ZAHN emerged in 2021 as an instrumental rock band that was a bit different from some of the others out there. Rather than going purely for a cinematic film score or soaring post rock type of sound, the trio emphasized a lot of 90s noise rock and psychedelic layers that gave them a different sound. While their self-titled debut was very guitar focused with flourishes of synthesizer, by the time Adria arrived in 2023 the approach had shifted towards a much wider range of stylistic influences. At eighty minutes in length it was a significant push outwards by ZAHN, allowing them time for different textures to expand while trying a slew of different things. Admittedly that long of an album can sometimes prove daunting, and so it makes sense that on follow-up Purpur the band has opted for a much shorter and direct take. It’s clear they’ve learned a lot from Adria, as Purpur smartly uses its run-time to deliver strong hooks and unexpected shifts between heavier guitar and spacey electronics.
Some of the lumbering noise rock foundation from the debut remain, but it does feel like ZAHN has streamlined this aspect of their sound a bit and allowed the melodic and atmospheric elements to take the spotlight. Opener “Stroboskop” emphasizes a sparser repeating rhythm for its initial thirty seconds, before opening up into a more expansive sound where the drums drive things forward methodically as the guitars and synthesizer explore sweeping melodies. The best way I can think of to describe the style of this first track is if you took the more driving rhythms of a post-rock band like set and setting and infused a healthy dose of Krautrock’s repetition. It makes a strong first impression, but by the time you reach “Gensher” the sound has already transformed into something a bit different. Here the band lets the bass rumble with a metallic sheen while the synths and guitar loop around them. This is one of the most Krautrock leaning track Purpur has to offer, but it also has some sections where the guitar tone brings back some noise and hard rock elements. Sometimes the sound gets a bit breezier and more playful, while others lean into a darker aesthetic where the melodies expand like storm clouds on the horizon. The first half of Purpur flies by pretty quickly, but the way it bridges the electronic elements with the rock ones pushes ZAHN into some new territory.
Purpur’s second half has its longest track, as “Alhambra” gives the band a longer timespan to not only expand the atmosphere but provide plenty of twists and turns. This song has some of the best back and forth between the brighter and darker sides of the sound, with the moodier sections giving off hints of Goblin and other classic instrumental acts from decades past while the electronics have a brighter almost sci-fi sound to them. The remaining tracks head in additional directions, with “Katamaran” coming through as much more noise rock focused while “Atoll” gives off psychedelic and garage rock vibes. Closer “Butter” has some of the brightest textures on the entire album and has a more triumphant tone to it, though admittedly it did feel like it ended just a bit too abruptly. ZAHN does head in a lot of different directions on these songs, but there remains a consistent flow that makes it easy to take everything in as a complete body of work.
On album three ZAHN opts for faster tempos and a mix of light and dark textures, letting the electronics take an even bigger focus without losing the noisier and psychedelic elements from prior material. Their sound remains hard to pin down, as sometimes it’s more Krautrock or post rock while other moments head into classic film score territory, but no matter where they go the music weaves interesting narratives that have kept me interested. It’s been interesting to hear how far they’ve branched out in a fairly short period of time, and I expect that to continue in the coming years. Purpur is available from Crazysane Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
