When childhood friends Pat Tuil and Dan Vinkes had to spend time at home because of the lockdown, they decided to fill the creative void by exchanging musical ideas online.
This proved to be so productive that they decided to start Voltanz. This isn’t their first band; the two multi-instrumentalists have played together in several bands since the 00’s. They started out with punkrock and new wave, but after a while progressed towards more melodic music, inspired by bands and artists like Bowie, The Cure, Blonde Redhead and Interpol. With Voltanz, the duo from Groningen is taking a new step. The name is a combination of Volta (change) en Tanz (dance).
This isn’t coincidental: the tracks are catchier than their previous work and can be described as a mix of indiewaverock and electropop from the eighties, nineties and zeroes, with a twist. Recurring lyrical themes are loss, the inexorability of time and the confusion surrounding our existence.
The first single Leika was released in June 2021 and is about long-lost summer loves. The second single Lunar Surface is about how hard it sometimes can be to communicate in relationships. In September 2021 the third single Humans was released: a dystopian song about the challenges the world is facing today. Control was released in November and is about loss.
The next single Sparrow was released in 2022 and is about losing a loved one without being able to do anything. After this the single Paper Planes was released. It’s about a boy who sees himself through the eyes of an airman.
In 2023 the singles keep coming. The year started with Everything. Everything deals with the loss of a loved one and all the curious emotions you go through, while constantly asking yourself: “Is it ok that I feel this way?” In February Never Too Late was released, a wave rock song built on a solid guitar and a hunting bass sound.
The theme is again the merciless of the ever faster passing time and the futility of our egos. The lyrics arose from a free flow of sometimes dark thoughts, memories, semi-conscious feelings and past desires, culminating in finding consolation in the thought that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
The latest single by Voltanz is Strange Maze. It can be described as a an uptempo alternative rocksong with an eighties feel. The song is based on a heavy baseline, strong guitars and a haunting synth arp.
The lyrics are about mental health and describe how difficult is it for the environment to help when someone is stuck inside his head.
This time bass player Dan takes care of the vocals. More songs and their first album are expected to be released in 2023. Voltanz is accompanied by several musicians. Pat sings and plays guitar, Dan plays the bass: the instruments with which they started out.