Catching up with psychedelic indie rock band ACUA

Photo Credit: Jennifer Friedrich

Since their first EP Akwuar, released in 2018, ACUA has gained international attention from music fans. The psychedelic/indie pop Cologne-based trio, featuring Patrick Braun (vocals/guitar), Caroline Prinz Holtorf (drums) and Igor Franjic (bass/synths), has continuously put out music. Their upcoming album, titled Is There More Past or More Future, is out this summer on the Berlin label Papercup Records. The album follows their 2020 debut Head Under Water. The band’s sound recalls contemporaries such as Tame Impala, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Crumb and experimental rock bands like Electrelane.

On previous releases, ACUA’s lyrics have reflected introspective themes. Meanwhile, the sound, made up of swirling psychedelic phaser/reverb guitars, catchy bass lines and synth riffs, creates a dream-like state. The combination of subjects and sounds urges us to dig deep into our core.

The singles released for Is There More Past or More Future indicate that the band is further experimenting with sonic landscapes. In “Orange World,” which clocks in at over seven minutes, Braun sings about staring at the sun, which reflects off of the desert sand. In “Ghost Train,” the band explores the sensation that comes from living in a world of constant stimuli. On the latest singles, Patrick and Caroline are heard trading vocals. It is clear that the trio is working in unison.

The band is currently in the middle of a Canadian tour. soundvsystem caught up with the band over email before they left on their overseas tour.

First off, you’re getting ready to depart for your Canada tour. How is the band doing?

ACUA: Great, we‘re really looking forward to it! Of course, there‘s a lot to organize, but it‘s definitely worth it, as we know from our last Canada tour in 2018 and we can‘t wait to come back!

Head Under Water is described as the feeling of sticking your head in water and only being able to hear yourself. How would you describe Is There More Past Or More Future?

ACUA: Is There More Past Or More Future has more of a spirit of optimism. Big questions are thrown into the room - it’s more like asking them out loud and not just dealing with them inside your own head.

You worked on the album for two years. What was the process of writing and recording the album?

ACUA: Well, every new album is a journey with up and downs and even more regarding the circumstances we‘ve had in the last two years. In hard times, the big questions become louder and have an impact - even on your creative process. Writing music really was like an escape to the “good old times,“ but also the motivation to move on and embrace the future. We‘ve spent loads of time recording the album ourselves, and had several people in Cologne and Berlin, like Drew Deal, who helped us mix the album.

What are some of the themes explored on the album?

ACUA: Apart from the album title, the songs dip into themes like fitting in and living up to society’s expectations. Other songs, like Ghost Train, talk about feeling numb, because you‘re overwhelmed by all the impacts in our current way of living and the overstimulation of content you are facing.

The band’s music has an almost live and improvisational sound to it - particularly the instrumental breaks. Can you talk about your songwriting process?

ACUA: We really focus on the instruments when we write songs. Normally we finish the whole song as an instrumental version and afterwards we think about a vocal melody, which suits the song. In the last step, we are looking for lyrics fitting into the melody. We complement each other pretty good, as some are really into writing lyrics and finding the perfect words and others focus more on the instrumental part.

Are there any artists that the band draws influence from?

ACUA: Sure! Some of them are Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Caribou, Gorillaz, Santana and Peter Gabriel.

You’ve worked with the digital artist / illustrator Rufus Krieger on quite a few of your album and single covers. You’ve also collaborated with ​​Paulina Ziółkowska, Tessa Chong and Lee Arkapaw for your music videos. How does the band approach the visual aspect when releasing music?

ACUA: The visual part of our music is definitely very important to us, as we always try to create a little world around our music. We love the style of Rufus Krieger and the consistency it brings to our artworks. Over time we’ve developed a color concept, to create a recognition value which we also try to reflect in our music videos.

It’s been a couple of years since the band last played outside of Germany. What are you most looking forward to while touring?

ACUA: Everything to be honest! Meeting new people, enjoying playing on stage, discovering new bands and having a hell lot of fun!

Any plans to tour beyond July?

ACUA: We will play a couple of shows in Germany in August/September and, of course, our new album drops in August. To share something new is always very exciting, and we‘re looking forward to it!

There have been some great bands to come out of Cologne over the years. What’s the independent music scene like at the moment?

ACUA: Right now, it‘s a cool mixture of some well known faces and some new bands, just getting started. It‘s nice to see everybody connecting slowly and supporting each other by playing concerts together, sharing contacts and tips for venues, promoters or even rehearsal rooms, which are as hard to find as an affordable flat in Cologne.

Anything else you want people to know about the band?

ACUA: Our new album Is There More Past Or More Future drops August 12th!

Cover Art by Rufus Krieger

Is There More Past Or More Future is out on Papercup Records on 8/12. You can catch ACUA on tour:

July 1 - Toronto, ON, Canada - Tranzac
July 2 - Sarnia, ON, Canada - Rüstr
July 3 - Toronto, ON, Canada - Supermarket
July 4 - Windsor, ON, Canada - Phog Lounge
July 5 - Ottawa, ON, Canada - Avant-Garde Bar
July 6 - London, ON, Canada - Palasad SocialBowl
July 8 - Montreal, QC, Canada - La Sotterenea
July 11 - Winnipeg, QC, Canada - The Pyramid Cabaret
July 12 - Regina, SK, Canada - T+A Vinyl and Fashion
July 13 - Saskatoon, SK, Canada - SASC
July 14 - High River, AB, Canada - Brewing Company
July 15 - Calgary, AB, Canada - Koi
July 16 - Edmonton, AB, Canada - Blakbar
July 29 - Breitenbach am Herzberg, Germany - Burg Herzberg Festival

You can purchase ACUA’s music on Bandcamp, stream it on Spotify and other platforms. Follow ACUA on Instagram and Facebook.