Carla dal Forno on 10 records that have shaped her

The introspective journey begins in an abandoned hospital in remote Castlemaine, Australia. For Carla dal Forno, not a place of horror. Rather, a retreat that was needed – after moving from London, the birth of a child and all the rest of life that happened around it. »This wasn’t the album I intended to make«, the musician wrote on Instagram in early May. Having heard Confession, Dal Forno’s fourth studio album, one can certainly interpret that statement as follows: the album seems to have emerged almost inevitably from the urgency of biographical experience.

Buy at HHV

Carla dal Forno
Confession
from 31.99€

Towards – and away

On Confession, Dal Forno confronts her own fallibility. It all begins, as so many stories in the lives of so-called adults do, with desire. From »I think about you most of the day« to »The more you stay away from me, I want to see you all of the time«. What is meant, what is desired: a friend. One who will probably never be more than that – to the speaker’s distress. Until, at some point, it becomes: »Stay away from me«.

In this ambivalence, Carla dal Forno conveys that the confrontation with one’s own emotional contradictions alone can be liberating. It works so well because she neither glorifies nor marginalises her longings, but almost casually mixes them into optimistic electronic arrangements somewhere between dream pop and dark wave. Dal Forno’s voice never breaks out; instead, it hovers only discreetly above the post-punk monotony that transforms all shame into self-acceptance.

In this way, the singer’s unmet needs and obsessive behaviour lose their pathos and take their place among experiences found in many biographies. The story of being in love fades away with leaping piano intervals. In the background, things hiss and squeak. A sober hum, as though lingering in memory. Until it falls silent.

Top 10

A.C. Marias

One of Our Girls Has Gone Missing

Mute • 1989 •

Carla dal Forno: I love everything about this album and have returned to it time and again, trying to pull apart what creates the magic of these songs. Angela Conway’s voice is so distinct, the lyrics abstract but never alienating, and Bruce Gilbert’s production is stripped back—electronic but still organic. I love how varied and inventive each track is; it feels playful, like every song is discovering something new.
Redaktion

Jam Money

A Gathering Kind

Alien Transistor • 1988 • from 17.99€

Carla dal Forno: This was my introduction to the world of Spillage Fête and the many beautiful, strange releases connected to it. For an album that’s made up of many short instrumental tracks it really has an incredibly captivating quality. I love the DIY homespun production, the playfulness and lilting, offkilter melodies.
Redaktion

Flaming Tunes

Flaming Tunes

Superior Viaduct • 1985 • from 23.99€

Carla dal Forno: This was the album that made me start recording as a solo artist. The DIY nature of it only enhances the songs—it feels immediate and unfiltered. It gave me the confidence to capture my own sound in simple ways, without needing things to be polished.
Redaktion

The Fates

Furia

Taboo Records • 1986 • from 17.99€

Carla dal Forno: This record has been incredibly inspiring to me. To my ears, it celebrates women’s strength and creative power. It encouraged me to follow my own path and embrace both the strangeness and softness of life. I also love how many references it draws from—you can hear folk, industrial, post-punk, and ambient all coexisting. It feels very free.
Redaktion

Brannten Schnüre

Muschelsammlung

Milder Wahn • 2009 • from 29.99€

Carla dal Forno: I first heard this while working at Low Company Records and it felt like a revelation. Sung in German, I don’t understand the lyrics, but the atmosphere is so strong it doesn’t matter. It’s immersive, melancholic, and deeply transportive.
Redaktion

Dean Blunt

Stone Island

World Music • 2013 •

Carla dal Forno: This was another record that really kickstarted my solo recording. I remember reading that it was recorded using a laptop mic, which gave me the confidence to make my first solo album in a similar way. It also has a particular emotional quality I really connect with—understated but with very memorable melodic moments. It feels loose and anxious in a way I find very compelling.
Redaktion

Molly Nilsson

These Things Take Time

Night School • 2008 • from 24.99€

Carla dal Forno: One of the best DIY albums of all time. These songs hold a very nostalgic place for me. I remember hearing Whisky Sour for the first time and thinking that’s me, I feel like that too! With such simple means, Nilsson captures an entire world—your twenties, going out, finding yourself, and slowly working out what matters.
Redaktion

Loopsel

Loopsel EP

Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox • 2020 •

Carla dal Forno: Loopsel has been a favourite of mine for a while, and this EP really struck a chord. The sounds and textures are so beautiful and enveloping. It’s the kind of release I can listen to forever without getting tired of it.
Redaktion

Broadcast

The Noise Made By People

Warp • 2000 • from 33.99€

Carla dal Forno: Broadcast have been a big influence on how I think about atmosphere and mood in music. The balance between voice, texture, and arrangement is so well done. This album in particular has a chilly atmosphere I really enjoy. Trish Keenan’s lyrics here feel especially personal and vulnerable—I really admire her ability to share her inner world so openly.
Redaktion

The Cannanes

A Love Affair With Nature

Chapter Music • 1996 • from 16.99€

Carla dal Forno: Probably the biggest local influence on my songwriting. When I was living overseas and feeling homesick, I would listen to this album on repeat. The lyrics capture so much about ordinary life—hopes, desires, and disappointments—in a way that feels honest and unforced.
Redaktion