Album "Speedrunning"

Pande: Igniting debut with compact melancholy

Who says indie is no longer hip? Catastrophe & Cure member Pande proves the opposite on his solo debut "Speedrunning".

(Bild: Blank Spot Records, Kevin Nowak Krone KREATIV,)

Summer on the horizon, melancholy in the heart: Dominik Pandelidis delivers the soundtrack for the coming months as Pande with his album "Speedrunning". Although his indie rock is lined with all kinds of 90s references, it sounds pleasantly contemporary without bending over backwards. A good song simply needs the right "spark", the rest then comes naturally, Pandelidis said in the APA interview.

This "spark" not only led him to the title track, but also to eight other pieces. "These can also be very small components, but the rest fits together like a puzzle. Overall, it felt like these songs are a unit and fit together." The fact that the digital-only collection of songs has ended up on the shorter side at 26 minutes is not necessarily a disadvantage. "Many albums that I like to listen to are quite short. And this album is barely shorter than 'Reign In Blood' by Slayer, which is great," Pandelidis laughed at the comparison with the metal legend.

Not aiming for a retro touch
Although Pande does not bring his penchant for heavy music to the surface, guitars are still a defining element. Another is the drumming of jack-of-all-trades Marco Kleebauer, which underlines the sympathetic, sketchy character. "Overall, I started more on the song side, not necessarily with the sound," recapitulated Pandelidis, who was born in Upper Austria. The musician certainly didn't have a retro touch in mind, which is by no means something he can be accused of. "I generally don't look back that much."

In his own case, however, this brings to light a number of exciting things, as Pandelidis is part of the group Catastrophe & Cure and released the record "Extra" with his pop band Lorbeeren five years ago. He has also been on the road solo, and now there is a new attempt, which was given a boost by his live debut last September. Has he discovered new sides to himself in his songwriting this time? "I see myself a bit more as a singer now. Overall, the writing process was more direct. I've allowed myself to be quite vulnerable again."

Heaviness and kitsch
This is reflected in many a coming-of-age turn in the lyrics. "It wasn't a conscious move to have this theme at the center. I could imagine that the selection process was more about the sound, but that this kind of mood is exactly where it leads me. So more reserved and introverted." A good example of this is "Final Episode", which combines the heaviness of life with the kitsch of drama series. "When moments like that happen to you in real life, it actually feels as intense as you imagine it to be. Just without the kitsch. You have to get through things and then get back on your feet. It goes on and isn't over after 100 minutes, like a movie."

Speaking of moving images: Pandelidis is quite fond of them, as he has already created music videos for many artists and eagerly publishes on Instagram and co. for his own project. So social media is an indispensable tool for the musician? "I certainly don't do anything that makes me uncomfortable and I draw a few boundaries." On the one hand, there is his music, on the other hand, he wants to reach new people with his content. "I try to do things that I also like. So no internet challenges and no influencer stuff," laughs the musician. "Everything should have value." A differentiated view of these things. "The most tragic thing about social media for music is that it actually works a bit. You can't get around it."

Live in Vienna and in Steyr
And yet all of this is just the background music, because of course the focus is on the actual songs. On April 30, Pande will present his debut in band format at the Kramladen in Vienna, supported by Lisa Reyer, Johannes Eder, Simon Bauer and Raphael Rameis. On June 28, he will play at the Grünlandfestival in Steyr. Otherwise, it's time to stay tuned, because the next finished songs are already in the quiver and should see the light of day in the course of the year.

APA/Christoph Griessner