Spätcafé im Glockenhof: Jenny Thiele

If Wikipedia were to dig deeper—with a furrowed brow and nervous coffee breath—it would have to officially list Jenny Thiele’s *Platz* as her third album.
However, her solo work prior to this is much more of a prequel. For it is only now that the space and time for the self-expression of her captivating dream pop have fully opened up. Now there is finally “Platz”—and, oh boy, is Jenny ready to fill it.
Despite the continuity in her work, she’s now making a major change evident here: Unlike its predecessor, “Killing Time,” “Platz” speaks to you in German. The musician with the razor-sharp bangs wants to tell her stories on this new record. Friendly, vague pop—
English? That would come at too great a cost to precision. Profound encounters require equally profound communication. As a result, the tracks sound far more intimate than the typical, crowd-pleasing local radio pop; this album gives you the impression of what it would be like to experience acts like Feist or Róisín Murphy in German. For despite its minimalist, carefully curated sounds, “Platz” pulls the curtains back further than ever before. An album with a panoramic feel that takes pleasure in showcasing the different facets of Jenny Thiele’s songwriting.

Just how much longing can you actually pack into a bittersweet, flowing pop song? The answer lies in the track “Nehmt mich mit.” Or “Burn On,” that shimmering new wave track whose chorus unlocks the door to an ecstatic dance floor—one you wish you’d known existed sooner. Or “Wasserbombe” or “JULI”—oh, and everything else, for that matter. It’s fascinating how all these tracks, in their diversity, ultimately seem to come together to paint a bigger picture. So is “Platz” really an album conceived down to the last detail? The artist herself doesn’t want to hear any of that. “I only realize what I want exactly while I’m making it,” explains Jenny Thiele, “it’s a radical, almost philosophical approach to life. Embracing something, even if you don’t yet know what the end result will be. Simply learning to trust your own taste and intuition. It’s not easy, but that’s the only way I actually enjoy it myself.”

She writes the music on her own and pre-produces the songs by herself. At the next stage, her producer Tom Millhope joins in; the two have known each other for ages—the creativity they can conjure up together is enough to make your head spin. Tom adds his own touches and tweaks, puts the equipment (analog synths and such) to good use, and is responsible for that warm album sound that ties the tracks together. The album will once again be released in collaboration with the indie label Hey!Blau Records; one song was recorded live by Philipp Ullrich, the Cologne-based multi-instrumentalist who is also part of Jenny’s live lineup, and the dramatic cover photos were taken by millhope productions in Antwerp.
That’s it.
Jenny Thiele’s team is small and handpicked: “I just enjoy the creative role. I also enjoy taking responsibility for my band and my crew—treating everyone fairly and paying them properly,” says Jenny Thiele, adding... “to do it better than what I’ve experienced myself.”
Here, DIY isn’t a necessity but a mindset—a small, lived utopia.
And just how much this elevates “Platz” into a pop experience is perhaps the greatest achievement of this release. Intimacy, style, melancholy, and ecstasy. Wherever you find all these elements as seamlessly intertwined as they are here, settle in—and then just let yourself go a little.
It won’t get any better than this for a long time.

Text: Linus Volkmann