From the after-hours pulse of Berlin’s underground emerges a thrilling collaboration: German dark-disco stalwarts Rework join forces with Australian-born, Berlin-based electro provocateur Neu-Romancer for the lush two-track EP Call You Up. Released through exlove records, this alliance blends moody minimal wave aesthetics with sleek dancefloor sensibility—both artists effortlessly bridging sonic nostalgia and contemporary dark club atmospheres.
Stuttgart duo Rework—Michael Kuebler and Daniel Varga—have long championed a sophisticated strand of minimal wave and electro-disco, notably via their influential early-2000s releases on Playhouse and Get Physical. Their music pairs crisp beats and hypnotic synths with icy, detached vocals, invoking the cold glamour of European new wave while continually refining their signature electronic elegance. Recent releases, such as 2024’s acclaimed Lipstick EP, underscore their enduring commitment to chic minimalism and shadowy grooves.
Neu-Romancer, meanwhile, represents the rising wave of artists reshaping Berlin’s dark electronic landscape. Originally from Fremantle, Australia, her sound weaves playful threads of Italo-disco, EBM, and electro into a sultry, neon-lit tapestry. Her acclaimed 2023 EP, Neue Romantika (Fleisch Records), showcases her knack for merging romantic synth-pop nostalgia with the driving rhythms of industrial clubs. Her productions capture the dark charisma of Berlin’s subterranean scenes—synth lines shimmer beneath stark drum patterns, creating irresistible tracks at home on shadowy dancefloors or pulsing through airwaves like Seattle’s KEXP.
The seeds of this collaboration were planted after Neu-Romancer’s guest set on KEXP’s Mechanical Breakdown, hosted by DJ Sharlese. Recognizing their shared musical ethos—a mutual love for minimal synth, EBM, and classic coldwave—the artists quickly began exchanging ideas between Berlin and Stuttgart. The resulting EP is a potent synthesis, encapsulating two generations of electronic artistry in a seamless hybrid of past and present.
The title track, “Call You Up,” sparkles with a lush, retro-futurist glow—an effervescent synthpop reverie propelled by crystalline textures and crisp drum-machine beats. Its shimmering arpeggios and buoyant bass synth pulse evoke pastel-hued 80s daydreams reminiscent of SSQ, as Neu-Romancer’s airy vocals drift delicately atop exuberant synth melodies. Brimming with rhythmic euphoria and bright nostalgia, the song feels like tumbling headfirst into a blissful retro-anime fantasy, bathed in neon warmth.
In sharp contrast, “Coming Home” descends into darker territory, purpose-built for the shadowed recesses of subterranean dancefloors. This track merges minimal techno precision with icy Italo-disco flair, its hypnotic rhythms evoking a distinctly European froideur. Vocals are sparse, mechanized whispers weaving subtly through mechanical pulses and cold synths—tracing echoes of Visage’s iconic “Fade to Grey” mixed with Chris and Cosey. Balancing shadowy restraint with mechanical intensity, “Coming Home” conjures visions of nocturnal industrial spaces, where sleek elegance and cool detachment meet irresistible dancefloor tension.
Ultimately, the Call You Up EP stands as a compelling conversation between two distinct but complementary artists, capturing the essence of synth music’s enduring appeal: rooted in darkness yet reaching toward moments of luminous release. Rework and Neu-Romancer have crafted a release that speaks eloquently to today’s revived fascination with dark, synth-driven dance music—familiar yet freshly invigorating, it’s a vital entry into the evolving canon of minimal-wave-inflected electronic artistry.
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