Holler my Dear

About

Funk Rock Folk with animating grooves from Berlin

Until the pandemic, Holler my Dear enjoyed a wide response and international stage success. The three albums by the well-traveled Berlin sextet also received much praise outside Germany. The magazine Rondo stated: "Each piece heads inexorably towards an anthemic climax, in the glowing core of which Winkler's masterful art of singing shines." Ö1 diagnosed "music as an anti- depressant", the FAZ praised Winkler's "humor and subtlety", among other things. The band celebrated roaring parties at festivals (including X-Jazz, Reeperbahn, Jazz Open Stuttgart, Jazz & the City Salzburg, Mexico City, Penang, Cairo, Tehran) and in clubs. In June 2023, Holler my Dear released the EP Aftermath, with songs that, among other things, deal with the (post)-Corona mood and explore a more electronic sound aesthetic. For the video for the single Agree To Agree, the band was able to win over star actress Stefanie Reinsperger (Berliner Ensemble, Tatort Dortmund), which caused quite a buzz.
Now Holler My Dear is opening the next chapter. The song collection An Only Me is a Lonely Youpresents a return to the acoustic grandeur of jazzy trumpet and accordion, which has always been the band's trademark alongside Winkler's extremely variable vocals. On the other hand, the sextet has recently ventured into some witty flirtations with raw funk, soul and rock in the style of the early seventies or in the spirit of the unforgotten Prince. Compared to their previous work, the new production seems a little brighter, in some cases rather uplifting. Strong grooves from the drums and electric bass, punchy riffs and eruptive instrumental inserts as well as more humor in musical and lyrical details ensure this. Holler My Dear's highly praised dynamics and stage energy are captured on record more directly than ever before.

(Foto by Paul Kaminski)

The deliberately "dirty" aesthetic is partly due to the style of the songs, says Laura Winkler. On the other hand, producer Dennis Rux (Angels Of Libra, Hamburg Spinners, Tetrao Urogallus) played a big part in this. The Hamburg artist is a known specialist for top-class vintage studio equipment, from microphones and preamps to tape echoes and other effects devices, which he has been collecting for decades. During the recordings, the band was mostly in the same room, which sparked the well-known live spirit. Postproduction corrections or even overdubs were largely dispensed with, which reinforces the direct impression. In keeping with this, Winkler's grave voice seems more agile than ever. In addition to catchy and almost hymn-like melodies, she relies increasingly on rhythmic phrasing and even rap-like passages with a percussive character.

"A happy dance out of the ordinary. Good-humored resistance, optimistic determination [...] with poetic, enlightened lyrics." (MDR)

“An Only Me is a Lonely You” out on March 8th 2024 on Traumton Records

Holler my Dear are

Laura »Laus« Winkler vocals, keys, composition
Stephen Molchanski trumpet, keys vocals
Fabian Koppri mandolin, electric guitar, vocals
Valentin Butt accordion
Lucas Dietrich bass
Max Santner drums