Hellnova

A 13 track balearic / downtempo album (57m 50s) — released March 18th 2016 on Confunktion Records

Sans Soleil illuminates the lonesome and gloomy spots in modern day city life. This musical project channels the emotions, the impressions and the sounds of the places, where the sunlight rarely touches the surface and the music expresses almost wordlessly all the despair, struggles and broken hearts that urban youths encounter.

And while being a German based production, Sans Soleil catches a European spirit, with contributions by an enormous team of musicians coming from all over Europe, from Turkey to Spain, from Hungary to Berlin.

01. "Welcome To My World" sets your path through this deep, dark and gloomy musical voyage right from the first note. Atmospheric moog synthesizer sounds and a squawking, lamenting clarinet by Matthias Oßwald are broken by straight oldschool sampler drums.

02. "Dawn Of Mankind" drops into the rhythm with a rolling bass line and jazzy flute. This tune is a co-operation with Berlin DJ and producer Geraet of the incredible turntablism crew Cutcannibalz and features multi instrumentalist Marc Figge on various sections.

03. "Mentalonliest" A smooth chill-out-song featuring a jazzy brass section and a beautiful and warm Fender Rhodes solo by Matthias Becker a.k.a. Flamingo Star.

04. "Deep In The Dark" Deep hits from a 1865 Blüthner grand piano and distorted scratching on the piano-strings shaping a morbid atmosphere - thrilled by swing rides and cymbals on the jazz tip.

05. "Where Have You Been" A slick 3/4-timing transforming into a straight 4/4-timing part, turning back again to that 3/4-timing and ending in a wicked 5/4-time breakdown in the end is giving you a jazz verses 808-drum-machine-electro feeling covered in a cinematic soundscape.

06. "No Looking Back" sounds like Jay Dilla twisting Morcheeba into the dark side. Barcelona based singer Lady Emz floats over a catchy melody and a shuffling break lifts it up before it falls into the touching string-line driving to the end.

07. "Hellnova" A deep bass line, heavy guitars and a saxophone line explode in your ear. Move your feet to this driving drum 'n' bass or the flames coming out of the speaker will consume you.

08. "Seaside Suicide" This jazzed out tune keeps you grooving from the first note until the last. Highlighted by the funky soprano solo in the bridge part this is definitely a head nodders song!

09. "Solo" A quiet, breezy tune starring Paco Mendoza - a very fine vocalist from Berlin who produced his last album with DJ Vadim (BBE Rec. / Ninja Tune Rec.) - "Solo" is a meditative song with celtic influenced strings and a touch of melancholy.

10. "Deadness Of My Town" Breathing loneliness and sadness, a jazzed out clarinet and the blue vibe of the Balkan sax carry you through the song, like a walk through persistent rain in a city, where everything seems dead and rotten.

11. "The Day After" Once again Lady Emz lends her amazing voice to a laid-back jazzy tune. Carried by a smooth saxophone section and the thumb piano, her words warm you like the first rays of light after a dark and cold night.

12. "Sans Soleil" is the title track that gives the whole project its name. A lost piano combine with the amazing violin by Hungarian violin player Laszlo Toth and drastic horns gives this one its hypnotic drive.

13. "And I Love Her" takes you right to the stars and slowly pulls you back to earth. Just close your eyes and let the incredible strings and piano melody work its magic.

Sans Soleil - Hellnova is available as limited 2LP including download code (250units), CD and digital.

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