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Laing

About:

Laing is an all female vocal group around songwriter, producer and leadsinger Nicola Rost. Other bandmembers in the orginial setting were Susanna Berivan and Johanna Marshall on vocals and Marisa Akeny as dancer and choreographer. Performing live they are accompanied by percussionist Milian Vogel. They refer to their style as Elektro-Soul-Pop or Electric Ladysound. The name of the band was combined of the birthnames of Rost' mother. In 2011 they release two EP's '30/577 07 886' and 'Sehnsucht' which are mostly ignored in the press.

In 2012 Laing appears in the Bundesvision Song Contest with a cover version of Trude Herr's songs 'Morgens bin ich immer müde'. (Herr gained fame with that song at the start of the sixties which appeared on the album Ich will keine Schokolade). Although they end up second they get a top 10 hit with the song. Follow up 'Nacht für Nacht' does not succeed to hit the charts however, Their live shows get attention not only for the music but also the minimalistic outfits. After touring Germany Berivan leaves the group and is temporary replaced by Atina Tabé. When Tabé persues an acting career Larissa Pesch fills in. In 2015 the band enters the competition for the ESC in Austria.

On the web:

- Laing is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

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What do we think:

DB: When I first heard a song by Laing i thought it was a side project of soundwizard Matthew Herbert with German singers. Turns out it was more original then that. Rost and her friends created a sort of funky electro close-harmony cabaret pop which was fresh and new. Like the Pointer Sisters moved to Germany and discovered the local electro-scene. Their debut Paradis Naiv has an urban urgency around it which was on continious replay in my car that summer. Their second album is more influenced by German cabaret.

Recommendations:

♪♪♪♪ - Paradis Naïv - 2013

♪♪♪ - Wechselt die beleuchtung - 2014

♪♪♪ - Fotogena - 2018

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided