NFOP Recommends: AB Syndrom

05 Jul 2013 — Henning Lahmann

German hip hop has always been a delicate matter, all too often landing firmly on that unmarked musical territory somewhere between ludicrousness and ineptitude, which is why I'd always recommend you just stay away from all that as far and as often as possible. That surely doesn't mean that it can't ever work out right though, but my guess would be that the safest course of action is to stop trying too hard to achieve things others have done long before you even arrived in the game. Enter AB Syndrom: it's hard to deny the fact that the music made by this still fairly new Berlin-based quartet  does indeed feature rapping, but to call it something even slightly reminiscent of hip hop would certainly be a stretch, and it's precisely this abstinence – and the awareness that's assumedly attached to it – that turns the whole project into something thoroughly enjoyable. AB Syndrom's work sports a very distinct brand of cleverly arranged and skilfully executed post-euphoric meta pop, never far away from experimental playfulness and always with the right amount of savvy self-irony. Or in other words, invariably a step ahead of most of their local contemporaries.

Next Friday, July 12, AB Syndrom will perform at Berlin Mitte's Hangar 49, supported by the remarkable and fresh local artist Lola Morgenroth and some aftershow beats and clicks provided by myself. Go here to get all necessary details. Definitely worth checking out, so see you there.