Release online: 24.4.2026
(Streaming & Bandcamp)
Airdate: 17.4.2026
Label: Mofapetra-Records
Playing time: ca. 37 Min.
DOWNLOADS:
> photos & cover
> EPK as a pdf
contact: post@lehmanski.de
between poetry and power chords
The ‚Hamburger Schule‘ is — from today’s perspective —something like the vintage apartment of German pop culture: a bit run-down, the plaster crumbling here and there— but it also gave us that unmistakable charm of handmade music and intellectual exercises instead of mundane ‚Baby, I love you so‘ lyrics. People thought, quoted, and reflected — preferably about everything one shouldn’t care about, if one didn’t have so terribly much free time to get worked up about it.
„Hamburger Schule“ with other signs
Those days are gone — on the one hand. On the other hand, they aren’t: because on ‚Strandkorb der Gemütlichkeit,‘ (beach chair of coziness) Lehmanski sends the core philosophy of the Hamburger Schule back to the classroom — but under different circumstances.
It’s not just about doubt, being ‚against it,‘ or maintaining an ambivalent ‚I don’t know‘ as a stance; here and there, it’s about the beautiful things and the easy life — even without an intellectual superstructure. Lehmanski explores this tension not only through breezy, catchy lyricism but, above all, through stylistically confident musicianship with real ‚oomph‘.
credits
Ruebi Walter (dr, b, voc)
Gunnar Schmidt (trompeten-design)
Stoffel „Saxomaniac“ Dördelmann (sax)
Pele Götzer (voc)
Sannah (voc)
Delphine Quaas (voc)
The Baumhoff Explosives (voc)
Lehmanski (voc, git, keys)
angly, ‚feel-good‘ guitars
Yes, he delivers exactly what his name has come to represent: honest, melodic indie situated between jangly, ‚feel-good‘ guitars and sophisticated songwriting — raw, immediate, and guaranteed without filters. Following the single ‚NEU NEU NEU‘ — released on August 2, 2024, via Mofapetra Records — Lehmanski is back with nine more tracks. In doing so, he retrospectively validates the judgment of the jury that awarded him the German Rock and Pop Prize for Best Alternative Band in 2023.
spirit of optimism and humor with an attitude
And what does it sound like? Indie guitars in high gear, a spirit of optimism, and humor with an attitude. The influences range from Tocotronic, Die Sterne, and Blumfeld to The Cure and Hüsker Dü, all the way to the Pixies and the Wipers.
It is all predominantly ‚independently‘ produced in a living-room studio — set within the familiar ‚environment‘ (a nod to Blumfeld) of tangled cables and coffee-table mixing consoles. However, thanks to the intensive collaboration and coaching of sound-driver Ruebi Walter, the result sounds remarkably mature: wherever necessary, the sound is fat and dynamic.
Yet, there are also more leisurely moments, such as the title track ‚Strandkorb der Gemütlichkeit‘ or ‚Wir sind da, wo wir jetzt stehen‘ — the album’s final song, which unfolds in a poised and emotional manner.
illustrious lineup of collaborators
The ambition to never be boring for even a single second is underlined by the illustrious lineup of collaborators who joined forces with Lehmanski. This is precisely what makes ‚Strandkorb der Gemütlichkeit‘ so refined and durable in the long run: it’s not just the genre-defining toolkit of electric guitars and drums; here and there, a trumpet shines through, a saxophone roars, or an organ wobbles. As a result, there is still something new to discover even on the tenth listen.
biography
Lehmanski grew up in the northern Ruhr area of Germany — a place where, as the saying goes, the sun turns to dust. In 2008, he released his first solo album, ‚Blutige Wiesen.‘ From 2013 to 2020, he played in the indie-rock band Herrenmoos, contributing the majority of their songs. And in 2022, his second solo record, ‚Du strahlst so schön,‘ was released.
Lehmanski’s musical home lies within the alternative spectrum. His influences and inspirations include bands like Die Sterne and Blumfeld, Tom Liwa (both with and without Flowerpornoes), and Kante — but also The Cure, Hüsker Dü, and The Afghan Whigs. ‚Pleasantly jangly‘ is how Ox-Fanzine described his guitar-driven sound. For Lehmanski, it’s simply music that is sometimes rock, sometimes pop, but somehow always indie.
His titles sound familiar, yet they consistently defy expectation. Perhaps it was this peculiar balance that earned him the German Rock and Pop Prize for ‚Best Alternative Band‘ in 2023.
When it comes to Lehmanski’s songwriting, less is more, and the guitar is the central North Star. He uses effects sparingly, preferring to create highlights and hooks through melodies instead. However, when a touch of ‚umami‘ is called for, Lehmanski brings other instruments on board, such as keyboards, chimes, or trumpet. He leaves the first-person confessional style to the ‚Pop-Literati‘; he prefers to rely on irony and a rigorous gaze that takes pleasure in remaining elusive.
In 2026, he has released his third album — once again featuring music for a mature, discerning audience. ‚This album doesn’t need an instruction manual; when in doubt, just turn it up loud,‘ says Lehmanski, who has been releasing music on his own indie label, Mofapetra-Records, for ten years.
releases
Lehmanski: „Du strahlst so schön“ (2022, Mofapetra-Records), „Blutige Wiesen“ (2008, Triggerfish Music, online: Mofapetra-Records)
Herrenmoos: „Darf ich dich nach Hause bringen?“ (2020, Mofapetra-Records), „Geister mit Format“ (2019, Mofapetra-Records), „Roter Honig“ (2016, Mofapetra-Records),
Whoa!: „Kondylom” (1994, Warehouse), „Whoa Is Over – Golden Moments 1990-1996” (2000, Warehouse)
Sampler-Beiträge: „Undercover Vol. III“ (1995, Subterranean) mit Whoa! („Video killed the radiostar“); Kanal voll Rock (1995, Timeline) solo, Heimatpop (2000) mit Whoa! und solo.
quotes
Nico Bensing (Ox-Fanzine): „The lyrics are entirely in German, which also stands out in a refreshing way, and in its nonchalance, it brings to mind Jens Friebe, sometimes Die Sterne, and occasionally Die Türen.“
Walter Kraus (Beatblogger.de): „The feel-good track [‚Radiomädchen‘] feels out of time in the best possible way, while simultaneously showcasing Lehmanski in top form—concise, on point, incredibly entertaining, and damn catchy, even in a sea of distortion.“
Swen Bock (Duisburch.de): „Regarding both the design concept and the music, nothing here is left to chance. Happiness and misfortune don’t just exist side by side—they are one. Within these fairly poppy songs, there is always a massive dose of melancholy and Weltschmerz. Even the near-commonplace is far from trivial when viewed through the lens of LEHMANSKI.“
contact
Dirk Lehmanski
post@lehmanski.de