Apache 207 – Garden City - Vinyl, LP, Picture Disc, Stereo

Apache 207: "Gartenstadt" - An album between recognition value and missing content

Staying true to his familiar appearance, Apache 207 once again relies on his distinctive style and catchy vocals in "Garden City." His musical success even attracted Udo Lindenberg for a possible duet song on "The Black Album", even though arrest warrant had previously declined. However, despite the commercial success, the lack of tangible content and messages remains. It lacks a real character that transcends the themes of fame, love and suffering in stardom.

The contradiction between form and content has accompanied Apache 207 since "Staircase" and "2Sad2Disco". This changes little in “What Do You Know”. The opening with the lines "Sometimes rats eat their way through walls here. They were born here, but they don't want to end here" is catchy, but it's becoming less and less irritating to hear such contrasts. It almost seems to be a transfiguration of the previous poverty. Any banker can dance to his 80s poverty lyrics in the club without actually being touched.

Jumpa is the least likely to be blamed for this. The way he weaves the musical neon colors into "Breaking Your Heart" even creates international associations. The song is again about Apache 207's irresistibility, which he ironically cushions in the accompanying video. However, the self-absorbed synth anthem marks the album's qualitative decline. “If That’s So Staying” and “One Last Time” seem like typical club hits that are aware of their superficiality (“We’ll never get together again so young”).

“We are armed to the teeth because we have to maintain our image,” he explains pointlessly in “Kurz Vor 4”. By including the occasional "son of a bitch" in "Ninety," he may be trying to establish a more traditional rap reference where swearing is the norm. The retro-futuristic instrumental with a Miami bass touch goes well together. “Coco Chanel” continues the musical thread. The line "I slalom through the rubble of this world - and love myself" even suggests a suitable post-apocalyptic theme, which is quickly lost again.

From halfway through the album, the listener's boredom increases, while the sun-glassed pop rapper becomes increasingly tearful. “One step towards better, three steps towards worse,” he complains in “Schimmel in Der Villa” before a rain shower falls over him and lightning flashes through the pitch-black night of his mental anguish. “Glitzt” follows on from this, with the windshield wiper rhythm appearing to be an interesting production idea. Apache 207 suffers in the songs, as he emphasizes in "Found", laments his dwindling will in "Raus Hier" and sinks into sentimentality in "Without Mercy".

“All the party nights are slowly getting me down,” he complains in the embarrassing “Capri Sonne” about his success and how he has lost himself even though he wins every award. He bathes in a pseudo-reflective atmosphere: "Golden tears decorate his cheeks." It's just embarrassing. The singing rapper always emphasizes that he is rich and popular, but constantly demands pity instead of doing what Cro does and simply retreating to an island paradise for a few months if necessary. Apache 207 remains a flat, self-absorbed character who is full of self-pity.