In an age saturated with soundalikes and retro throwbacks, the truly unique and unconventional can be hard to come by. Storming the 2011 scene with her self-titled debut album, Berlin-based Barbara Panther seems to embody these latter characteristics - and then some. The singer takes risks, blending musical influences and crossing boundaries of musical style innovatively and effortlessly, and the result is a journey through vibrant soundscapes, frenetic arrangements interspersed with moments of beautiful melancholy, and the creative explosion of elements of her past, the present and the future.
Rwandan-born Panther grew up in Brussels, Belgium, before making her home in Berlin five years ago. Describing the minimal role her background plays in her songwriting the artist explains: "I'm intrigued by the universe, water and the moon, and their interdependencies, which is noticeable in both the record's sound and theme". In addition to her strong spiritual interest in Mother Earth, Panther touches on themes such as existence in 'Moonlight People' and 'O Captain', ethnicity on 'Rise Up' and religion on her first single 'Empire'.
'Empire' is a song fraught with variety, tension, arching choruses and a staccato beat. It also incorporates a contrasting gentleness which illustrates well the album's playful nature. Although her music eludes definition, Panther's electronic ventures in new musical territories could be described as modern pop with avant-garde and baroque influences. Panther u0019s debut was produced by no other than Matthew Herbert, renowned house music maestro. Having produced both Roisin Murphy's and The Invisible's debut albums, he has also worked with artists as diverse as Björk, R.E.M. and Yoko Ono. Together, Panther and Herbert create compelling sonic landscapes, designed to generate vivid images in the listener's mind.