Valerie Trebeljahr started Lali Puna after her first band – the all-girl-band L.B.Page – dissolved. The line-up was soon completed by Markus Acher, Christoph Brandner and Florian Zimmer. After some changes the group today consists of Trebeljahr (vocals, keyboard, computer), Christan Heiss (keyboard, computer) and Brandner (drums).

 

Lali Puna released their debut “Tridecoder” in 1999. The reduced but yet electronic-pop-style gained first attention for the band. “Scary World Theory” was the programmatic title of the second LP released in 2001, slowly introducing Trebeljahrs growing interest in combining pop and politics. Guitars moved in and moved the sound away from the electronic simplicity of the early days. 2004 saw the release of “Faking The Books”, “a maverick display of pop sensibilities applied to a world gone wrong” as Shlom Sviri wrote.

Many people were met to work with. Collaborations with Dntel, Tim Simenon (Bomb the Bass) or Two Lonesome Swordsmen (Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood) made Lali Puna a well-known region in different musical landscapes. From clubbing to indie and many things in between. “I thought I was over that” from 2005 was an album full of remixes, come-togethers and (musical) friendships.

“Our Inventions”, released in 2010, saw the band return to their electronic pop-roots, searching for a gentle way to leave the guitars that characterized “Faking The Books”. An album about the modern world, concerning itself with the driving forces of progress and technological obsession.

After the “Silver Light”-EP (2012) with a coverversion of Mort Garsons “I’ve Been Over The Rainbow” and remixes by some longtime friends – Cornelius, Baths and Odd Nosdam – Lali Puna took a long break.

“Two Windows” now, Lali Punas fifth studioalbum, marks a new beginning for the band as Trebeljahr remembered her beginnings with a four-track-recorder, writing songs just for herself. After being tired of solitude, Trebeljahr asked long-time friends like Dntel and Radioactive Man and new friends like MimiCof and the harpist Mary Lattimore to join her. In the end it was a long way to go and Trebeljahr and Lali Puna-member Christian Heiß worked almost two years in the basement of the Postmanteau Studio on the record. Eventually “Two Windows” saw another long-time companion: The album was mixed by Mario Thaler/Uphon Studio, who already produced “Scary World Theory” and “Faking The Books”.