Releasedate:   08-08-2025
Label: Metropolis Records

Rotersand are a German electronic duo formed in 2002, comprising vocalist Rascal Nikov and producer/programmer Krischan Jan‑Eric Wesenberg. Emerging from Hamburg’s vibrant futurepop and EBM scene, they have built a career blending polished synthetic soundscapes with socially reflective lyrics. This year the two released their album “Don’t Become the Thing You Hated”.

The album these two made serves as both a sonic statement and a cultural critique, exploring themes such as alienation, resistance, and the danger of replicating the very forces one opposes. An electronic mirror held in front of you without the judgement.

The songs

Opening with “All Tomorrows,” the album immediately establishes a compelling dichotomy: sleek, mechanical beats meet introspective lyrics. As one reviewer put it, the track offers “mechanical precision and lyrical intimacy,” setting a tone that is at once club-ready and contemplative. The emotionally charged “Private Firmament (I Fell for You),” a critique of algorithm-fueled digital isolation: “we sit in our post‑fact… private firmaments with nothing in common other than the cold light of screens”.

Earlier singles like “Higher Ground,” “Forgotten Daydreams,” and “16 Devils” also appear here, threading continuity with material the band released in the past few years. This reflects a deliberate prelude to the album, rather than a divergence into separate experiments. They seems to have given it a good consideration on what to bring out before the album got to the world. “Don’t Become the Thing You Hated” continues Rotersand’s tradition of weaving social reflection into danceable frameworks—but with sharper focus and more thematic cohesion it seems.

The conclusion

One thing to like about this release is that it is neither purely a club record nor solely a platform for commentary. It sits at the intersection, allowing listeners to move while reflecting. The album deftly balances propulsive energy with existential contemplation, maintaining clarity in its message: vigilance, empathy, and self-awareness must guide resistance, lest it mirror the very patterns we oppose.

Technically rich, thematically thoughtful, and emotionally resonant, this album reaffirms Rotersand’s place as a thoughtful force within dark electronic music. For listeners seeking dance music with depth, or ideas expressed in beats, this record offers both.

Links:

Bandcamp