German artist Jungstötter announces new album Sustained

Music

Originally from Landau in der Pfalz – a small town in South West Germany – Berlin-based songwriter and musician Fabian Altstötter aka Jungstötter makes exquisite experimental music, gliding between art pop, post-rock, and post-classical minimalism.

Formerly part of the post-punk band Sizarr, Altstötter has supported the likes of Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire) and Unguarded label mate Petra Hermanova. The project’s new album ‘Sustained‘ follows two previous LPs on [PIAS].

Encompassing piano, strings, woodwind, electronics, and noise, it’s an album that explores the human breath as a central metaphor for experience and connection. Marked by an arresting sense of originality, the album nevertheless evokes favourable comparisons to Anohni, Scott Walker, Talk Talk, and perhaps even Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten) in his more tender moments.

Described as ‘a work of allegory and romantic optimism, rooted in ideas of solidarity’, the album was inspired by ‘a fragile network of people, all breathing in and out together at the same time‘. After teasing the arrival of new material with previous single ‘Overturn‘, Altstötter has now shared the single ‘Again‘ as part of the album announcement.

Featuring fellow Berlin artist Ronja – a member of the band Roomer with Luka Aron and previous collaborator with Courtesy – the song is framed as a ‘bittersweet love song‘. The accompanying video is directed by multidisciplinary artist Annie Paxton and depicts ‘enigmatic, post-industrial scenes of translucent, windswept screens and found objects‘.

Like the album it’s taken from, it’s a duet that’s disarmingly beautiful, bracingly minimalist, and steeped in longing.

Check the videos for ‘Again‘ + ‘Overturn‘ alongside the artwork and tracklisting below.

‘Sustained‘ is out 22nd May via Unguarded. More info / listen HERE.