SPARKS

video // set design // performance // dance

This collaboration is based on the interplay of composer Patrick Föllmer (Lilabungalow), Choreographer Fanny Kulisch and visual artist Thai Tai Pham. Based on the new record release “Sparks” by Lilabungalow in May 2022, we created the music video of LUCKY with the approach to perform to the song.

A big circle closes. ‘SPARKS’, the 4th album from lilabungalow, will be released on 20 May 2022. With the 12 English-language songs, the Erfurt ‘enfant terrible’ reinvents his roots. The album was created in a 3-year breath, parallel to the album ‘Lichten’ released in 2020. Twin records? The backtracks are identical, only the language and melodies in the vocals differ. The experiment that began with the ‘Emotional Hearts Tour’ and the question ‘Does lilabungalow even need it?’ shows how much language changes the perception of music. How do the siblings get along? Are they similar? The listeners provide the answer. After ‘LICHTEN’ and ‘SPARKS’ have been recorded, Patrick Föllmer sends them to friends at home and abroad.

The feedback is unanimous: ‘These are two very different records that both claim their own space.’ Like ‘LICHTEN’, ‘SPARKS’ was created in a music room from the 17th century and then travelled with Föllmer to Mexico and Malawi to grow musically in the rainy season and 30 degrees in the shade, under headphones, in small bars and on deserted beaches on the last battery reserve of the laptop. In terms of content, the album touches on human strengths and weaknesses. They are love songs, but not in the conventional romantic sense.

Rather, it is about the fundamental ability to love, not just in relation to a person. Songs such as ‘Rainbowking’ and ‘Snowflake’ rather set to music the perception of social trends, a value system that has gone off the rails, in which the back rooms rule and consumerism determines everything. Together with Tilmann Jarmer, an album full of warm electronic sounds mixed with the analogue sounds of piano, trumpet and guitar was created. The structure of the pieces remains unusual, typical of lilabungalow, and creates space for the connection with the voice with musical clarity. With ‘SPARKS’, Lilabungalow stands for a serious and at the same time hopeful musical look into and at people.

composer: Lilabungalow

choreography: Fanny Kulisch

stage and video: Thai Tai Pham

light design: Johannes Glöde

musicians:

dancers: Marie Büssecker, Ney Tran, Roosa Sofia Nirhamo, Safiyah Galvani, Siham Refaie

photo credits: Christopher Schmid

May 2022