Lasso is another impressive album by
2raumwohnung, one of Germany's most reliable pop acts of the new millennium. Like its predecessor, 36 Grad (2007), Lasso is original and forward-looking in style without forsaking any of its commercial appeal. Since singer
Inga Humpe and musician Tommi Eckart made their full-length album debut with Kommt Zusammen in 2001, they've been on the cutting edge of the German pop scene, making radio-friendly electro-pop music with lots of creative merit. Their singles don't top the charts, not by a long shot, but their albums generally come close. Moreover, from a critical standpoint
2raumwohnung are in the same esteemed company as German pop standard-bearers
Ich + Ich (the band of
Inga's sister
Annette Humpe),
Rosenstolz, and
Xavier Naidoo. Lasso is another first-rate full-length offering from the duo. It's filled to the brim with standout songs, "Wir Werden Sehen" and "Rette Mich Später" above all, and the electro-pop style varies from track to track, ranging from guitar-driven pop/rock ("Vielleicht im Nächsten Leben") to seductive electro-disco ("Body Is Boss").
Humpe sounds great throughout Lasso, her vocals at times hushed and at other times melodic, and she carries the album with a lot of presence. From a musical standpoint,
Humpe and Eckart maintain a careful balance between electronic and acoustic instrumentation. If there's anything disappointing about Lasso, it's the lack of surprises. Five albums into their career,
2raumwohnung have refined their style to near-perfection, and they seem content to maintain their careful electro-pop balance, saving their edgier work for intermittent remix albums like Melancholisch Schön (2005) and
36 Grad Remixes (2007). ~ Jason Birchmeier