BARBARA MORGENSTERN Nichts Muss (Labels/EMI) Rating: NNN
Rating: NNN
This comes across like a German take on the Portishead sound, but replacing the hiphop references with minimal techno ones. Nichts Muss is song-based electro pop, rich with pianos, organs, lightly strummed guitar and delicate vocals. There’s a bit of a Stereolab feel to some of it, and the German singing is more musical than you’d think. Stefan Betke (aka Pole) handles some production duties, but other than a couple of clicks and glitches here and there you won’t really recognize his influence. We’re All Gonna Fucking Die is the standout track, mainly for the krautrock-influenced guitar work and booming electro beat.
Morgenstern performs Wednesday (January 28) at the Horseshoe.