Dapayk & Padberg - Harbour (2017)

Always keep moving never stand still; a motto that Dapayk & Padberg have been following consistently for more than ten years in every respect. For nearly three decades soughtafter musician producer and machine enthusiast Niklas Worgt has researched diverse club sound effects with countless projects while singer Eva Padberg is an internationally renowned high fashion model. Since 2003 they have been traveling and performing together as Dapayk & Padberg. They are passionate sound nomads who capture acoustic impressions of their exciting journey. Each album is a sound logbook which captures memories in the form of beats tunes and skits. On "Sink This Ship" released a few months ago the Berlinbased duo provided a first glimpse of what you can expect from Dapayk & Padberg in 2017 with their new album "Harbour". Life is a fascinating adventurous journey with the only constant being Dapayk & Padbergs continuous development. Their debut album "Close Up" released in 2005 was dominated by Rave and Tech House the 2007 LP "Black Beauty" was influenced by Minimal and Pop. After the duo devoted themselves to the melodic techno and club sounds of their third long play record "Sweet Nothings" their most drastic artistic cut came in the form of 2013 release "Smoke" that showcased an unusual atmospheric ambient side. This time from the foggy depths of Scotland their journey brought them to the sea where Dapayk & Padberg anchored and found their temporary port. A place to take a deep breath and slow down reenergize and let the energy flow freely. Allowing "the selfassurance to try everything in all directions" Eva Padberg says of album number five. Two very distinct places have had a special influence on the genesis of "Harbour": The first ideas were collected in 2015 in Camargue in Provence amongst panoramic views of fragrant lavender fields and extensive vineyards. After half of the tracks had already been recorded both computers with all nearly finished song material were stolen a crucial break for Dapayk & Padberg. Both started a second attempt in the spring of 2016. This time recording in the rural seclusion of Brandenburg just outside of Berlin. Last exit: Uckermark. "When you get out of the car you kind of experience an acute hearing loss" says Niklas Worgt. "There is absolute silence and solitude out there. We have set up a studio in our house over the winter and started to work on the new tracks in the spring. From the vocal recording corner you can see the field and depending on what time of day it is you have a completely different view of the sky and the surroundings. You take a look at these open spaces and you start blooming properly. Automatically a quite ambient sound develops; creating a club album in this relaxed atmosphere would not have been possible. I think this is one reason why the tracks on "Harbour have been much more positive and less gloomy than on "Smoke". "Harbour" couldn't have been created in busy Berlin or other metropolises. Dapayk & Padberg leave their former club roots behind and channel the power of silence in decelerated beats an organic instrumentation and floating ethereal vocals into a dynamic headlining mix of synthetic elements and ambient pop. For the first time a Dapayk & Padberg LP will be released on Mo's Ferry's sublabel Fenou which in recent years has made an excellent name for its signature sound of harmonic electronica and swinging minimal electro. Programmed loops combine with Eva's associative metaphoric lyrics to form gentle flowing and sometimes stormy interplay. "It is a making of with a strict separation of tasks the singer continues "I think singing and music are now of equal value to us. We are much more confident than a few years ago. A lot has emerged from improvisation. Niklas as a producer always gave advice regarding my vocal performance. I immediately had a concrete picture in mind of what should be the contents of the track. Just like in "Nightshades that conveys a certain sunset mood with its psychedelic vibe." "Harbour" is the title song of the album with the same name and with its choked downbeats and the overdreamy vocals it reveals the stylistic direction of the whole album. Almost seamlessly it fades into the softly pumping love declaration "Watching Over You" followed by the playful "UCamargue". Another key track is the melancholic "Sink This Ship" an asynchronous rhythm on a rocking turbulent sea that is softened by touching classical strings in the end. "The text is a ciphered critique of this social media delusion" explains Eva Padberg. "Basically we are constantly online. On the one hand to see what our friends and our favourite stars are doing. And of course on the other hand to present ourselves. The song is about leaving it all behind and starting all over. So you don't have to act any longer." The slightly jazzy "Just Be Found" was influenced by TripHop mixed with noisy radio samples and fragile vocals. It's Dapayk & Padberg's very own interpretation of latenight pop that you can also hear in "Nightshades". In addition to the regular tracks you will find selected skits; Short instrumental scores that connect the individual songs atmospherically. Just like the slowly developing "Tempest" the acoustic snapshot "Drops" or the elegant barjazz interlude "Rain" with its sparkling piano. "On this piece you can clearly hear the influence of the Uckermark" says Niklas Worgt. "You are building a whole new connection to nature and the elements like rain wind or storm. This is clearly reflected on the album. You get a certain spin back to the original. When you look out of the window over endless fields the view is directed to the inside at some point. You learn to express your innermost feelings. "Rain" was written in front of the open window. When it started to rain I ran out with the mic and tried to record the rain. We then mixed it with this kind of bar jazz which is known from Janet Jackson's old single Bsides. The Asides always were kind of frightful but the Bsides contained the really exciting stuff." The album ends on a conciliatory orchestral note with the 90s HipHop and ambienttriggered instrumental "The Field". "The album title 'Harbour' reflects the big picture" adds Eva Padberg. "A kind of romance security warmth and harmony. This record feels like a return to the proverbial 'safe harbour." A harbour where both stop off for the moment because their next trip is already planned: after the release of "Harbour" Dapayk & Padberg tour Europe and ROW.