LICHTUNG by hackedepicciotto
Alexander Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten fame and his musical and life partner Danielle de Picciotto are coming with a beautifully designed and styled album and eight new compositions.
After travelling and living as nomads they have settled in the Berlin suburbs. As the German title says: it is a clearing time – time to open yourself up to clear matters up. Theme of finding your own refuge and haven – is a special way of expressing longing and reflection. And especially in the times like those where instability is a norm.
Musically it is a set of songs where piano, bass and synths are the base along with Danielle’s and Alexander’s vocals. The experimentation here is emphasized through textures and the colour palette of the sounds rather than experimenting with the arrangements which stick to the formula of slowly opening, slowly developing songs that have one way or another pretty ‘’traditional’’ or ‘’classical’’ structure.
It is a narrative that never gets old and only gets better, more enhanced, more illustrative in a sense of a story telling way.
Elements of post-punk, synth experiments, spoken word, tonal and harmonic arrangements of piano, bass, guitar and other instruments adds up a certain degree of high-class quality and excellence to those personal tracks.
A pleasant listening of personal experiences which cleverly avoids cliches and stereotypical traps in this field.
hackedepicciotto return with LICHTUNG, an electronically rich and structurally adventurous record that honors the German language. Available on limited-edition candy colour vinyl and CD via Mute.
This is Alexander Hacke’s first album since leaving Einstürzende Neubauten. It takes its title – and draws its inspiration – from the home he and Danielle de Picciotto recently established on the outskirts of Berlin, marking a milestone after 14 years of nomadic living. Named after the German word for ‘clearing’, LICHTUNG has become their personal haven and a place for reflection amid a period of global upheaval.
On the album, the pair step beyond the familiar pull of repetitive drones, exploring more complex sound structures and uncharted electronic terrains. Recorded in their new home, the process was as demanding as it was creatively rewarding. They embraced experimentation with new textures, while Danielle returned to the piano, an instrument she had long missed, finding new ways to express herself.
Mindfully written in German as a nod to the language of their surroundings, the lyrics are a loving gesture that firmly anchors this Berlin-born record.
releases July 10, 2026
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