Get Well Soon announces new album Amen with single Mantra

Get Well Soon has announced details of his forthcoming album – set to arrive March 25, 2022 via Virgin Music. Konstantin Gropper’s sixth full-length release marks the beginning of a new chapter: Whereas The Horror showcased the German songwriter’s take on what felt like a fairly dark and toxic situation back in 2018, the upcoming Amen LP sees the 39-year-old return to a better and more hopeful place – despite the global situation. “A person’s true character is often revealed in times of crisis,” someone wise once observed – and well ... voilà.

“It happened during lockdown: I was constantly checking the news feeds and working alone most of the time, when suddenly I realized ... that I’m an optimist! It was a weird, almost horrible realization for someone like me – who’d always been drawn to pessimists and naysayers, to anyone from Thomas Bernhard to Kurt Cobain. Well, eventually I had to give in and admit to myself that I simply needed to believe in some sort of ‘happy end’ for all this,” Gropper admits. Although far from gloomy, he’s obviously aware of the last two years’ devastating effects on society. “It’s just that I don’t want to hear any more of that typical whining and complaining – it’s super annoying. People are constantly complaining about the situation, how they’re facing adversity, and they don’t see that they’re still some of the most privileged people on the planet!”

Accordingly, there’s a fine sense of humor running throughout his latest full-length offering: From a Siri-inspired, rather pushy AI assistant serving as guide through the entire LP to Gropper’s ruminations about the tech billionaires’ eccentric Space Race; from an entire song’s lyrics sourced from fortune cookie quotes to his tongue-in-cheek incarnation of a life coach who claims to know the best short cut to eternal bliss...

Speaking of life coaches and self-optimization, the idea of a fresh start also runs through first single “Mantra” – a song that, according to Gropper, is “dedicated entirely to the weaker self”. “You are here / It is time / Then why don’t you / why,” he repeatedly asks, ultimately drowning the incredulous mantra in a massive surge of electrified shoegaze production – until there’s only a hint of cosmic energy left. As for the album’s sound, Amen is generally painted with a lighter palette compared to its predecessors. “I mostly listened to songs from my ‘happy place playlist’ to find inspiration,” he says. “It might be a bit of a surprise, sure, but that playlist actually exists.”

However, Amen certainly isn’t pure happy-place/feel-good positivity either. Instead, it’s Get Well Soon asking how to get back that positive place – despite whatever horror scenario is unfolding. We’ll have to wait until spring to find out if there is an answer. Amen is out March 25.

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Check out the single HERE.

Watch the video HERE.