'Love or Emptiness' is the third solo album by the singer and pianist Johanna Borchert, an electrifying mixture of pop, jazz and experimental, skillfully artistic and at the same time accessible, catchy but not superficial. A concept album that would never claim to be a concept album.
When Johanna Borchert's album 'FM Biography' appeared in 2014 it garnered euphoric reactions. Jazzthetik called it a "masterpiece"; Hamburger Abendblatt stated that her "skillfully arranged songs are like ten rooms full of secrets". The accolades culminated in 2015 when Borchert received the prestigious ECHO Jazz award as "best singer national". INTRO attested Borchert "a wonderful voice, with a scope and expressive possibilities evoking the greats, such as Leslie Feist". Repeatedly, the names Laurie Anderson and Björk were mentioned. Johanna Borchert has no problems with such comparisons: "I would like to be a combination of both singers."
Once again, 'Love or Emptiness' presents us with ten songs and once again their order seems as inevitable as if it were a long 40-minute-piece. Borchert builds sublime moods using distorted synthesizers, powerful drums, and her voice floating above it all, reaching almost cineastic heights in the choruses, only to immediately withdraw again.
