Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Sharlese, host of Mechanical Breakdown, is "Rabenschwarz" by Anja Huwe, a 2024 single on Sacred Bones.
As the frontwoman for German post-punk band Xmal Deutschland, vocalist Anja Huwe was at the forefront of the 4AD avant-garde art-rock scene in the 1980s. When the band broke up in 1989, Huwe left music to pursue her visual art career.
But now, nearly 30 years later, Huwe re-emerges with her debut solo album, Codes, scheduled for release on March 8th via Sacred Bones Records. Huwe's long-time friend Mona Mur managed to coax her back into the recording studio, and over the span of eighteen months, they crafted a collection of dark, dramatic soundscapes for Huwe to wrap her distinctive vocals around.
“Since I sing multilingually, and often work with metaphors, I hope that the listener can grasp the moods without understanding them literally," Huwe shared in a press statement. "I believe that voice, expression, and sound can achieve an overall atmosphere. Sometimes melancholic and blue, but also uplifting, vibrant, or subliminally aggressive."
