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THE REVIEW
SOAP & SKIN
Lovetune for vacuum
(PIAS) Heavy vinyl LP & CD
Anja Plaschg, this young and extremely pale Viennese musician, has an unusual air of a young lady about her, which makes her the talk of the town. A bit of Antony & The Johnson, a bit of Yann Tiersen, essentially "pop" music made by someone who has studied classical scores. She plays the piano with ferocity or tenderness, sometimes singing softly and sometimes shouting, she plays with contrasts and adds slightly scratchy electronic sounds to create a modern-ancient effect.
Without contributing any originality, Lovetune for vacuum is a beautiful album, overall, no track can be accused of being mere filler.
Strong music, subtly violent and cold, undoubtedly dark and melancholic, which might have been called "dark" in the past but nowadays we would be misunderstood; there's nothing vulgar or fetishistic here.
The track where Anja outdoes herself is not present on the album, however. It was hidden as the B-side of the single Spiracle and was called Interview (feat. Heartmill). In fact, there's more talking than singing here: together with her friend Lisa Yvo Heartmill, she expresses disgust and anger by cursing and spitting, underneath a malevolent voice, artificially distorted, and subtle, fragile, and poignant music creates a dramatic and unsettling contrast.
Black poetry.
Fausto @ martinrecs.com
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Summary by Bot
Soap & Skin's debut album Lovetune For Vacuum offers a stylistic blend of classical piano and electronic elements. Anja Plaschg's vocal contrasts enhance the album's dark, melancholic mood. The album avoids filler tracks and maintains strong emotional intensity throughout. A notable hidden track 'Interview' delivers raw, unsettling expression beyond the album's scope.Tracklist Videos
Soap&Skin
Soap&Skin is the stage name of Austrian musician Anja Plaschg, known for stark, piano-led songs that fuse classical sensibilities with electronic detail. Her acclaimed debut Lovetune for Vacuum (2009) was followed by the EP/mini-album Narrow (2012) and the album From Gas To Solid / You Are My Friend (2018).05 Reviews
Other reviews
By Targetski
Her album sounds like few recent releases, and it sounds quite somber.
Plaschg’s true ability is to blend classical and experimental, tradition and technology, so that the album sounds both timeless and extremely modern.
By bacotabacco
The little voice, tender like a child's. Becoming a woman. And shouting. And freeing itself.
Chaos and calm. Scream loud, vomit out the gases, the poisons, the toxins.
By Jesper
Piano and laptop immediately engage in a dialogue with an intense voice, comparable to the pathos of Nico, but with a more gentle aftertaste.
"Lovetune For Vacuum," with all its small flaws, remains an album to be listened to in the intimacy of one’s room.
