Von Konow is a new solo project by Finnish singer-songwriter Marko von Konow. Lieder, his debut album, is due out next month and if the first two singles are anything to go by, it will combine elements of progressive rock with instrumental parts for strings in a way that produces an alternative sound.
“Cosmic” released in October, tells the story of life’s brief encounters. It is underpinned by a fast-paced beat which comes in on the first chorus after an opening that slowly builds with the strings. There’s a slight resemblance hear to some of the rock music of the 1980s, particularly to some of Depeche Mode’s music.
The second single, “Horses run with me,” followed in November. It opens with a somewhat more dramatic tone, with just a hint of 80s synth in the background, before the guitars take centre stage and strings fill in on the chorus. The video for the track was recorded in Portugal, where von Konow spends his time when not in Finland.
These two releases offer an interesting glimpse into von Konow’s combination of rock music with his classical training. Lieder, due out on 13 January, will be one of the album’s to watch in the new year to see if this combination of contrasts manages to develop over course of a full length record.
Get more news about von Konow and the upcoming album release on Facebook or Instagram.