Donna Regina have long stood for a sound that, at first glance, feels innocent — almost childlike — until the complexity of its layered textures unfolds. And their lyrics are far from as sweet as the songs might initially suggest — especially once you tune into their blend of German and English. These are songs that, for instance, watch flowers as they die.
For 35 years now, the married duo Regina and Günther Janssen have been releasing their weightless strain of indie electronica. Lately, a new seriousness has entered their music. On »Alles vor Augen«, Regina Janssen sings over a minimalist instrumental bed: »Alles vor Augen – und doch ist nichts da / alles gelesen – aber was ist noch wahr? / alles verstanden – und nichts davon klar.«
At the same time, the Berlin-based band approach a world increasingly out of joint with a quietly grounded attitude. They focus on analogue reality and urban life — on spaces where strangers can create fleeting moments of happiness. You hear it in the album’s opening tracks: »Whole World in My Town« and »Welt in einer Stadt« — the same lyrics, first in English, then in German. The first version feels dreamy and expansive; the second, slightly more off-kilter. In Japan, incidentally, Donna Regina’s distinctive sound once made them genuine pop stars.
Lilac
