JOHN MAUS

In the organizer's words:

John Maus is a truly enigmatic musician. On the four albums he has released since 2006, he has wrapped the cold minimalism of synth-pop in a garment of deep meaning, grace and absurd humor. His music is a highly changeable affair. Although it is often described as retro-futuristic due to the use of drum machines and synthesizer sounds from the 80s, John's music is more personal than the nostalgic repetition might suggest. His songs have a cinematic quality, with pathos evoked by driving bass lines, dragging arpeggios and, of course, his deeply resonant voice. And between all this, Mou's love of experimentation and post-punk always resonates. The result is a radical fusion of musical ideas.
Twelve years have now passed since the much-praised album We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves (2011) appeared like a bolt of insane energy and turned everyone's head. Now considered an experimental pop classic, Pitiless Censors marked Maus' big breakthrough as a recognized artist and led to a comprehensive reassessment of his work to date. The debut album Songs (2006) and the masterful follow-up Love Is Real (2007) sounded better than ever to this new following the second time around. After touring the world with Pitiless Censors and compiling a collection of rarities and unreleased tracks, Maus returned to academia. In 2014, he was awarded a PhD in political philosophy for his dissertation on communication and control. Shortly after, he began building his own modular synthesizer, etching the circuit boards, soldering components and assembling panels until he had an instrument that matched his vision. After completing this daunting task, Maus turned back to songwriting and began work on what is now his fourth album, Screen Memories (2017). Screen Memories was written, recorded and produced by Maus over the past few years at his home in Minnesota (commonly known as Funny Farm). A lonely place in the corn plains of the rural American Midwest. The landscape is as majestic as it is barren, and inevitably something of the sub-zero winter temperatures creeps into the songs, as does the buzzing of bees in summer.

Screen Memories unfolds like a procession with a multitude of songs that offer sun and shade throughout. The Combine leads the procession with an apocalyptic grandeur that is second to none. Chord clusters dart back and forth between the solid rhythm track and artfully struck bells.

In 2018, John released a 6-LP box set with all his previous works, including the album Addendum, a sister album to Screen Memories. Since then, John has been busy exploring soundtrack opportunities and is currently preparing a new album.

And with this new album, John Maus is finally going on tour again. On September 25, he will be making a guest appearance at the Mojo Club in Hamburg.

He will be supported by the wonderful Belia Winnewisser.

Price information:

Tickets from 28.3., 11 a.m.