Reviews

 

“Electronic post-rock trio Controllar is the kind of band that will scare lovers of mainstream fodder, raised on a diet of predictable chord changes and moon-june lyrics.

Based in Amsterdam, the American/Israeli indie-rock trio doesn't settle for just playing a song on their forthcoming album Only Strangers Are Normal, but go for it with everything they've got. Which is quite a lot. Hooks is propelled forward by freaky operatic vocals, handfuls of discords and loud-as-fuck drums. The doom-laden Belong sounds like Siouxsie and The Banshees on a highly illegal substance. Lead single Again Again moves in slow motion. David Cronenberg could use it for the opening credits for one of his movies.

Only Strangers Are Normal is like an onion. Layers are heaped upon layers, weaving a magical musical tapestry that can actually fly. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.”

(Hans Werksman- Here comes the flood)

 

 

"Controllar, an Amsterdam based electronic duo, performed a set of engagingly twitchy art- pop songs... Anat Spiegel achingly sang lines from T.S Eliot's "Portrait of a lady" ("Dance, dance/ like a dancing bear") while Thomas Myrmel conjured up gritty grooves with a video game controller."

(Alex Ross – The New Yorker)

 

 

“Van een heel ander kaliber is Controllar. De tweemansformatie van geweldige zangeres Anat Spiegel en intrigerende computernerd Thomas Myrmel is er één om live te zien... Het optreden, waarbij Thomas met handgebaren zijn computer aanstuurt terwijl Anat met haar krachtige stem het geheel meer sturing geeft, moet je zeker een keer zien.”

(Christiaan Walraven – 3voor12)

 

“There's something vaguely poppy in their chantable choruses and hypnotic grooves, and there's something defiantly art-school and confrontational in their off-kilter electro-sounds and declamatory vocals... it all comes together as a bit of weird, haunting ear candy.”

(FCW Editorial – Fairfield County Weekly)

 

“Onstage, it's hard to find a comparison to Controllar's act... the duo creates a wide-ranging montage from atmospheric electronica to silly techno-bop romps.”

(Guy D’Astolfo– The Vindicator)

 

“Elektronisch popduo levert live een knappe prestatie in weirde songs, ergens tussen Portishead, experimentele elektronica en jazz in. Smaakt naar een hele live-show.”

(Ingmar Griffioen– 3voor12)

 

“A wash of eerie synth mixes with a heartbeat pulse... Imagine 'Everything But the Girl' as an evil, experimental empire, and you have something to chew on.”

(Jim Macnie– The Providence Phoenix)