiasts, young goth girls, and indie fans.

Opening for Thumpasaurus were Juicy Lemon Club, a newcomer band based in Basel, Switzerland. Founded at the beginning of last year, they commit all their time to making it as professional musicians—winning the «BandX-Nordwest» contest in 2022 and the «Waldbühnecontest» of Gurten Festival this year. From the summer of 2023, they will even give up their education to devote themselves entirely to the band.

You never know where the juice will pop out if you squeeze a lemon, and it's the same with Juicy Lemon Club: Funk, soul, rock, jazz, and the occasional ballad—they all found room in their set organically.

While sometimes, you could still feel their youthful naïvety and innocence, the quartet performed their music with stunning professionalism and infectious joy. Timon Sarbass hit the keyboard like a maniac, Juan Helou slammed the drums like the devil himself, and Philippe Pavlu bent himself to the rhythm of his bass as if his life depended on it. And frontwoman Berenice Courvoisier's voice gained more and more passion.

Then, the insanity started.

«You're not normal,» shouted a woman from the audience at one point. And in a way, she was right. Which US band dares to tour Europe with a new album only on the horizon, releasing either at the end of this year or at the start of 2024? And which band has an additional man on stage, creating weird but hilarious visuals?

Back home, Thumpasaurus already gained a loyal following, received cult status, and sold out large venues. In Europe, especially in Switzerland, nobody knows them. At least their hit Struttin' was in Couleur3's heavy rotation.

And with Struttin' and I'm Too Funky, Thumpasaurus started what only can be described as madness. Everything blurred into an irresistible escalation of verve and pressure.

Thumpasaurus burned an incomprehensible firework of deliriousness that words cannot accurately represent. The rapid groove, almost punk in nature; the sophistication in saxophonist Henry Solomon's or stoic keyboarder Paul Cornish's solos; the wild character of bass player Logan Kane; the otherwordly vocal performance of Lucas Tamaren; the apocalyptic stomping in Evil; the weird fusion of Beatles-like sound, children's song and chamber music in Beta Lupi.

I've never experienced a first show like this: The usually reserved, shy Swiss people just went ballistic. Dancing, jumping, clapping like possessed—riled up by Tamaren's natural showmanship and the band's talent to engage with the audience. You could feel that you're witnessing something extraordinary right then and there.

Thumpasaurus had nothing to lose and everything to win. And they took it all.