‘Para Lia’ Berlin-based act announce cross-Atlantic online Art collaboration / exhibition and album, discover ‘Fade To Grey’ the January 10th in Formula Indie

Growing up in Falkenberg, in former East Germany, Para Lia’s Rene Methner dreamed of one day escaping his confines and getting his music to like-minded people in ‘The West’, but also working with them. Now, with new album ‘Gone With The Flow’, recorded with his fellow band member and wife Cindy, he has done just that but now unexpectedly finds himself ‘locked down’ again. However, despite the constraints that we all find ourselves under, Para Lia and New York visual artist Louis Renzoni are collaborating on this joint project that sees not only a new album from Para Lia but also an exhibition. The album will be released on 2 October 2020, just one day before the 30^th anniversary of Germany’s Reunification. The exhibition was slated to open in gallery space in New York, where Louis is based, before transferring to Berlin, but now a bespoke online set up will circumvent the current situation and make the work available globally. Visit the exhibition here: https://www.sophisticatedape.com/gone-with-the-flow-exhibition/

Upon discovering each other online, the artists quickly struck up a dialogue that set the scene for not only friendship but also for collaboration. The plan was hatched for Louis Renzoni’s next exhibition to be soundtracked by the music from ‘Gone With The Flow’, with the album itself also boasting images from him, as well as songs directly inspired from the visual art. Para Lia are René Methner (Songwriter, Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys, Drum Programming) and Cindy Methner (vocals).

Renzoni sowed the seed for ‘Riders On The Dike’, the lead track from ‘Gone With The Flow’. His quote, “The darker the shadow the brighter the light” [also the title of one of his exhibitions in NYC] gave Para Lia their inspiration. ‘Riders’ provides the light to the dark of the accompanying album track ‘Children Of The Flood’ and features Amanda Kim Sanderson a singer from UK and something of a Soundcloud ‘legend’. A true collaborative effort.

‘Gone With The Flow’ is the follow up to band’s debut 2019 album ‘Soap Bubble Dreams’ which enjoyed broad praise, with comparisons ranging from Phillip Boa and the Voodoo Club, Arcade Fire, The Mission, The Last Shadow Puppets, Sebadoh and Editors. The DNA of their sound is the soaring and ethereal vocal arrangements. René’s vocals stand forefront, enhanced by the arrival of the splendour of Cindy’s voice. Their sound blends the melodic, atmospheric, and punches through with those guitar sounds.

Para Lia blend a great retro feel with a good measure of freshness and originality. Their association with Louis Renzoni gives ‘Gone With The Flow’ a unique extra dimension with the online exhibition bringing the concept to life but also showing that creativity will always find a way to flourish.