Despite the fact that i'll be supporting a team that has a good claim to being the worst to make the finals since Zaire in 1974, i'm incredibly excited about the forthcoming World Cup. I had intended to post a song a day from the host nation but decided it was probably too much bother so i'll lump a bunch of them into two or three posts.

I confess, i don't know a huge amount about Köln band Klee. In fact, i frequently get them confused with Wir Sind Helden (who we may be seeing more of later). Their album Jelängerjelieber is rather lovely though. They've been compared to The Cardigans in the past but i find their attempts to combine dreamy pop with modern rock and electro influences much more successful than the Swedish group's recent efforts. Gold has another of those great disco basslines i like so much.


Klee - Gold



Of course, everyone knows Nena. She has been unfairly written off by the majority of the world as a one-hit-wonder but can boast a career spanning the best part of twenty-five years in Germany and Austria. Admittedly, that twenty-five year career has only produced three good songs, but i won't hold that against her. The Brits might like to laugh at American cultural isolationism but it's worth pointing out that the legendary 99 Red Balloons was a number one hit in the US charts in the original German. It was only translated for the benefit of the UK. Nur Getraumt was arguably even better - a catchy new wave classic.

Nena - Nur Getraumt

As a bonus (of sorts) i've added the ludicrous Blumchen cover version as well. She was a one-woman Scooter from the mid-90s, making hidously addictive, totally brainless rave-pop. The videos were always good fun - as it's not humanly possible to dance as fast as the music they inevitably degenerated into random arm-flapping and slow-motion jumping about.



Blumchen - Nur Getraumt


German hip-hop is ever-present on the country's music TV stations but i've never actually met anyone who'll admit to liking it. The most popular stuff (like Aggro Berlin) tends to be stupid, brutal and basic but it's not all bad. The one Deutsche-rap song i've always loved is Dünya Dönüyor by the German-Turkish star Eko Fresh (Ekrem Bora). I've been meaning to buy his Ich Bin Jung Und Brauche Das Geld album for a while. The single's a perfect blend of Eastern strings and rolling beats. It's quite brilliant.




Eko Fresh - Dünya Dönüyor