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Lali Puna is the project of Munich-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist
Valerie Trebeljahr. Initially a solo project, it came to include
Notwist's guitarist Markus Acher when it debuted
with the single Snooze and then expanded to a real combo with the
additions of
percussionist Christoph Brandner of Tied & Tickled Trio
and keyboardist Florian Zimmer (of Iso 68 and Fred is Dead).
This line-up recorded the single Safe Side.
Lali Puna's debut album Tridecoder (Darla, 1999) offered an austere
but minimal and alienated form of synth-pop, with the gentle, fairy vocals frequently stealing the show.
6-0-3 is the simplest possible nursery rhyme: just a fragile refrain
whispered over a drum machine.
The idea is not new (Laurie Anderson did it
twenty years earlier, and
Stereolab abused it in the 1990s),
but Trebeljahr does it with the "girl next door"
attitude, not the intellectual attitude of the new wave.
The instrumental System On proves that her voice is not even necessary,
because the effect is the same when the childish melody is carried by the
keyboards and the beat intensifies.
She doesn't even sing, just speaks, in Rapariga Da Banheira, letting
the Brazilian rhythm take front stage.
The tone turns a bit existential in Everywhere & Allover, with another
vague reference to Brazilian polyrhythms.
Finally, she merely talks in Tocs-Discos, and the anemic music merely
runs its pointless course.
A violin breaks the dogma of infinitesimal means in Fast Forward, and
the effect is almost epic by comparison with the plain, flat, bland
arrangements of the other songs.
Jazzy drums propel the finally vital, movile and almost exuberant instrumental
Superlotado that closes the album. Too little too late.
These are electronic twee-pop ballads that possibly coin a new genre, but
rarely stand on their own merit.
Scary World Theory (Morr, 2001) is more avantgarde, in that it
incorporates subtle production techniques and transcends the roots of funk,
soul and hip-hop.
Occasionally abstract and subliminal
(Don't Think, Middle Curse, Come On Home)
and occasionally convoluted in a post-rock fashion (the instrumental tracks
Contratempo and 50 Faces Of, the This Heat-ian Don't Think),
the music aims simultaneously for the heart and for the brain.
The resulting synth-pop structures are candid-camera immersions in the singer's
ego
(Nin-com-pop, Bi-Pet, Lowdown, Scary World Theory).
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(Translation by/ Tradotto da Dario Ferraro)
I Lali Puna sono un progetto nato a Monaco della cantante e polistrumentista
Valerie Trebeljahr. Inizialmente doveva essere un progetto solista, ma presto il chitarrista dei
Notwist Markus Acher si unisce a collaborare nel singolo
Snooze e poi con l'aggiunta del percussionista
Christoph Brandner del Tied & Tickled Trio
e del tastierista Florian Zimmer (degli Iso 68 e Fred is Dead) diventano un vero e proprio combo.
Con questa rinnovata line-up registrano il singolo Safe Side.
L'album di debutto Tricoder (Darla, 1999) presenta un'austera ma alienata
forma di synth-pop, con la cantante che monopolizza la scena.
6-0-3, Rapariga Da Banheira, Fast Forward richiamano alternativamente Kraftwerk,
Two Lone Swordmen,
Laurie Anderson,
New Order e
Stereolab.
Scary World Theory (Morr, 2001) e' piu' d'avanguardia, poiche'
incorpora una sottile produzione tecnica e trascende le radici di funk,
soul e hip-hop.
Occasionalmente astratto e minimale
(Don't Think, Middle Curse, Come On Home)
, mentre a volte converge in un gusto post-rock (le tracce strumentali
Contratempo e 50 Faces Of, la This Heat-iana Don't Think),
la musica colpisce simultaneamente il cuore e il cervello.
Le risultanti strutture synth-pop sono immersioni/candid-camera nell'ego della cantante
(Nin-com-pop, Bi-Pet, Lowdown, Scary World Theory).
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