Max Ophüls Preis, the most important film festival for upcoming talent in Germany, has just awarded Jo Dürbeck, AKA Hidden Shoal’s very own Jumpel, and his partner René Dohmen, who together go under the name DDMusik, the accolade of ‘Best Film Music’. Congratulations Jo!
Excerpt: “The Retail Sectors (AKA Kentaro Togawa) took me pleasantly by surprise with the “The First Step to End the Life” single. Electronica pop, catchy like hell… The layers of sound on some of the tracks (the remix parts) are dizzying and yet chilling. The soundscapes of The Retail Sectors’ instrumental music are simple, yet complex… an exciting mini album.”
Excerpt: “Sankt Otten might be Germany’s finest act with their blissful electronic soundscapes… Wunden Gibt Es Immer Wieder is an amazingly graceful piece of work. The title track and single ‘Wunden Gibt Es Immer Wieder’ is a top ace, along with ‘Der Groove Des Guten Gewissens’ and ‘Analoge Bohème’ to name a few. The closing ‘Stille Wasser’ is as beautiful, peaceful and soothing as quiet waters can be.”
Excerpt: “Glassacre play nocturnal pop, a mixture of indie (when 80s turned 90s) and electronica, as in shoegaze with more than a haze of guitars. Check their myspace site and the listed influences make sense. The whispering, whirling ‘September 16th’ is highly suggestive, and a song that grows with every new spin. ‘Sanctuary’ is a bit more trippy, tricky, quite introvert… Anyway, a cool single it is, and a promising preview from the full length to come.”
