New Music: Baby Maker – Rather Be In Berlin

I’m not quite sure if Rather Be In Berlin is tongue in cheek or an honest account of Baby Maker’s honest desires, but either way, I’m hooked.

It reads like Goodbye to Berlin as if it was written by a modern-day youthful take on an Isherwood hanging out with an equally-young David Bowie, Iggy Pop, or Lou Reed.

A slinky and understated take on post-punk is an observational account of life in that city; it name-drops the likes of Berghain – and the anxieties of gaining entrance – while maintaining an outwardly cool demeanour. Underneath that, however, something more reflective and cathartic is occurring.

Oxford-based Baby Maker calls the song “A grooving, grumbling slice of Fall In Love With Me Iggy-esque moody nu-wave pop. A companion song of sorts to Johnny Paycheck’s Take This Job and Shove It. Written in the immediate blissfully sun-kissed aftermath of sacking off my previous spreadsheet-shackled 9-to-5.”

“That fuzzy feeling was cut off at the knees when my previous landlord let me know he was selling up and that I’d need to convince some shinily besuited estate agent that my current employment status would be no barrier to eye-watering monthly rent payments.”

“It is the amuse-bouche for my second album (due later this year), for which the pillars of moody bass and Lynchian unease serve as Charon’s boat and oar, respectively. I hope you find yourself clutching defeat from the jaws of victory at the doors to Berghain this summer. Maybe this ditty will pop into your head as you walk away holding back the tears.”

Rather Be In Berlin can be streamed on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Spotify. It’s certain to be heard when Baby Maker plays Truck this summer. For details on that, follow the artist on Instagram.