It’s been a very long 15 years since Robocop Kraus have released any new material, and they have now announced the album ‘Smile’, through Tapete Records, and the first taste – the release of single ‘On Repeat’ – bodes well. While often considered to be the German answer to bands like Franz Ferdinand or Talking Heads, there is also a pervading sense of the southern hemisphere’s Flying Nun/Dunedin sound that recalls The Chills or The Bats: quirky indie pop with a hyperactive thrill.
‘On Repeat’ has a driving motorik beat and a shimmering wall of sound, with soaring melodies and a euphoric chorus. A Euro-disco thrum adds to an eighties lustre: movement, light and sparkle. The accompanying video is a retro quirky delight:
‘Smile’ is out on 14 April 2023 and can be pre-ordered here in vinyl form and pre-saved here. The band will be on tour in Germany from April – details and tickets available here.
Robocop Kraus were formed in 1998 in Hersbruck, Germany. They have played more than 800 shows in clubs, squats, concert halls and on festival stages all over Europe, in the US, the UK, Japan and Russia. They have released (about) 5 albums on L’Age d’Or, Epitaph, Anti, Day After Records.
Feature photograph: David Häuser
