Germany

This record reminds me of the good old indie rock bands from the 90’s. Think about Built to Spill or Buffalo Tom, and then listen to “Really Need Someone” – and you will know what I mean.

♪♫ Listen: “Really Need Someone”

1000 Gram on Soundcloud, Facebook, www.

“Gentleman of the Year” by the Berlin outfit quintet Beatsteaks is my favorite track of 2014. It’s catchy as hell and you can´t listen to the song without moving your feet, head, or probably both. Beatsteaks are also one of the best live bands in Germany.

♪♫ Listen: “Gentleman of the Year”

Beatsteaks on www, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

From time to time, it’s good to remind youself where the krautrock music (and its name) comes from originally. As they say on their Bandcamp, “sounds and noises from the war and peace behind the lids”.

♪♫ Listen: “Synchron”

Camera on www, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp.

A young guy and his piano. If you like neo-classical ambience of Nils Frahm or Ólafur Arnalds, you will certainly adore what Munich pianist Carlos Cipa does on keys.

♪♫ Listen: “And Gently Drops The Rain”

Carlos Cipa on www, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.

Hamburg/Berlin band Die Liga der gewöhnlichen Gentlemen (The League of Ordinary Gentlemen) offer very good lyrics in German, a distinctive sense of humour, and a sound that will immediately make you want to dance.

♪♫ Listen: “Das Unglück Bin Ich”

Die Liga der Gewöhnlichen Gentlemen on Facebook, www.

Berlin-based Heat are probably good friends of Kadavar, and they certainly have a similar music taste. Hardrock as is should sound these days.

♪♫ Listen: “Heat”

Heat on Bandcamp, Facebook.

The word “Hauch” in German means a gentle breath and it perfectly suits this beautiful electronic record by Herbstlaub. To dream with your eyes open, or to watch the rain fall – either way it’ll make a perfect soundtrack.

♪♫ Listen: “Auf einen Stern zugehen, nur dieses”

You can also find “Hauch” EP in its entirety on Bandcamp.

The 3-piece Berlin group Kadavar bring us back to the 70’s to show us how to rock and to prove – as they declare – that time travel is no longer fiction.

♪♫ Listen: “Goddess Of Dawn”

Kadavar on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

This Leipzig’s project by 30-year old Lothar Robert Hansen offers a catchy mix of electronic and indierock music employing German lyrics. Hopefully, after the EP “Warum soll sich das ändern” (Why Should It Differ) we can soon hear LOT’s full-length album.

♪♫ Listen: “Warum soll sich das ändern”

LOT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

If Yann Tiersen met Sigur Rós in a studio, they would probably make a record that sounds just like “Sneeuwland” from the talented Berlin instrumentalist Oskar Schuster.

♪♫ Listen: “Fjarlaegur”

Oskar Schuster on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr.