The Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — continues its journey through Germany ahead of the Unser Song Für Österreich 2015 final this Thursday. After getting wet on the German North Sea, we toweled off to review Laing with their songs “Zeig deine Muskeln” and “Wechselt die Beleuchtung“. How did our jury like Laing? Read on to find out.
LAING – ZEIG DEINE MUSKELN
Louis: I do love a happy pop song and Laing haven’t disappointed me. The tune and simple percussion aren’t overpowering and let the lyrics float on top. I don’t speak German but I found myself singing along to ‘musculus maximus’ every time. How many different muscle groups can you hear?
Score: 8/10
Max: Any song that focuses on muscles – or more specifically triceps and biceps – should win some sort of award for how random it is. It’s a song that I’m sure a lot of people would exercise to for a joke. Get those dumbbells out, pump some iron and listen to this muscular masterpiece. The electro beat on top of it is something I like but I can’t help but laugh at this song throughout.
Score: 7.5/10
Mikhail: This song is some combination of ’60s disco music and “Super Mario” tunes and this mixture is just awful. I really hate these sounds of last century’s computer games in music. It is really annoying. If you want to get your inspiration in computer games, then find some good ones with some awesome melody. And there are a lot of songs like that. HoMM, for example.
Score: 1/10
Kristín: This is a serious flashback to the ’80s! And an okay one as such. I’m getting a Pointer Sisters vibe here, and the song is delightfully cheesy. How will Europe react to German muscle-pumped ’80s pop? Difficult to say, but I am personally tearing the house apart, looking for my legwarmers. Musculus Maximus, y´all!
Score: 8/10
Patrick: I’m not a big fan of that sort of music but this is kinda special. Laing had a big hit last year and since then they were silent. This is a really weird song without any message or story, just about muscles… It’s catchy, retro and weird – it’s good!
Score: 6.5/10
Robyn: Following on from Twin Twin’s lyrics about a “salle de musculation”, the Laing ladies keep up with the muscley pop in this fun ode to human musculature. I’d really appreciate this as a performance art piece in a Berlin nightclub, but I can’t quite see it scaling up to an ESC-sized performance.
Score: 6/10
WIWI JURY AVERAGE: 6.17/10
LAING – WECHSELT DIE BELEUCHTUNG
Louis: Not sure about their staging or the sudden changes from loud to quiet in the song. Saying that, the harmony is on point and there is definitely something catchy about this song.
Score: 6/10
Max: I’d never heard of Laing before this year and I’m glad I’ve found them. The lead singer has such an unusual voice, bordering on Kate Bush in the higher parts. Even though I can’t understand a word this song makes me feel like I’ve took some sort of trip through an echoey land of musical fusions. I’m hearing so much in this song it almost sounds chaotic. Yet I think it’s beautifully crafted and would listen again.
Score: 8/10
Mikhail: That is just creepy. Such music can drive you crazy. “Magst du das?” – Nein, ich mag das bestimmt nicht!
Score: 1/10
Kristín: This is a dark one. Literally. It’s heavy, aggressive and weird. But I am not hating it. With the right staging, this could reach a Margaret Berger status. Its completely different from the other song, which shows how multi talented they are. Yes, I think I rather like this one.
Score: 7/10
Patrick: This is the better song of them. It’s a really dark song, with a great message, to change the light cause everything is too much. Laing is a great band and the weirdness is the speciality about them. The drums, the tune – it’s really its own style!
Score: 7/10
Robyn: I’m really intrigued by this song. It’s very moody and mysterious with a restrained yet powerful arrangement, and judging by the live video, Laing know how to put on a good live show. This song is more ESC friendly than “Zeig deine Muskeln”, but yet I still think it’s not quite right for Vienna.
Score: 7/10
Laing still have my heart.
I guess it would be good for you to understand the lyrics. 😉 “Zeig deine Muskeln” is an deeply ironic reflection of the gym paradox: sweaty, gasping, ill-lit people try to pose and flirt. It’s about that self-assured lady in sweat looking around, studying exercising guys, and thinking: That’s all?! Show me more, boy! “Wechselt die Beleuchtung” is a bit more profound. It’s about that double meaning of seeing someone in an altogether different light/perspective: “Every day I see you in a different light… sometimes I love you and sometimes… the lightning changes.” My favourite line: “Weißt du, was ich… Read more »
Yes, Laing with WECHSELN MIT BELEUCHTUNG (Change the lights). Great, masterpiece!
I love Laing,they need to be on Vienna!