Introducing… Chandeen

Chandeen has been a band in one form or another since 1990. The German band has always had Harald Löwy as part of its DNA and the music has always been somewhere in the indietronica and dreampop genres. I say ‘somewhere’ because, for the first 20 years, Chandeen had various musicians, vocalists and collaborators join for specific albums and phases, which naturally evolved their sound each time. Former members include Mike Brown who also founded Livewire Electronics, Oliver Henkel who co-founded the band and stayed until 2004, and vocalist and songwriter Stephanie Härich who had a nine-year stint in the band. Clearly, the German electropop scene is rife for collaboration!

With a rotating list of band members and collaborators, a split up and reforming, Chandeen has settled as Harald and Julia Beyer. Their new single ‘Exhale’ is less indie rock than their previous single ‘The Bubbles Blown‘ and more of a reflective alt-pop mood. Misty pianos, soft strings and lilting soft vocals are powered by massive drums and a rumbling bass line. Add in some acoustic guitar chugs and you have a cinematic indie version of Dido. It is a song that lets the empty underplayed instrumentation cut a stark and tense atmosphere. Less can be more and that’s the case here.

‘Exhale’ is the second single from Chandeen’s forthcoming album ‘The Last Glimpse of Your Life’. The album is due for release on 24th January 2025 and will no doubt be jam-packed with affecting anthems. In a strange twist of fate, I first heard Chandeen almost 20 years ago. They put forth a cover on a Dead Can Dance tribute album. It was a personal favourite on the album with its melancholic, almost Celtic rock interpretation. Its funny that its taken 20 years to rediscover them again. Speaking of the single, Chandeen said:

“‘Exhale’ holds a special place in our hearts. It’s a bittersweet reflection on the moments when loss feels overwhelming, but also about finding the strength to keep breathing, to keep feeling, and to keep moving forward.”

For more information on all things Chandeen, follow them on YouTube. The single is out now.

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