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A new voice in the Cologne underground: New.Topia and their EP “ENKONDUKO”

Hi and welcome to Lila's review!

Voiceless, yet unmistakable: a new band is enriching Cologne's underground with its multifaceted instrumental sound that moves between metal and rock. New.Topia lends a musical voice to unspoken feelings and loudly shouted pain, and their EP “ENKONDUKO” is a first taste of what's to come.

Gegründet von Andy (Schlagzeug) und Gregor (Gitarre) – zwei Veteranen der Kölner Musikszene – hat New.Topia eine klare Mission: die chaotische Welt, die uns umgibt, musikalisch zu erfassen, bevor sie endgültig zerfällt. Beide Musiker blicken auf eine beeindruckende Karriere in diversen Bands zurück, mit denen sie die lokale Musikgeschichte mitgeprägt haben. Nun stehen sie mit New.Topia am Anfang eines neuen Kapitels.

The title of their EP “ENKONDUKO” comes from the Esperanto language and means something like “introduction”. Esperanto, developed by the Polish ophthalmologist Ludovic Zamenhof, was an attempt to create a universal, politically neutral and easy-to-learn language. Zamenhof, who grew up speaking Yiddish, Polish and Russian, recognized the dividing lines that language can draw. With Esperanto, he wanted to build bridges to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts. Although Esperanto never became a world language, it remains a symbol of hope - a different version of history that did not become a reality.

Just as Esperanto was intended to build bridges between people, New.Topia, also succeeds in creating connections in their EP. “ENKONDUKO” is an attempt to unite different musical elements and styles to create a unique soundscape. The introduction plays a central role in New.Topia's music, as it reflects the complexity and diversity of the band's influences and inspirations. With a mixture of traditional instruments, modern electronic sounds and experimental soundscapes, “ENKONDUKO” creates an innovative and fascinating dimension.

The EP comprises three songs in which the band addresses topics that affect us all and contribute to the dystopia of our time. For example in the song “Paris”, which samples Greta Thunberg's speech at the UN climate summit, in which she denounces the powerful for their failures. Thunberg's words “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” have become a symbol of the urgency that New.Topia also addresses in their music. Their first EP offers a musical journey that is thought-provoking and at the same time directly addresses current global problems.

Wir sprechen eine klare Empfehlung für die neue EP von New.Topia aus und freuen uns auf mehr. Wer die Band live erleben möchte, sollte am 13. September in Odonien, Köln, vorbeischauen. Dort wird New.Topia gemeinsam mit Echo Among Trees und Shipwrecks auftreten. Der Eintritt ist frei, Beginn ist um 18 Uhr.

Photocredit: Lena Kircher

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