Mary Ocher

Following dates in North America, most of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Berlin's Mary Ocher returns with a marvellous piano album - "Weimar", her most intimate record yet. It draws on early 20th-century minimalism, chamber pop, and modern classical influences, while remaining unmistakably Ocher - thoughtful, and grounded in emotional depth. The title "Weimar" alludes to the current era, echoing the fall of the Weimar Republic a century ago and the shadow of fascism that rose in its wake.  Following extensive international touring and a catalog celebrated by The Quietus, The Wire, Fader, Paste, Libération, and a recent German Record Critics' Award, Ocher stands at a pivotal moment. As nationalism, censorship, and cultural fragmentation rise the world over, her examinations of identity, fear, and belonging feel absolutely essential. Her recent releases include collaborations with the likes of Mogwai, King Khan, Die Tödliche Doris, Felix Kubin and Julia Kent.  "A compelling piece of genre-spanning avant-pop equally suffused with a love of humanity, reflected in its voracious appetite for the many nuances of groove and sound, and an abhorrence for the many ways humanity is oppressed, compressed, and vaporized via the soul-crushing pressures of capitalism and encroaching technocracy." - Bandcamp - Best Releases of The Year