Verena von Horsten is an emotionally powerful Swiss singer/songwriter whose second solo album Alien Angel Super Death blends infectiously eclectic music with heartfelt lyrical content. Heavy synth-rock combines with a passionate vocal presence, one that here specifically addresses society’s handling of suicide and its causes (she lost her brother, Hakon, to suicide four years ago). Recorded by herself in New York and Zurich, the 10-track release alternates between moments of brooding quietness and menacing roars, depicting the range of human emotion and the beauty of that spectrum in captivating audible form. From slow-burning developers like “All About” to the intense and percussion-forward synth-rock adornments of opener “The Hymn”, Alien Angel Super Death is a fully consuming and stylistically creative album that’s highly recommended to any fans of idiosyncratic, emotional music:
