Before the Christmas torrent of songs crashes down on listeners and the airwaves turn into one endless jingle, Sloe Paul arrives with a new album, “Searching/Finding”! And that’s salvation, friends. Instead of intrusive holiday noise, this release is the perfect bridge from hot summer to reflective autumn. It wraps you softly and nudges you toward the season of cocoa and warm sweaters. A bit of background: Sloe Paul is the moniker of Berlin-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Abbrecht. In addition to releasing solo albums and several collaborative singles, he performs in the Dada/No Wave formation Yum Yum Club and the avant-folk group Tristan Reverb. He has worked as both a live and studio musician on numerous projects and records in his own studio in the Neukölln district (including production for Lemongrab, Cindy Gravity, Das Bisschen Totschlag, and Timbeau).
Sloe Paul debuted as a solo project in 2018 with “Paul Abbrecht’s Album” on Treibender Teppich Records. Then came “Remote “- a charming LP, romantic and platonic, exploring many forms of love. The musician’s third studio album, “Searching/Finding”, was released on October 24. It features nine exemplary pop tracks: unhurried, spacious, their melodies unfolding like the most beautiful autumn flowers. They hold both the gentle melancholy of farewell and the anticipation of new beginnings. Style? Ooh-la-la! It’s a greeting from the golden ’60s, seasoned with a light, refreshing breeze of City Pop. Listening to it is pure delight! Melodies and vocals weave into a magical cocktail-sometimes tender, sometimes playful. They spark the imagination, and as you listen, it kicks into full gear. Sloe Paul masterfully “juggles” sonic sequences, producing ethereal, airy lines of sound. A true antidepressant for the soul!
Close your eyes. Forget unpaid bills and the need to buy winter tires. We’re starting-“Venus Weeks”, the opening track! It’s like a sip of mulled wine-immediately relaxing. Sloe Paul dissolves into a haze of reverb and synthesizer vibrations, creating a hypnotic swirl of warmth and coolness. To stay in this meditative mood, we move on to “Badger”. Here the voices (lead and backing) intertwine in calm harmony, forming a weightless, multilayered sound “bubble.” The bass moves with French elegance, while the crystalline City Pop guitar scatters rays of sunlight. Pure minimalistic magic, where atmosphere matters more than volume!
From “Badger,” we fly onward, our gaze caught by “Butterfly”. Floating synths reign here, “vanilla” guitars, and of course, the “honeyed” vocal. The bass merely pulses lightly, while the rhythm gently keeps pace, letting the other instruments drift freely. It’s all about openness and ease-watching the serene flight of a butterfly. With the “Butterfly” explored, we move to my personal favorite, “What I Dream At Night” – slow, spacious melodies that unfold in full bloom! All thanks to elegant arrangements: transparent guitars, a soft vintage bass, and drums playing a lazy yet precise groove. Synths barely touch the main rhythm, while the muted vocal melts into the song’s space.
“Joy Will Find You” sounds intriguing to me-the piano intro, then a supple bass and soft drums. Everything is adorned with ceremonial brass arrangements. And, of course, the vocal-gentle and heartfelt. All songs on the release were written by Sloe Paul, except for “First Day Of Eternal Spring”, co-created with Marius Schwingel. It’s a light, melancholic composition: trembling guitars echo against soft percussion, the bass keeps a smooth rhythm, the synth adds warm nostalgia. And the saxophone-the main highlight-completes the picture with a soft, velvety tone.
From the bright harmonies of “Eternal Spring,” we drift gently into autumn, into “November”. It’s a pure, fragile autumn dream. The instrumental is incredibly soft: transparent guitars and synths, a softly pulsing bass, delicate whispering percussion. And, of course, Sloe Paul’s caramel-vanilla vocal-wrapping everything in fairytale tenderness. Now, we reach the album’s longest and most cinematic piece: “Winter In Vegas “(5:09). The drums groove with a relaxed rhythm, the synths shimmer on waves of melancholy, like a bright beam of light over an evening city. A perfect track for nighttime drives-and, really, for the whole album. And here we are at the summit! The final track, “Mountain.” Its smooth melody recalls a slow waltz. Closer to the end, bright brass pierces the sound, yet the finale remains soft-a graceful bow with a touch of closure.
Sloe Paul’s (Paul Abbrecht’s) “Searching/Finding” is a high-quality sonic “buffer” from harsh reality. If our everyday life sounds like the chaotic Dada/No Wave Yum Yum Club, then this Berlin musician has crafted the opposite-something beautifully ordered. Sloe Paul continues the atmosphere of his previous work Remote, but brings it to polished elegance. Pure, finely detailed arrangements you’d want to wrap in velvet. It’s a “remedy” for a world too loud and too fast-music in which you can exhale, close your eyes, and remember that beauty still exists.
Published in partnership with SubmitHub
Voxwave Magazine: Music, Culture, Interview, Fashion 