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music: Fortuna Kevin
lyrics: Dirk Rosinski, Stefan Kurzmann
bass, vocals: Dirk Rosinski
guitar, vocals: Stefan Kruzmann
drums: Stephan Krämer
recording: Thomas Kastning (Loudsneaker Studio Berlin), Stefan Kurzmann
production, mixing: Stefan Kurzmann
mastering: Hannes Rackow
cover artwork: Fortuna Kevin
cover photo: Eyk Deutschmann
Blip © 2025 by Fortuna Kevin is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Indiesque blues rock, grunge and punk combined with jazzy, laid-back grooves – that’s how we’ve known and loved Fortuna Kevin since they formed shortly before the coronavirus pandemic, and they now can finally be heard on their long-awaited first release, “Blip.”
Even the rough mix, which made the rounds among friends shortly after the recordings, already sounded extremely promising, because Fortuna Kevin, together with Tom Kastning from Loudsneaker Studio in Berlin, had managed to preserve what distinguishes the band live: magnificent songwriting paired with musical finesse and unrestrained joy of playing.
Fortunately, they did not fall into the classic post-production trap (as one might fear given the time that has passed since the recordings) – the essence of the songs was not changed in any way by well-tempered overdubbing, but “merely” stylistically sharpened and enhanced. Above all, the band’s progressive touch, which occasionally transports the listener back to the 1970s, stands out even more clearly.
The general atmosphere of the release also contributes to this, because “Blip” is (even if only one of the tracks actually bears this name) basically a single road movie.
The fragmentary lyrics, whose meaning is (presumably) not always immediately apparent to everyone, consistently create powerful images that appear like spotlights on the left and right sides of the road. A barn here, shells on the beach there, accompanied by the golden but sometimes fierce gone sun, black widows and concrete. These images, or rather encounters, are by no means always pleasant, but Fortuna Kevin takes note of them (and leaves them behind) with the composure and serenity of someone who is definitely not driving this route for the first time. Such is life – you know what you’re getting yourself into and you’re actually okay with it. At least most of the time.
Musically, too, Fortuna Kevin prefers familiar roads. Nevertheless, it never becomes predictable or boring, because traveling with Fortuna Kevin means, as a matter of principle, not taking the shortest route, letting yourself drift a little and always planning a detour or two. Like on “Roadmovie,” which starts out like the soundtrack to a 70s spy movie, only to join the riots of machine breakers from the early 90s after a stopover in indie rock. Or the brilliant “Miami,” which sounds as if Shellac met for a session in the prairie. Only to discover that their music sounds completely different there and develops a strange life of its own.
At first glance, this may seem like little more than a blip, because you can only reach your actual destination by taking detours, or possibly not at all. With Fortuna Kevin, however, it doesn’t matter where you finally end up – the trip is definitely worth it! (text: Thomas Weiß)