Eisenmund, the debut by Berlin-based Schimmel über Berlin is a thing of pounding, brittle beauty that seeks to continue on from where angst-ridden, early-eighties Berlin left off. Angular, monophonic synths, guitars that slice through with wiry yet melodic urgency, basslines that pulse with a taut, driven precision and drums that meld everything together. Liv Billerbeck’s vocals come from the middle distance, drifting between detached and desperate, as if transmitted through a wintery cityscape.

Title track Eisenmund jangles with reedy synths floating over a carpet of bass and mournful vocals dripping with a sense of loss. This mood spills over into the other tracks, like post-punk jewel Schreck with its iridescently lovely guitars.

Eisenmund is sharp, atmospheric, and quietly thrilling – proof that the shadows of the eighties can still dance under today’s flickering lights. The album, immaculately produced by T-Rex, captures that classic post-punk mood of urban decay, late-night introspection and stubborn sense of motion, which for someone like me, who was there back in the day, seems utterly familiar without ever sinking into mere nostalgia.

LP / Cassette / Digital Album

The debut 7 track mini LP from Berlin’s Misere is a new jewel in the modern post punk crown. Sit back, relax and let the darkness engulf you with their primitive and sparse sound.

Standout Prickelnd’ starts with the pounding floor tom and snare and slightly flanged bass before the guitar kicks in and the song takes twists and turns. It’s like a minimal sounding Xmal Deutschland and Blood and Roses with a vocalist that sings with a deadpan delivery. Another standout ‘Dracula’ has the sound and spirit of the first Kleenex single down to a tea, but adds a hint of classic early 80’s goth. Final track ‘Abrieb’ sounds like it could fall apart at any moment, in all it’s glorious chaos.

It’s the sound of what UK Decay would have sounded like, if they were women. A superb release that shows the sound of Berlin in 2025. (Sean Forbes, Rough Trade)

12″ / Digital Album

Riding the cold wave of success after a self released tape and her debut LP, one woman weapon Cosey Mueller returns with release number three. Straight down to business, Softcore sees Berlin’s favorite femme fatale evolve the vintage synthpunk sounds of her previous cassette and vinyl releases to reveal lusciously textured soundscapes for a mature, confident long player that is polished yet playful. Ribbed and studded with sassy statements and cheeky guitars riding the cynical synth lines, Softcore thrusts back and forth in time between the experimental DIY spirit of 81/82 to the industrial dance heyday of 86-89.

An instant classic as fresh as the cool night air. (Daryl Sulfate – Diät, Das Nest)

Cassette / Digital Album

The world is in deep and dark disturbing times and Berlin’s AUS are the soundtrack to this apocalypse. This new three track EP has everything you loved from their second album from 2020 and more. It’s full of ice cold and stark future post punk gems.The drums drive the tracks with tom tom heavy rhythms next to a thunderous, melodic and locked in bass whilst the minimal synth and scatchy guitars add to the cold atmospherics. The vocals are the icing on top and move between Siouxsie and Anja from Xmal Deutschland with an added extra portion of boredom and disdain. If this was an obscure 7” from 1979 it would be on everyone’s wants list, but luckily for everyone it’s a 2024 release. [ Sean Forbes - Rough Trade]

7″ / Digital Album

I wonder what Die Letzten Ecken did during the past 2 1/2 years since their debut EP. Did they steal Jürgen Engler’s Stahlofon? Did they listen to Nitzer Ebb’s Basic Pain Procedure for the cold minimalistc EBM appeal? Did they ask Matthias Schuster how to combine this with the psychedelic electronica of the Berlin School like he did on Atemlos?

Probably none of that. Find out for yourself but do not forget your Talisman to listen to it on a stroll. There is much more to discover here than whether there are Seen Links or Schlösser Rechts.

LP / Digital Album

Cosey steps right out of the screen of a crackly old vhs to deliver her second release of heels and leather groovers, lifted straight from the sticky dancefloors of smoke stained clubs of the 1981 you wish you partied so hard in you forgot to remember. Driving, crunching and grinding through eight sassy tracks, the conveyor belt of analog tunes is constructed on a foundation of vintage synths and sequencers. Vocals, ice cold like a frozen strawberry daiquiri, guide you through the club to the jukebox next to the cigarette machine so you can pick out that track you like, the one with the spontaneous uplifting guitar hook that comes out of nowhere and kicks like that pill you forgot you took back in 1981. [Daryl Sulfate, Diät]

LP / Digital Album

Here’s the second release from Aus, a post-punk band from Berlin, Germany.

LP / Digital Album