Frogcodile: Die Kreuzung aus einem klebrigen Amphibium und einem gefährlichen Reptil? Das scheint ebenso skurril wie bedrohlich und doch irgendwie vertraut. Der erfrischende Sound der Wuppertaler Art-Rock Band FROGCODILE zieht den Hörer in einen melancholisch-hypnotischen Bann, um ihn im nächsten Moment in freudige Ekstase zu versetzten.
Vor groove-gesteuerten Gitarrencollagen irgendwo zwischen Radiohead und The Police erzählt Frontmann und Mastermind Dennis Kresin von den Reflexionen einer philosophischen Gedankenreise. FROGCODILE lassen ihrem zweiten Studioalbum „Refractions“ (2017) eine Trilogie von EPs folgen. Dreimal über das Jahr 2018 verteilt gibt es neuen musikalischen Farbstoff, der an den eher nachdenklich und verzweifelt anmutenden Vorgänger anknüpft. Erweitert um elektronische Elemente ist der neue Sound minimalistischer und nahbarer. Gleichwohl lässt sich die meist intime Stimme punktuell zu lauten fast grunge-artigen Exzessen hinreißen. Sehnlich nach Sinn suchend und geprägt von einer in sich hinein fragenden Einsamkeit fließen die Texte durch hallende Gitarren und knarrende Synthesizer. Ohne dem Zuhörer jedoch diesen dunkelbunten Klangteppich unter den Füßen wegzuziehen, brechen die Songs immer wieder aus gewohnten Popstrukturen aus.
We Are Rome: Originating from a casting show star’s backing band, whose members discovered their shared passion for alternative music while on tour, ‘We Are Rome’ are a 4-piece indie rock outfit from Schweppenhausen, Germany. While their blend of raunchy guitar sounds, chill filtered synthesizers and a tender vocal topping can’t deny their urban ambitions, they will always be inspired by and sound like the small, 800 inhabitant village which they hail from. There is beauty abundant, but it is not for everyone.
It began in 2013, when singer Moritz Thomann was looking for musicians to join his then solo project ‘We Are Rome’. While being on tour as guitar player for a hereby unnamed pop star and casting show winner, Moritz bonded with fellow touring musicians Lorenz Stegmaier on keyboards and bassist Niklas Esser. ‘Here we were playing with that really commercialised pop act but all the while geeking out over our favourite Radiohead album, the new Dave Smith Prophet synthesizer and what to think about John Frusciante going electro. At some point we just had to start something together’ explains Moritz.
Completing their line up with smaller brother Paul Thomann on drums and former table tennis rival Hannes Porombka on guitar, they started the transformation from a solo project with ever changing backing musician to a real band. As Moritz says ‘At first it was me doing the songs and the other guys doing the sounds and that’s what you can hear on our first EP. But already then it became clear that everybody in our group had something to say and that it was good.’ So after their first EP ‘Better Days’ which garnered them their first reviews and live gigs, their second release was a complete collaborative effort and really started off their band. ‘Wild Sines’ was released in October 2016 in true indie fashion via their own label ‘Ape Dos Mil’.
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