July 12 saw the debut UK release of the 5-track ‘Alte Schönhauser’ EP from Berlin based newcomer Alev Lenz.

‘Alte Schönhauser’ is a collection of idiosyncratic love songs, with nods to the likes of Regina Spektor, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. The angry opener ‘Write About It’ is a swan song to an ex-boyfriend, complete with celebratory horns. The enchanting ‘Dance,’ written by Australian artist Kat Frankie, is followed ‘Band-Aid Man,’ which flips effortlessly from electronics to electric guitars. ‘Song For Sea,’ the EP’s finest moment, is a melancholy epic spiked with an infectious piano riff, whilst closing track ‘Serve With Milk’ is a bittersweet story of wanderlust and self discovery, which builds from self-confessional ballad into slow-burning anthem.

After the European only release of Lenz’ debut album, ‘Storytelling Piano Playing Fräulein’ last year she began working on what would become the ‘Alte Schönhauser’ EP, with co-producers Brio Taliaferro (Skunk Anansie, Sugababes and Sophie-Ellis Bextor) and Don Philippe (Freundeskreis).

“It was very spontaneous,” remembers Alev. “Philippe sat down behind the drums, Brio grabbed a guitar, I went to the piano and we just started to play – we recorded straight away. Pure creative freedom, which is what making music should be about.” The result was ‘Alte Schönhauser,’ 5 tracks which Alev is confident is her best work to date: “This EP is a big leap from the album. The songs are a lot more personal and really represent who I am,” says Alev. “They mark the beginning of a new chapter in my career, especially as they’re the first songs I’m releasing in the UK.”

Born in Munich, Alev Lenz signed her first publishing deal with BMG in 2001, with her former rock band ‘Alev.’ After the release of their album, ‘We Live in Paradise’ in Europe and the US, and three years of touring, Alev decided to leave the group to concentrate on her solo career. She travelled to New York to write and perform her own material, playing open mic nights and her first ever shows as a solo artist. In 2008, Alev co-founded ‘My Own Record Company’ and went on to release her debut solo album the following year, receiving critical acclaim across Europe. Alev was also invited to contribute to several movie soundtracks including the latest film from Oscar winning filmmaker Caroline Link.