Between romance and tension
Starsign's ‘N.Q.N.K.’ immediately strikes a chord with me – the song sounds exactly how I want modern synth pop from Germany to sound: classic, clearly produced, yet with a special touch of its own.
Right from the start, it reminds me of bands like De/Vision, Beyond Obsession and Solitary Experiments. The basic structure is clearly synth pop, cleanly and harmoniously executed, but the melancholic, romantic undertone makes the track stand out from the crowd for me.
What I find particularly exciting is that it doesn't stay with this dreamy basic feeling throughout. In the last third and a little during the song, Starsign works with more aggressive elements that build tension through various disruptive noises without tearing the song apart. I really like this contrast because it opens up an additional layer. When the last words are whispered into the microphone and the song slowly fades out, I get the impression that a strong dramatic arc has been deliberately created here.
Visually, the music video complements the mood in a very elegant way. Oliver Teßmer has bathed the images completely in sepia, which for me creates a kind of lived nostalgia. It looks classy and understated, but fits perfectly with the sound of ‘N.Q.N.K.’ and makes me perceive the song even more intensely.
