Anja Huwe - Codes - CD

Unexpected, but long overdue: "Codes" - the solo album by ANJA HUWE - the return of the "Ice Queen". The internationally successful band XMAL DEUTSCHLAND with its singer and frontwoman ANJA HUWE released four albums and numerous singles in the 1980s on renowned British labels such as 4AD, Beggar's Banquet and on their own label X-ile. The band recorded four John Peel Sessions on BBC 1 and toured worldwide. XMAL DEUTSCHLAND, initially an "all girl band", were role models for the emerging gothic/darkwave scene and an inspiration for young female musicians to pursue their goals in a self-determined and consistent manner. After the band broke up in the early 1990s, HUWE broke new ground as a visual artist. Her main theme of "synaesthesia" - hearing colours and seeing sounds - has been a recurring theme in her artistic work ever since. She exhibits her large-format paintings worldwide. HUWE works in an interdisciplinary manner and is at home on various media levels. However, music has always remained an important part of her creative life. Since the band split up, HUWE has been haunted by the "Xmal Germany legend". However, she has always turned down requests from all over the world to return to music. MONA MUR, musician, composer, producer and long-time friend, was then able to convince ANJA HUWE to give music a second chance in 2020. They finally started their intensive collaboration in MUR's Berlin studio KATANA. MUR and HUWE composed and produced the songs for the upcoming album "Codes" together. The atmospheric crossover sound was characterised not only by HUWE's unmistakable voice and MUR's beats and soundscapes, but also by the input of XMAL DEUTSCHLAND guitarist MANUELA RICKERS and her unique starting point for "Codes" were lyrics by Moshe Shnitzki, who left his parental home in 1942 at the age of 17 to survive as a partisan in the deep Belarusian forests. "Codes" is therefore about borderline experiences - about what extreme situations can do to a person. Inspired by these texts, a poetic-musical cosmos of its own was created from images such as the forest, fear, pain, loss, violence and loneliness, but also beauty, longing, hope and the will to survive. Guest musicians are Yishai Sweartz, grandson of Moshe Shnitzki, and Olaf Boqwist (ex MUTTER). The term "Codes" is - like the album - multilingual. "Codes are what we have in this world. If you lose them, you lose yourself." "Codes" was co-produced by MONA MUR and ANJA HUWE. Mixing and mastering were carried out by Jon Caffery at The Old Winery on the Moselle.

Tracks:
SKUGGORNAS
RABENSCHWARZ
PARIAH
EXIT
O WALD
ZWISCHENWELT
SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN
LIVING IN THE FOREST
HIDEAWAY