Exorcising the evil spirits of modern times

Ornah Mental is Dirk Schlömer’s Ethno- Dub, Kraut- and Space – Rock playground, that started out as Dirk’s solo-project in 2001, Bernhard joined in 2018.
Ornah Mental’s now eighth release is another true celebration of organic groove music.

Dirk Schlömer is no stranger to the German music scene. Born in Cologne, he was guitarist in the german band “Ton Steine Scherben“; one of the first and most influential German language rock bands of the 1970s and early 1980s, a musical mouthpiece of a new left movement during that time and in their hometown of West Berlin in particular. Schlömer also worked closely with Rio Reiser, the front man of that same band, but who later started to work as a solo artist. Furthermore Schlömer was the Mastermind of “Das Zeichen“, a german gothic-ethno project, to name just those out of many others bands and projects worth mentioning.

As Schlömer’s story and background suggest, “Strong and Stable” makes a statement about current socio-cultural issues. The title “Strong and Stable” refers to a phrase that former British Prime Minister Theresa May has used almost like an incantation.

The music of “Strong and Stable” is a spoof of modern narratives and the obvious misdirections that come with them, yet it does not picture a bleak dystopia. It’s like travesty by three old white men that makes your hips shake while you laugh out loud at an disturbing situation

“Groove is the ground, that gives orientation”
– Dirk Schlömer.

credits:

Recorded & Produced by Dirk Schlömer at AmygdaLand, Berlin Kreuzberg

Composed by Dirk Schlömer, Bernhard Wöstheinrich, Carsten Agthe

Dirk Schlömer : Guitars, Keyboards, Loops, Vocal
Bernhard Wöstheinrich : Keyboards, Laptop, Edit-Worx
Carsten Agthe : Percussion, WaveDrum, Cymbals

Guests:
Leander Reininghaus : Acoustic Guitar on Cara-wahn Part II
Volker Lankow : Treated Percussion on Bali Bernhard & Synapsis Lux

Cover Art by Burkhard Girke
Excerpts from ‘…Burning’ , ‘After the Rain’ and ‘Red Vine’
Sleeve Design by Martina Grünewald
Mastering: Eroc