Biography
Len Sander, the electro-pop ensemble hailing from Zürich, Switzerland, draw from the woozy electro-noir textures associated with Lamb and Portico alongside the signature hazy atmospheres pioneered by trip-hop acts Portishead and Massive Attack. Although the group officially came together in 2014, its roots stretch back two decades earlier, when vocalist Blanka Inuanen and her brother Simon first began composing and performing music at the age of ten. Two decades later the siblings started developing concrete concepts and directing their songwriting toward a shared endeavor. The arrival of their cousin Flavio Schönholzer marked the birth of Len Sander, a moniker the members characterize as a “fantasy name” without specific reference. Three additional musicians eventually joined, allowing the lineup to refine its distinctive approach. Responding to Zürich’s thriving electronic scene, the collective fused those influences with varied acoustic instrumentation, producing an expansive, richly layered, and otherworldly sonic identity that remains distinctive within the local landscape. Icy synth textures, driving electronic rhythms, and guitars drenched in reverb formed the instrumental foundation, completed by Blanka’s lyrics and vocals that explore the lingering ache of past, fractured relationships. Benefiting from generous municipal cultural support, the band tracked its debut album independently of any major label. The resulting full-length, Phantom Garden, appeared in 2015. The record earned widespread critical praise for its pristine engineering and abundance of captivating timbres while steadily broadening the group’s audience. Shortly afterward Len Sander aligned with the independent Swiss imprint Mouthwatering Records and issued the Places EP later that same year, featuring reworkings by Pablo Nouvelle and Dave Eleanor. An extensive European tour followed to support both releases. In 2016 the project returned with the Saltlick EP, a work whose sonic palette leans marginally brighter while preserving the meticulous craftsmanship of its predecessor.
Singles
