The FM4 Soundpark is a web-platform, community, and radio show for Austrian musicians. Every month, one act is selected to be highlighted both online and on air: Kamp & Fid Mella is the FM4 Soundpark Act for April.
Losers with a future
Kamp is back: in full album length and with a lyrical masterpiece that seamlessly follows his last “longplayer” a good 13 years ago. In collaboration with producer Fid Mella, the great album “Zurück ohne Zukunft” [“Back Without Future”] is released and proves that Kamp is one of the best in his field. Kamp & Fid Mella are therefore theFM4 Soundpark Act of the month April.
Artists are usually very reluctant to use the word “comeback”. After all, for you, you were never really gone, life just gave you other tasks to face: Job, family, the so-called circumstances of life. All of this needs to be managed, takes energy, requires full attention. It’s understandable that creative output can suffer as a result.
But what do you do when the fire is still burning inside you because it has accompanied you for half or all of your life? In Kamp this fire never really went out and so it was only a matter of time until another album should be released. A whole 13 years lie between “VOZ” (Versager ohne Zukunft) from 2009 and the follow-up album “202” (“2urück0hne2ukunft”) recently released, which was created in collaboration with South Tyrolean producer and long-term companion Fid Mella.
It has turned out to be a word- and beat-heavy album. In good, old Kamp style. And he has succeeded with “202” what many of his colleagues have failed in recent years. He has created an album that has done justice to the qualities that already distinguished him as a lyricist and rapper.
Other rappers hate this trick
The “comeback album” has almost developed into a sub-genre in its own right – in German-language rap – because quite a few rappers and crews of the ’90s and ’00s are reappearing on the scene these days with releases and trying to tie in with the glory of days passed. But even without naming names, one must be honest and say that most of these comeback attempts are unfortunately disappointing, fail miserably, usually add little, and rather even damage the reputation. And the rapper’s reputation is very important, as you know. That’s why most are also very careful with such experiments – the error rate is high.
So it is all the more impressive when someone manages to present such a convincing album as Kamp. “Zurück ohne Zukunft” has everything a rap album needs. Even though it may run counter to today’s listening habits, those who get involved with this album and listen carefully will have a blast with it. It is one of those albums that you will have to listen to several times to really understand all the double rhymes, quotes, puns and cross-references that have been packed onto the double vinyl.
The Poet
On “Zurück ohne Zukunft” Kamp actually does exactly what he has always done. He distills the things that surround him and packs them into songs. And while 15 years ago it was fucked-up backstage rooms, boozing on park benches or rousing Amadeus Awards shows that determined life, today it’s other topics that occupy the now 36-year-old Kamp.
Rock ‘n’ Roll may not play a big role anymore, but other things have come to life, which are cultivated again and processed into great songs. His job as a sneaker salesman in the 1st district, the birth of his daughter – it’s about Nori, about Irmi – the struggle with addictions, the fear of growing up, the permanent existential fears or, for example, the death of his mother, which is repeatedly addressed on the album. And all this in an honesty that you rarely hear in hip hop. Kamp shows what you can actually do with rap – namely grand storytelling, drawing dense images and stories. And that’s where Kamp opens up entire worlds. They are often, but not always, funny, but through and through deeply honest and often really hurt, as they get under the skin.
Those are the really strong moments on “Zurück ohne Zukunft”. Songs like “Leuchtende Tage” and “24Feb” give insights into emotional worlds, speak from the heart, describe the indescribable, make it comprehensible. Only a few manage to do that. Not only in rap. He dedicates whole songs to his daughter (“V02”), his love (“Vrall”), describes again and again relentlessly what he thinks of his wall hooks (“Bürohängst”), still has a lot of love for Vienna (“Verloren Gegangen”) and represents again and again lovingly and thereby extremely skillfully the losers without a future (“Dapigens”). Kamp constantly oscillates between abyss and departure, hope and despair – lyrically always on point. And if you listen closely, despite all comprehensible resentment to the world, “202” is an album full of love.
Clemens Fantur
The release show for the album “2urück 0hne 2ukunft” will take place on Wednesday, April 20 at 8pm in the Vienna Flex.
Translated from the German original published on April 1st, 2022 by Arianna Alfreds.