Not too long ago, it was on October 22, 2022, Stuttgart’s ZweiLaster released their sophomore longplayer Scheiblettenkäse & Sehnsucht via sternengruppe / Butzen Records. It is a sixteen-track collection of Minimal Punk tracks that deal with the tristesse of late capitalism. Thus, the album fits its name ideally with Sehnsucht being the German word for Passion, and Scheiblettenkäse being a product that screams sadness and loss of selfcontrol. Scheiblettenkäse is a form of tiny prepackaged cheese slices for toast or sandwiches – nobody likes them, everyone knows them, and we all have been in situations in which we were glad about the existence of Scheiblettenkäse.
HiFi LoFi
And now, here’s great news! Scheiblettenkäse & Sehnsucht by ZweiLaster has already been re-released – on vinyl! Berlin’s label tomatenplatten has made it possible for this gem of minimalist music to rotate on your turntables. Thus, a closer – highlighted – look at the album is appropriate.
Ak99 and Ollenixxe invite us to an excessive dance between depressive episodes, support sessions, thoughts on life and the world, and manic phases. They reflect on getting older (Alte Leute), on cheap groceries (Norma), hedonism (Goldsaft), health (Übertragbare Krankheiten), and much more. All of these thoughts are conveyed by a stoic and melancholic Minimal Punk sound that reaches from krauty Garage Rock to Hardcore Punk passages. And on top there are those lyrics that present the tristesse in a cynical and hilarious way.
Ich kann nicht sprechen, kann nicht lachen. Ja, ich kann noch nicht mal sprechen.
I cannot speak, cannot laugh. I cannot even speak.
This album feels like a moody November morning (in the Northern Hemipshere).
Credits
Promo material by courtesy of tomatenplatten
Ollenixxe – drums and vocals
Ak99 – guitar and vocals
produced and recorded by Julian Knoth
master by Dennis Jüngel
cover artwork by Maxi Messer
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