The German dark electro-pop duo Rotersand have announced a new album entitled ‘Don’t Become The Thing You Hated’.
Out on 8th August via Metropolis Records, it will be their first full length studio record since ‘How Do You Feel Today?’, which appeared just a week before the world was forced to shut down in March 2020.
A single from the album entitled ‘Private Firmament (I Fell For You)’ is out today. Explaining its meaning, the band say: “human nature is not binary, but algorhythm induced communication forces us to choose virtual sides to stimulate emotions and click rates. Yes or no, black or white, for or against, one or the other. Ultimately, we sit in our post-fact, post-science, post-truth private firmaments with nothing in common other than the cold light of screens pretending to shine for us. We say, leave the private firmaments and dance with us, with real faces under real stars.”
‘Don’t Become the Thing You Hated’ sees the Hamburg based act (comprised of Rascal Nikov and Krischan Jan-Eric Wesenberg) return with an album that is as much a cultural critique as it is a musical statement. In a world increasingly defined by division, alienation and existential anxiety, the duo cast a sharp eye on the psychological toll of our times and issue a warning. The message is clear: in fighting what we oppose, we risk becoming it ourselves.
Musically, the album is a masterclass in synthesis, melding sonic sophistication with visceral emotional impact. Navigating seamlessly between intricate sound design and tightly constructed rhythmic frameworks, these are layered with melodic hooks that are as intellectually engaging as they are dancefloor-ready. The album soundscape is dark yet resolutely hopeful and explores a dynamic spectrum of styles, from propulsive electro with surgically crisp beats and brooding industrial textures to anthemic, almost dreamlike interludes. Each track reveals itself as a meticulously crafted entity, constantly surprising the listener yet never straying from its emotional nucleus.
The song lyrics address themes of disillusionment, anger and the fragile line between resistance and complicity. Indeed, the album title itself functions as a thesis statement that confronts listeners with a central dilemma of our era – how do we oppose injustice without replicating its methods or mindset? Rotersand offer no easy answers, but instead encourage a kind of inner vigilance; a conscious rejection of the very forces that threaten to erode empathy, nuance and individual integrity.
What sets this album apart is its rare ability to operate on multiple levels. Not only is compelling club record, it is also a philosophical commentary on the state of the world and the psyche. The duo have crafted a work that challenges the listener to not only hear, but to think and feel more deeply. With ‘Don’t Become the Thing You Hated’, they reaffirm their position as one of the most thoughtful and forward-looking acts in the dark electronic music genre.
DON’T BECOME THE THING YOU HATED
TRACKLISTING
1 All Tomorrows
2 Higher Ground
3 Father Ocean
4 Watch Me
5 I Will Find You
6 Don‘t Stop Believing
7 It Was Night *
8 Heaven
9 Sexiness of Slow
10 Private Firmament (I Fell For You)
11 16 Devils (Hell Deep Down)
12 Click Scroll Tap Believe
13 Forgotten Daydreams (They Live At Night)
14 Train *
* CD format only
ROTERSAND
Rascal Nikov – vocals, electronics
Krischan Jan-Eric Wesenberg – electronics
