March 15th 2025

Chris Imler

(Album Release)

+ Die Goldenen 20er

+ Alternative Fakten DJs

Doors 20:00

VVK 14, AK 17

The dark underbelly of the internet is the theme behind this new record; across its nine tracks, the Berlin-based songwriter and producer Chris Imler flits between topics as varied as porn, cute animals, war and weed with the hasty indifference of someone flicking between apps. It’s a suitably macabre topic for him, whose sound is characterised by a strange, nocturnal quality, all chugging instrumentals and monotone chanting.

The record draws on Imler’s trusty seedy palette, skulking somewhere in the depths between Krautrock and industrial dance music. But where new interpretations of these genres can often veer towards pastiche, Imler’s approach feels both refreshing and as raw as the real deal, thanks in part to his frequent co-producer, Benedikt Frey. Un Solo Corpo brings to mind Suicide, with its smoky, skippy melody, gruff vocals and swirls of feedback, but it would also go down well in a club. Agoraphobie, another standout, features fellow underground experimentalist Naomie Klaus’ sultry vocals lurking around western-style guitars and synths that whir and wail like a theremin.

There are moments that could be mistaken for indie landfill in the wrong context (Let’s Not Talk About the War), but any naffness is saved by Imler’s knowing humour. Me Porn, You Porn, for example, captures the absurdity of a Tonetta track if he swapped his acoustic guitar for a synthesiser, while Liturgy of Litter sounds like a nursery rhyme gone wrong. It’s these wonky, downtempo excursions that make the record so good, as seductive and disorientating as a late-night internet rabbit hole.

-Safi Bugel , The Guardian

Let’s Not Talk About

Video by Markus S Fiedler & Chris Imler