Peter Heppner
My Heart Of Stone

"No one gets out alive from the '80s," or if you prefer, "Synth-pop is dead, long live synth-pop!" But are we really so sure?

Yes and no, because there are always two possibilities: die of stereotypes or attempt an evolution, learning from one's background without wobbling like shabby weathervanes to the changing winds of fashion and success. Peter Heppner chose this second possibility, and by digging deeper into the past of this elegant singer-songwriter from Hamburg, one understands why. First of all, in Germany they are fully aware of their tradition which, regarding new wave, synth-pop, and derivatives, has nothing to envy anyone. The artists who have contributed to giving prestige to their scene in this Anglo-centric world have been held in high esteem well beyond the '80s. Thus, Wolfsheim, a duo of which Peter Heppner was the frontman, managed to achieve appreciable success with their dark-tinged synth-pop from 1992 to 2003, without having to kowtow to the prevailing trends over the years. An admirable mentality that should be taken as an example by everyone, as was Heppner's courageous and commendable choice to attempt a solo career at forty—mind you, a full-fledged solo career, not an occasional excursion outside the original field. The talent is there, the personality is there, and the artistic response can only follow; after the good debut "Solo" dated 2008, Peter raises the bar of ambition slightly, and after four years comes out with this "My Heart Of Stone" which, far from being a masterpiece, is one of those records that makes me think: "Yet, we need more music like this."

"My Heart Of Stone" is an album in the image and likeness of its author: sober and elegant, with moderate but evident aspirations of pop-opera, as intro, outro, and instrumental interludes demonstrate, adding further character and personality to an intriguing and intelligent proposal. Episodes like the excellent single "Meine Welt", "Give Us What We Need (Truth Is Not The Key)", the more elusive and subtle "God Smoked", and the almost rock gallop of "I Won't Give Up" express at great levels a mature and refined synth-pop with techno influences, reflective and slightly shadowy without being dark, interspersed with high-quality electronic ballads like the sentimental and bittersweet duet of "Deserve To Be Alone" and the intense, suffering, and melancholic lyricism of "Noch Nicht Soweit" and the stunning "A Love Divine". There's also a bit of lightness and simple energy in "My Heart Of Stone", which intelligently and subtly fits into the general context without breaking the chiaroscuro magic that characterizes the album; the fast and pulsating beat of a small, charming jewel like "Letter From Africa" overlaps with tribal percussion and lyrics that evoke scenes of untouched nature and ancient civilizations lost in time, while "Cry Tonight" closes the dance with great serenity and melodic transport, a perfect ending for an interesting and truly exquisite album.

Barring a slightly cumbersome single episode, the midtempo "Whenever I Miss You", "My Heart Of Stone" is an evocative album of great inspiration and creativity, enriched by dynamism that offers pleasant surprises at every turn; its best quality is undoubtedly an approach of a smooth operator that reflects in all aspects of the work, from the warm, suave, and velvety voice to the simple and refined musicality, never aggressive and always accommodating. Peter Heppner has the confidence and tranquility of the strong, is a serious professional fully aware of his means and his artistic dimension, and his music manages to put the listener at ease, without cloying trendy flattery, not even the slightest pretense of aping anyone, no garish chart hits, and a typically German attention to forms and details.

For those seeking balance and elegance, for those who know how to look beyond the usual names in the rock encyclopedia and distrust new proposals of more than dubious value, and certainly for those who want to hear some well-made pop, "My Heart Of Stone" by Peter Heppner is the perfect album.