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U96 rebootIn the early nineties Hamburg, band U96 wrote musical history with Hayo Lewerentz and Ingo Haus with the hypnotic-magical techno version from the feature-film soundtrack classic, ‘Das Boot’. Now the songwriter / producer team returns to the public with a new double album: ‘Reboot’ will be released on June 29, 2018. It includes 17 new songs (plus eight more numbers on the bonus CD) and showcases many different facets and spectacular guests including NDW star Joachim Witt, ex-KRAFTWERK drummer Wolfgang Flür and soul singer Terri B! More than ten years have passed since the last U96 album, ‘Out Of Wilhelmsburg’ (2007). So the time was ripe for this current sign of life.

The history of U96 is that of an imposing successful career. It began in 1990 with the founding of the band by Lewerentz, Hauss, their former production partner Helmut Hoinkis and DJ Alex Christensen. Just one year later, U96 landed a huge hit with their version of the title tune from the cinematic hit ‘Das Boot’ (13 weeks at No 1 in Germany). This was followed by the debut album of the same name, which achieved gold status right away and placed at position 1 of the German charts. The follow-up work ‘Replugged’ appeared twelve months later, inspired by the Electro Pop, Ambient and Disco sound, and followed the big hit of its predecessor. It landed two more top 10 hits with the dance tracks ‘Love Sees No Color’ and ‘Night In Motion’ and also included the quieter numbers ‘The Russian’ and ‘Without You’, which can be counted almost as precursors of the Trip-Hop wave that began a little later.

In the following years U96 expanded their stylistic range on albums such as ‘Club Bizarre’ (1995) and ‘Heaven’ (1996) and in addition to their established Techno base presented cross-references to Pop, Trance, Rave and Eurodance. In addition, the group recorded their single ‘Heaven’, using a quote from the CINDY LAUPER classic ‘Time after Time’. The early 2000s were a quieter time for the North German formation, with their most recent album ‘Out Of Wilhelmsburg’ (with the single ‘Mr. DJ Put On The Red Light’ feat. Rapper Das Bo) released in 2007. It was followed by the 2014 separation of Alex Christensen. Subsequently, the two original members Lewerentz and Hauss continued and expanded U96's previous successful concept of live concerts with changing guests. As a visual focal point of the shows special visuals were developed for each song in the style of acts such as THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS and so, one may be looking forward to the planned tour of spring 2019.

At the centre of the concerts will be - in addition to all the classics of the band of course - the main songs of their new album ‘Reboot’. In addition to the 13 regular tracks, the double album also includes an additional bonus CD with eight other songs, including the six pieces from the previously exclusively vinyl-based 2015 EP ‘The Dark Matter’. The first single from ‘Reboot’ will feature American soul singer Terri B on the song ‘Angels’. In ‘Angels’, U96 catapults their 1990s-influenced Dance track with its catchy hook into the present and displays themselves impressive and audio-visual in the accompanying video, shot in Berlin. A spectacular collaboration between U96 and NDW star Joachim Witt comes in ‘Quo Vadis’, a funky mix of Techno and NDW, with a socially critical text about populism and the current problematic political situation. On his own current album, Joachim Witt presents a completely different and partially RAMMSTEIN-reminiscing version of 'Quo Vadis'.

U96’s collaboration with Wolfgang Flür (ex-KRAFTWERK) in the tracks ‘Zukunftsmusik’ and ‘Hildebrandslied’ is futuristic and forward-looking. Overall, it is a musically outrageous and exciting liaison between the three participating musicians. Who - although of different generations - sparkle unmistakably on the same wavelength and add a kind of post-modern KRAFTWERK-dimension to the typical U96 soundscapes. And without wanting to betray too much now, this cooperation will be continued after ‘Reboot’, as a complete U96 album with Wolfgang Flür is planned for autumn 2018. A fresh and invigorating storm is blowing through U96 (to stay within the maritime theme!)


Check out ‘Zukunftsmusik’ feat. Wolfgang Flür




Tracklist

CD1
01. Intro
02. Angels (feat. Terri B!)
03. F……Camera
04. Zukunftsmusik (feat. Wolfgang Flür)
05. 60 Seconds
06. Monkeys
07. Contact Machines
08. I Say Brain
09. Losing Our Time
10. Timelapse
11. Hildebrandslied (feat. Wolfgang Flür)
12. Quo Vadis (feat. Joachim Witt)
13. Heart Of Light
14. Supernatural
15. Snow Brain
16. Another World
17. Art Of Reboot

CD2 (Bonus)
01. Blood Of The Rose
02. Dark Matter
03. Human Cosmic
04. Run With It
05. Planet Earth
06. Abhörstation
07. Zukunftsmusik (Radar Remix)
08. Human Cosmic (Mellow Mix)


Album Trailer






Source: Press Release

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