Red On - Phantom Easy (2024)

Where does pop start and experimental music end? Instead of drawing lines, Red On keeps on exploring the spaces in between these supposed poles with his latest album Phantom Easy, a record that offers moments of pure beauty as well as unpredictable, uncontrollable wilderness.

The spaces Red On moves in aren’t per se terra incognita, but have been explored in recent years by like-minded musicians such as How To Dress Well, Fever Ray, or Dawuna, as well as artists that are affiliated with Präsenes Editionen, where Red On’s album is published, such as Martina Lussi, Belia Winnewisser, or Magda Drozd. Yet, Phantom Easy is an exploration of its own: The melancholic album, which is informed by pop, electroacoustic music, rhythm-focused jazz, and krautrock, is carried by Red On's voice, which appears in ever-changing stages of alienation. The wistful tone of the twelve tracks is reinforced by single phrases sung by Red On that, through their repetition, develop an urgency that can hardly be escaped. The result is pop music that is brave enough to embrace the adventure; or experimental music that doesn’t shy away from offering catchy hooks and grand melodies.

Behind Red On is Philipp Dittmar, a producer, DJ and co-founder of Nuremberg label Verydeeprecords. In a productive, DIY-driven environment, which also includes the It Isn't Happening Festival, the Musikverein collective or the label Signal Weltfunk, Dittmar has released a number of EPs and albums over the past decade. Phantom Easy is the highlight of Red On's forward thinking work to date and underlines his innovative strength and artistic vision. For the live performances of Phantom Easy, Dittmar continues to work with visual artist Subrihanna; together they offer an ever-evolving, immersive audio-visual experience.

Phantom Easy is published by Präsens Editionen, a Switzerland-based platform for community-run publishing projects. It was founded in 2011 while launching zweikommasieben Magazin. Ever since music on vinyl, cassette, as well as in digital formats has been released next to zines, magazines, books, and some oddities as well. Recent audio releases include material by Samuel Reinhard, Belia Winnewisser, Martina Lussi, Samuel Savenberg, and Magda Drozd.