Princess And The Bear sounds like a fairy tale. And not so much like the Alps or Hamburg. But the duo have left a good piece of their hearts in the harbor of the northern German metropolis and released their first album Sleeping In The Bee House in a wooden hut on the Bürgenstock. This is also where the two of them spent the night during the recording - as the title suggests, in a converted beehive. It is quite possible that this is why the work seems so intimate. Like a ballad in a confined space.

The division of duties in Princess And The Bear is clear: Simone Schorro is the siren who sings and plays the glockenspiel, while guitarist Michael Tobler acts as a silent partner and cue man. Although the two joined forces six years ago, they are still Sleeping In The Bee House their first joint musical testimony. And what a testimony it is. The Lucerne native and the Zurich native create airy song creations of folk, jazzy pop and an all-encompassing melancholy that, despite their heavy content, also have a gentle momentum. Princess And The Bear keep a decidedly low tempo, basking in a well-tempered atmosphere and devoting themselves to fragility.

Schorro's vocals take center stage, circling, swaying and determined; her voice sounds like a message in a bottle on a high but calm sea. In keeping with this, an accordion groans like a bending plank on pieces such as "100 Years" or "I Still Miss You". The songs, as supple as they are gnarled, tell of butterflies, doors or anchors, are more dreamy than playful and full of distortions. The album speaks of longing. And strength. So much so that it is clear: Sleeping In The Bee House is an event.

Princess And The Bear: Sleeping In The Bee House
www.princessandthebear.ch