Publication: The Daily Brit
By: Rugged Hank
Date: May 3, 2023
Iconic Chanteuse and dancer Ute Lemper steps away from her historical repertoire and embraces her inner songwriter, producing an album that spans genres and time periods.
Life is a song and it wants to be sung. Ute Lemper, the New York-based singer and performer has made a name for herself worldwide as an entertainer and special interpreter of the Weimar repertoire of the 1920s, particularly the works of Brecht and Weill and Marlene Dietrich. However, the versatile artist’s palette has expanded over the years, leading to a growing desire to share her own original music and lyrics with the world. After composing the music to a variety of song cycles exploring the poetry of Neruda, Coelho and Bukowski she now brings us a piece of her own mind.
“Time Traveler” marks a significant adventure in Ute Lemper’s creative works with its contemporary music style of Neo Soul, Jazz and alternative R&B. This album features all-original music and lyrics and the story of this collection of songs began 23 years ago when Ute Lemper first wrote and recorded some of these pieces in her husband’s studio. However, for various reasons, these songs were not released at the time and were forgotten until by chance, the boxes of tapes reappeared in her in-laws’ basement in 2021.
The rediscovery of these songs inspired Ute Lemper to revisit her own personal history, encounter her younger self, and most of all to get back to the drawing board to write a new wave of songs from a more mature perspective. “Time Traveler” showcases this wrinkle in time , as much as the full range of her talents as a songwriter, performer, and interpreter of her own material. Through the songs, Ute Lemper shares feelings about her path reflecting on joys, regrets, wisdom, longings, and fulfillment.
The album includes ten original songs that merge various genres, including jazz, soul, R&B and chanson. Ute Lemper together with her partner Todd Turkisher take risks in terms of production and sound, luring the listener onto a completely unexpected path in some pieces, such as the opening title track which is accompanied by a stunning cutting edge video that uses AI to explore the subjects of Time Travel and evolution.
With “Time Traveler,” Ute Lemper has emancipated herself musically from all categories, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of artists and bands such as Hiatus Kaiyote, John Legend, Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, Annie Lennox, Erykah Badu, and Robert Glasper. However, she remains true to her own unique style and vision, producing an album that is one hundred percent Ute Lemper.
Overall, “Time Traveler” represents a significant milestone in Ute Lemper’s career, showcasing her evolution as an artist and songwriter. Through her original music and lyrics, she continues to inspire listeners and to share her own personal journey with the world.
Read the Review on Daily Brit site here.