Blackbird Mantra, Güner Künier & Cosey Mueller [LIVE] (20 Jahre Kulturhaus 73)

Blackbird Mantra (6–7 p.m.) are back with their second LP, “2 AM.” Their performance at the Haus 73 house party will also serve as the release concert for the new album, which is set to be released on September 11, 26, on La Pochette Surprise Records. On this album, the Hamburg-based quartet builds on their groovy sound blending garage and psych rock while remaining open to experimentation. The album took shape piece by piece through a back-and-forth between songwriting sessions in the rehearsal space and the adjacent Elbdeich Studio in Hamburg’s Wilhelmsburg neighborhood. The result is a mosaic of nine very diverse songs that ultimately coalesce into an organic whole. Compared to the sprawling tracks on “High And Dry,” many tracks on “2 AM” sound more compact, condensed, and rich in contrast. The musical spectrum ranges from driving garage rock to psychedelic instrumentals to experiments with breakbeats, Irish bouzouki, and Latin rhythms.

“Yaramaz” is a Turkish word; translated literally, it means something like “good-for-nothing.” The expression is often used with young children when they’re cheeky and defiant. Güner Künier (8–9 p.m.) named their second album “Yaramaz” to tell their own coming-of-age story through the lens of punk and post-punk. Post-punk and minimal/synth-punk are the main musical influences on “Yaramaz,” but there are plenty of other (sub)genres that have left their mark. Spacy shoegaze sounds, a Velvet Underground-esque noir vibe, a touch of Krautrock, and even echoes of Riot Grrrl can be found on the album. All in all, “Yaramaz” sounds like an empowering album with a simple yet important message: follow your own path and don’t let anything deter you. Güner Künier was born in Izmir, Turkey, in 1990 and moved with her family to Flensburg at the age of three, where she grew up. As a teenager, she played in her first bands there before moving to Berlin to study industrial engineering. After completing her studies, she devoted herself entirely to the arts, working as an actress and musician. In the early 2020s, she began making music as a solo artist. Her debut EP was released in 2021, followed a year later by her first album, “Aşk.”

Cosey Mueller (9:30–10:30 p.m.) is a musician and artist currently living and working in Berlin. After finishing her studies in fine art at the UDK Berlin in 2018, she began her musical career as one half of the synth-punk duo DAS DAS, with whom she released two albums: “DAS DAS (S/T)” in 2020 and “Leben in Bildschirmen” in 2021 (label: Detriti).

She also played synthesizer in the hardcore/experimental group Glaas, with whom she co-released their debut album “Qualm” in 2022 and their EP “Cruel Heart Cold Summer” in 2023 (label: Static Shock).

“Interior Escapes” was her solo debut, a self-released synthwave project recorded on tape in 2020–2021. It was followed by her second LP, “Irrational Habits,” released in February 2023 (label: Static Age). Her music is characterized by repetitive synth melodies, explosive beats, expressive vocals, and a playful use of language. It transports you to another time. A pulsating, shimmering, and danceable live experience is guaranteed.

The concert is part of “Hausparty – 20 Years of Haus 73.”