Bella Wakame — Bella Wakame
Vinyl LP LTD PINK + DIGITAL
CATALOG UR155 — RELEASE DATE: May, 2025
All songs written & produced by Bella Wakame (Andi Haberl & Florian Zimmer). Recorded live 2024 in Berlin at Silent Green, Donau 115 & our homes. Live recordings by Tadklimp. Mixed by Tadklimp, Berlin 2024.
Words on The Island of Unknowns by Indra. Dunis. “Shades of Nambei” is inspired by the song “Nambei“ of Spirit Fest.
Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll Studio in New York.
Artwork by Daniel Castrejón in Mexico City.
TRACKLIST LP (38:50)
01 Fresh Despair
02 Shades of Nambei
03 To Win Love
04 Sundrops
05 Toutpartout PT2
06 Breakdowns, Full On
07 The Island of Unknowns
(feat. Indra Dunis)
08 Grand Tour
09 Manga Bois
10 Spirit-Shelf
︎︎ LP+DL ︎︎︎ ANOST ︎︎ LP+DL ︎︎︎ BANDCAMP
Roughly two years after the release of their initial statement of intent, debut single “Toutpartout PT2” with its hypnotic ripples, Andi Haberl and Florian Zimmer aka Bella Wakame have successfully channeled the magic of a 2024 live recording (captured at Berlin’s Donau115 & Silent Green) into their first proper studio offering. Their self-titled debut full-length is set to arrive on May 30, 2025 via Umor Rex. You can hear inspirations ranging from Bitchin Bajas, Jeremiah Chiu to Groupshow (Jelinek, Leichtmann, Pekler), the hypnotic, intricate battle between form and freedom (the fun of momentary formlessness) continues to unfold over the course of 10 new tracks, featuring album guest Indra Dunis (Peaking Lights).
Roughly two years after the release of their initial statement of intent, debut single “Toutpartout PT2” with its hypnotic ripples, Andi Haberl and Florian Zimmer aka Bella Wakame have successfully channeled the magic of a 2024 live recording (captured at Berlin’s Donau115 & Silent Green) into their first proper studio offering. Their self-titled debut full-length is set to arrive on May 30, 2025 via Umor Rex. You can hear inspirations ranging from Bitchin Bajas, Jeremiah Chiu to Groupshow (Jelinek, Leichtmann, Pekler), the hypnotic, intricate battle between form and freedom (the fun of momentary formlessness) continues to unfold over the course of 10 new tracks, featuring album guest Indra Dunis (Peaking Lights).
You can either shorten the reins, or you can loosen them – and give things more slack. With Bella Wakame, it’s definitely the latter. Constantly challenging each other, they’re tapping a whole new energy. Tons of different energies.
Based on the impulsive, propulsive interplay between drums/sensory percussion (Andi Haberl) and modular synthesizer (Florian Zimmer), the frenzied, free-form results take listeners into completely new dimensions – sonic worlds that don’t really sound anything like their other musical outlets (The Notwist, SUN, Saroos, Driftmachine etc.).
Whereas most bands tend to notoriously overthink names/monikers, these guys obviously only care about the ecstatic push-and-pull that occurs once their instruments meet and overlap: it’s wildly explosive textures with a booming heart. Moving restlessly between motorik club, electro-acoustic jazz experiments, ambient excursions, and fast-paced instrumental anthems that seem to explode at the seams, one can immediately tell how much they enjoy the newfound freedom, the turbulent encounters born on the spur of the moment.
It’s all about a quick-paced exchange of friendly blows, a chasing of tails into ever-new musical terrains. Relying on just enough form for that wildness to blossom within, their just-in-time dashes continually unfold, refold, return, grow bigger – and leave you startled.
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