Lucky Dancer by ÄTNA

ÄTNA's "Lucky Dancer" is the perfect moment to use the famous dance on the volcano as a metaphor. If there was ever a fitting image, it's for the Dresden duo's third studio album. Across nine tracks, "Lucky Dancer" navigates through simmering crises, depths, lightness, escapism, empathy, transience, and the overwhelming simultaneity of it all. It delves into the power of music and the creation of inner worlds as sanctuaries against external chaos. Acknowledging the uncertainty of the future, the album combines politically charged and concrete lyrics with a musical blend of Eurodance, R'n'B, breakbeats, drum'n'bass, minimal music, and modern classical influences. Enhanced with organic orchestral sounds, digital pads, and intentional glitches, these elements craft a unique map of the ÄTNA sound, whose secret ingredient remains enigmatic.

The opening track, "Hold My Fist High," sets the tone for where "Lucky Dancer" is headed. Inéz's voice spans the powerful instrumental, at times shimmering with distortion and at other times crystal clear. The song is a tribute to the resistance fighters in Iran, who risk their lives with raised fists for freedom—an image that overshadows any Hollywood hero. Conversely, the title track was recorded in Motril, Spain, during a forest fire near the studio. Inéz and Demian transformed the oppressive experience of facing a catastrophe while lying by the pool into this dance hit. The accompanying video strikingly contrasts a perfect world with the real threats of today. "Hiatus," the following track, provides a brief respite from the album's intensity, featuring a carefree flow and a light-footed bassline, flickering and playful like fireflies at night.

The hypnotic track "Major Love" further showcases ÄTNA's prowess as visual artists. The music video, filmed on a small, swaying boat heading toward a monstrous abandoned oil rig, highlights a majestic yet dilapidated structure on the open sea, evoking both disturbance and fascination. The opening lines, "No more future/ No more past/ All is present/ Make it last," set the dystopian tone of "Lucky Dancer," suggesting that in such a world, sometimes only one thing can provide solace: immense love, here and now. This theme of transience continues in "Nothing That Will Last" and "That Girl Is Rollercoaster," an electrically shimmering pop track. Despite its initial upbeat appearance, the lyrics explore the duality of impermanence. After the eruption comes calm, inviting listeners to embrace the natural ebb and flow of highs and lows, mirrored by the bouncing synth. Nothing lasts forever, but brighter days will always return.

The closing track, "All That I Am," was created within a theatrical context. Inéz collaborated with Demian and Matze Pröllochs on this song for the Me Too-themed play "Noch wach" at Hamburg's Thalia Theater. The song explores themes of separation and self-isolation, away from society's judgmental gaze. The lyrics, "You call me a slut/ This is no more trigger/ Take another sip/ 'Cause I like it bitter/ I enjoy this trip/ But your brain ain't bigger/ Don't you dare you tiny chigger," reflect a mix of defiance and introspection. "Lucky Dancer" concludes with a blend of confidence and unexpected vulnerability. It highlights how inner and outer crises reveal our humanity, much like the inevitable scratches from dancing on a volcano. It's clear that no one in the German music scene matches ÄTNA's unique artistry. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, Inéz and Demian have crafted a multifaceted masterpiece in "Lucky Dancer" that stands out amid the rubble and ashes, embodying the essence of vanitas or not.

Hey
We are Inéz and Demian.
We are ÄTNA.

Booking:
christoph.austermann@allartists.agency

Management:
paul@m-f-k.net

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