Glasperlenspiel Essentials

Formed from the ashes of Crazy Flowers, Glasperlenspiel—singer Carolin Niemczyk and keyboardist Daniel Grunenberg—used the 2011 Bundesvision Song Contest as a launchpad for their smart, shimmering brand of synth-pop. The juxtaposition between Niemczyk’s icy vocals and Grunenberg’s sleek, synth-led melodies and thumping beats sets them apart. It’s evident on big-hitting singles like the pulsating “Paris” and “Nie vergessen” as well as in the panoramic disco of what may be their best-known track, the rebuke to fame that is “Geiles Leben”.