Lotterleben – Flosse (Album of the Month 03/26)

Anyone who uses the term "dissolute life" wants to disparage a life free of obligations and lazy. The expression is outdated, but its meaning is still relevant today? After the misguided debate about the supposed "lifestyle part-time," one might at least think so.

Sometimes the only thing that helps is to tune out the neoliberal chatter and listen to the music.

After "Anomia," this is the second album by the band from Leipzig and Dresden. At first glance, titles such as "Hallenjojo" and "Eisbärenparade" already reveal the collective's humorous approach. This attitude to life is casually reflected in the calm, driving beats of Johannes Fricke on bass and Tim Gerwien on drums. But not for long, as the idleness stumbles and tumbles into a wild, danceable group improvisation. The fact that things sometimes get messy and chaotic is a great style, not a shortcoming—the playful and free solos by Max Diller on trumpet and Hannes Kempa on saxophone are proof of this. 

These outbursts are then caught up again on tracks such as "Lotterleben" or "Dyonisos," whose calm sound gives pause for thought. It is precisely in this succession of quiet self-reflection and unforced play that "Lotterleben" provides a soothing feeling of lightness with depth at just the right moment.