Who: Asbjørn

When: July 24

Where: Privatclub, Berlin

 

Hailing from not-so-distant Denmark, Asbjørn has made something of a second home in Germany, which has afforded him quite a groupie following here in Berlin. His lovely, pure falsetto tone blends perfectly with the cavernous, synth-heavy sound of his electronica accompaniment. He hasn’t shied away from his sexuality, and it shows in his refreshingly bold lyrics. With his heavenly voice and equally angelic looks, Asbjørn could very easily become the new face of Scandinavian electro-pop.

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Who: C+C=Maxigross

When: July 30

Where: ACUD, Berlin

 

For some reason, I’d kind of expect an Italian pysch-folk band to sound as if they don’t take themselves too seriously: C+C=Maxigross do just that, but they pull it off with a finesse that only a group of talented musicians could have. Since their inception in the remote mountains of Italy in 2009, C+C=Maxigross have been making music with an ever-changing lineup of members that—according to their estimations—can reach above 20. Their sound is akin to that of Devendra Banhart or Six Organs of Admittance, with roots in the styles of classic psych rockers, Os Mutantes. This all makes sense once you hear their eclectic brand of folk, which can include anything from tribal chanting and flutes, to acoustic guitar passages that Segovia could’ve played in his heyday. All of this wonderfully orchestrated commotion, however, never gets in the way of the feeling that they’re all just living la dolce vita, and would like nothing more than for us to join for the ride.