Markus and Michael Acher formed the group together with Martin Messerschmidt in Weilheim, near Munich. In 1990 they recorded their self-titled debut The Notwist, a grunge-metal oriented LP. 1992 saw the release of Nook, which has an indie rock sound, while their 1995 album 12 contains their first flirtation with electronica. Martin Gretschmann (aka Console) joined the group in 1997. Shrink, released in 1998, is a jazz-electro-rock album. The album Neon Golden (released in 2002) put them on the map for American listeners.
In 2003 the band started their own record label Alien Transistor and released a soundtrack for the movie Lichter by Hans-Christian Schmid. On September, 6th 2004 the EP Solo Swim came out, a collaboration between The Notwist, Console and Klimek, which is also the soundtrack for the documentary Kanalschwimmer by Jörg Adolph. Both EPs are only available on vinyl as is the latest EP by Rayon (Markus Acher), released in spring 2006.
Some of The Notwist's songs have been remixed by Four Tet, Manitoba, Console, Loopspool, and others. Singer Markus Acher collaborated with Anticon rapper/producer Alias on the song Unseen Sights.
The Notwist recently formed a supergroup with Themselves named 13 & God, whose eponymous debut was released in 2005. Other acts in which members of The Notwist are participating include Village of Savoonga, Tied & Tickled Trio, Lali Puna, Ms. John Soda, Potawatomi, Alles wie Groß, Ogonjok, Rayon, 3 Shades of Blues, Hometrainer, Bolzplatz Heroes, Alien Ensemble, and Schweisser.
In 2006, Messerschmitt left the band on friendly terms. Markus Acher stated that "it just didn't work anymore".
The Devil, You + Me and was released in Europe in May, 2008. On June 17, 2008 the album was released in North America on Domino Records.
2014 saw the release of Close to the Glass released in the US on Sub-Pop.
http://www.notwist.com
Members
* Markus Acher - guitar, vocals
* Michael Acher - bass
* Mecki Messerschmidt - drums
* Martin Gretschmann (aka Console) - programming
Puzzle
The Notwist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes you small
Could be a day or more -
Within a second you're alone.
You want things that tell you
Exactly what you really are
To make you fell complete.
Standing here in front of me One piece missing
Makes you small
Could be a day or more -
Within a second you're alone.
I want things that tell me
Exactly what you really are
To make you fell complete.
All I have is yours
The Notwist’s song Puzzle is a contemplative piece about the human desire for completeness and how we continuously search for the missing piece that we believe can make us feel whole. The lyrics express the sense of incompleteness through the imagery of a missing piece that makes us small and alone. The opening lines “one piece is missing, makes you small” could be interpreted in several ways, including the prospect of losing one essential thing, person, or element in our lives that makes us feel inferior, powerless, and alone. The phrase “within a second, you’re alone” suggests how quickly things can change and how we can quickly lose what we think we need.
The song also highlights the desire to know ourselves truly, and to have things that can accurately tell us what we really are. The lines “you want things that tell you exactly what you really are, to make you feel complete” acknowledges how we sometimes seek external validation or approval to confirm our sense of selves. The concluding lines “All I have is yours” may refer to relationships, where one person gives everything to the other in a bid to feel complete.
Line by Line Meaning
One piece is missing
Something crucial is absent or unfulfilled
Makes you small
This absence causes feelings of helplessness or insignificance
Could be a day or more -
The time it takes for this absence to become obvious varies
Within a second you're alone.
Once this absence is noticed, it isolates and separates you from others.
You want things that tell you
You crave external validation or confirmation of your identity.
Exactly what you really are
You seek a clear and definitive understanding of your true self.
To make you feel complete.
Your sense of fulfillment and satisfaction is related to obtaining this knowledge.
All I have is yours - it's
The artist reassures the listener that they are there for them.
Standing here in front of me
The artist is physically present and available.
One piece missing
Something crucial to the artist's understanding is also absent.
Makes you small
This absence causes the singer's sense of self to diminish.
Could be a day or more -
The time it takes for this absence to become obvious varies
Within a second you're alone.
Once this absence is noticed, it isolates and separates the singer from others.
I want things that tell me
The singer also craves external validation or confirmation of their identity.
Exactly what you really are
They too seek a clear and definitive understanding of their true self.
To make you feel complete.
Their sense of fulfillment and satisfaction is related to obtaining this knowledge.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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