The creation of Timo Brandt's album "Grounded" was a risk and an adventure from the very beginning. And it sounds just as exciting. You hear many acoustic, sometimes unusual sounds – guitars, grand piano, cello, clarinet, synthesizers, and interesting percussion like calabash, jujus, and hand-woven shakers. You hear Timo's expressive voice and wonderfully tender backing vocals. He sings catchy melodies that touch the heart, but never sounds like he's trying to write a hit. You sense someone on a journey, searching for life.
The English lyrics sound authentic and poetic. These aren't your typical love songs – Timo Brandt sings about more than just heartbreak and relationships. He's radical in his honesty and his search for more.
After three years of touring numerous stages alone with his acoustic guitar, Timo Brandt is no longer the person he was before. What began as a hobby increasingly determined his life and his identity. He wanted to reflect this – to immortalize the songs that had matured on stage.
At Van Heys Studios in Kleve, he found the perfect environment to realize his sound ideas. With no budget, he threw himself into the recording process. He sang numerous parts and initially played many of the instruments himself. With cellist Ardie van der Knijff (NL), singer Rina (D), and the duo Archer & Tripp (GB/D) on clarinet and percussion, he was able to inspire top-class guest musicians from three nations for his songs. He let them hear the music and gave them the freedom to play whatever came to mind. The emotions intensified in a wonderful way. The plan, which wasn't a plan, worked.
Between recording sessions, there were always spontaneous concerts. These always brought in just enough money for the next studio session. On top of that, pre-orders for the new album were already coming in before it was even finished. So it dragged on for months until the work was completed.
For mixing and mastering, he was able to enlist Sebastian Rottstegge, who had already demonstrated a keen sense and a good ear through his work with AnnenMeiKantereit on their debut album “AMK”.
The artwork for "Grounded" was created by artist Dootje Maillard. After several discussions about the album and the songs, she spontaneously drew the motif by hand and then further developed it.
01 intro
02 In The Darkness
03 Clocks
04 Thanks I'm Fine
05 Long Lost Friend
06 Mountain Top
07 Honestly
08 Solid Ground
09 Grounded
10 Mr. Moment
11 Close To Life
