Berlin’s music underground has long been a fertile ground for innovation and in its latest bloom emerges Lawrence Timoni, a multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist who’s been making an impact in the alternative indie landscape. Blending emotion with cinematic textures and lyrical flair, his work shines with a compelling quality that marks him as one of the most exciting new voices to surface recently.
Though he only began releasing music under his own name at the start of this year, Lawrence has been quick to put himself on the map. His January debut, the provocatively titled “Made America Hate Again,” introduced him as a storyteller with something to say, but it was his follow-up single, “Brighter Still,” that truly hinted at the emotional pull of his artistic output. A visceral anthem shaped by a personal struggle with psychosis and anxiety, the track found its heartbeat in a moment of unexpected love, its vulnerability striking a chord with those seeking more than just aesthetics in their music.
Now, Timoni expands that arc with his third and most ambitious release yet, his new single titled “Life’s A Mess (But We Love It).” Clocking in at over five minutes, the track is both gripping and precise, mixing the sharp writing of Britpop with the sweeping shimmer of chamber psych. It’s a chaotic love letter to human imperfection; uncompromisingly loud, emotionally open and throughly enthralling from start to finish.
The title alone says a lot, “Life’s A Mess (But We Love It)” doesn’t seek to clean things up or square hardship into tidy resolutions. Instead, it leans into the chaos, embracing every sharp edge and crack in the mirror. “It’s for everyone who’s ever screamed into a pillow… and then danced anyway,” he suggests, a context that’s felt in every crashing drum fill and overdriven guitar lick.
It’s part Arctic Monkeys energy, part Nothing But Thieves punch and part kaleidoscopic Tame Impala swirl, filtered through his own Berlin-born aesthetic of beautiful disarray. Set up by the swell of pattering percussion and wailing guitar leads, the track builds with moody energy before bursting into a bright, melodically-driven rock vibe where the charging shuffle of drums and crunch of guitars are met with his delicately soaring vocal leads.
Gliding through an immersive and constantly shifting arrangement, “Life’s A Mess (But We Love It)” presents an atmospheric and wholly absorbing listening experience throughout. Once again putting his emotive songwriting and memorable sound on full display, the new single sees Lawrence Timoni deliver a spectacular musical moment that’s sure to win over new and existing fans alike.
We caught up with Lawrence Timoni to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Life’s A Mess (But We Love It)” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Lawrence Timoni below.
Hey Lawrence, how’s things?
Hey! Things are… beautifully chaotic. Like a jazz solo at 2AM – unexpected, raw, but somehow exactly what the soul needs.
What’s your earliest memory of making music?
I was around ten, it was 2001. I remember sitting at the piano, humming made-up melodies while my fingers searched for something that felt like truth. Later, my dad’s old guitar took over – I taught myself how to play, and that’s where the spiral into songwriting began. It wasn’t about hits. It was about expressing something I didn’t yet have words for.
Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?
There’s no single answer – it’s a mosaic. I resonate with Thom Yorke’s emotional rawness, Tame Impala’s dreamy textures, the sonic freedom of Thundercat, and Jacob Collier’s unorthodox musicality. Also, I have a deep love for classical music – J.S. Bach especially, but also Beethoven and even Wagner (though he was, unfortunately, an antisemitic disaster of a human). James Blake showed me how space can sing. And Sufjan Stevens reminded me that there’s poetry in the quietest corners of life. I appreciate Bon Iver and James Blake for their innovation, but I need a bit more grit – more corners to cut yourself on. Lately, I’ve also fallen into the contrasting worlds of Hania Rani and Sampha. Contrast keeps me alive.
How else do you find inspiration for your music?
From silence. From cities. From people whispering their truths without knowing I’m listening. From watching clouds drift above a meadow or a seagull fight the wind at the seaside. From the gold of late sunsets and the grey of early mornings. Honestly? Eavesdropping. A whispered argument at a train station, someone humming in a café, a torn photo on a sidewalk – it’s all part of the sonic puzzle. Also: late-night thoughts and long walks in moody weather. Classic.
What was your highlight of the year for 2024?
A personal low led to something big: a spontaneous musical journey from the Balkans to the heart of Africa and deep into the Amazon. I was chasing something – myself, maybe. I met musicians who couldn’t speak my language but understood my rhythms. That trip reminded me why I make music in the first place: to connect across all borders, seen and unseen. Also, someone made a playlist called ‘Crying but with style’ and added one of my demos. That’s the kind of legacy I live for.
What do you love about the Berlin music scene?
Berlin doesn’t care who you are – as long as you’re honest. It’s this eclectic mess of punk, techno, jazz, ambient, noise, and heart. You can hear a string quartet at 6pm and end up at an underground warehouse rave at midnight… sometimes with the same people. It’s an organised mess. You can hear abstract electronica at a Neukölln café, then meet old jazz friends from Graz the same night at a Kreuzberg dive bar. The next day, you’re in a studio with strangers-turned-family layering vocals over broken synths. It’s gritty, warm, brutal and honest – like a hug from someone who doesn’t smile easily.
What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?
Driving through an empty city at night. Or lying in the grass on a warm summer evening, watching big, cotton-ball clouds drift across a deep blue sky. Golden hour by the sea. When the light softens, thoughts slow down, and the world lets you breathe again. My music might sound melancholic – but I’m a summer soul at heart. I like to think it’s the kind of music that invites the mind to wander and the soul to stretch out a little.
How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?
I began with solo piano and a lot of singing – mostly to myself. Then my father’s old guitar replaced the keys, and I taught myself how to play. I started with stripped-down acoustic confessionals. Now it’s like those confessions got a synth, read a philosophy book, and moved into a smoky Berlin basement. Still intimate, but with deeper layers and wider atmospheres.
Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?
Thom Yorke. No doubt. I think we’d sit in a room in near silence for a while, and then suddenly, something eerie and beautiful would emerge. Or maybe Tame Impala – to blur the line between dreams and groove.
How did you find making your single “Life’s A Mess (But We Love It)”?
It was messy. Fittingly. The song came out of one of those weeks where everything feels upside down – and yet, there was this stubborn, quiet joy that refused to die. So I bottled that chaos in a melody. It was also a moment of personal reorientation. Honest and unfiltered, like a voice memo from the heart.
What message did you want to get across with this release?
That life doesn’t have to be tidy to be beautiful. In fact, the cracks are where the light gets in. Sometimes, the mess is where the magic hides. It’s about embracing the unplanned, the imperfect, the off-beat – and finding love in all of it.
How does this song thematically tie in with your recent single “Brighter Still”?
If Life’s A Mess is the storm, Brighter Still is the calm that reminds you why the rain was worth it. One is about accepting darkness, the other about noticing the light that stubbornly remains. If Life’s A Mess is about embracing the chaos, Brighter Still is the moment you realize the light was there all along – you just had to dance in the dark a little first. They belong together like dusk and dawn.
What artist have you been listening to most recently?
Hania Rani and Sampha. Their worlds couldn’t be more different, but that contrast inspires me. Also: some older Bowie, Bach (!), Muse, The Smashing Pumpkins – depending on the day, the mood, and the moon.
What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?
That they’re not alone in whatever they’re feeling. That even sadness can sound beautiful. That emotion is not a weakness – it’s proof you’re alive. It’s okay to feel deeply – to not have it all figured out. Imperfection is the key. It’s in the crookedness, in the ache, in the pause between words where the truth hides. My music is a place to meet yourself without judgement.
What’s been your favourite live performance so far?
There was this intimate show in a candle-lit attic space in Neukölln. No stage, just people, floor cushions, and music. Someone cried. Someone laughed. At one point, I forgot I was performing. I was just… present. That’s the kind of moment I live for.
Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?
Thom Yorke, Tame Impala, and Björk. The festival would take place in an abandoned seaside town in Iceland, where the Northern Lights crash against the waves, and nobody remembers what day it is.
Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?
Don’t follow footsteps. Dance in your own weird shoes. Say what you actually mean. And don’t wait to be ‘ready’ – start sharing your voice now. Don’t fear the cracks in your voice – that’s where the soul gets in. Imperfection isn’t just okay – it’s essential.
Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of the year?
More releases. A special “Live in Berlin” session. A few sonic experiments involving vintage tape machines and possibly broken radios. One or more collaborations currently in the works. Also – fingers crossed – a film music project I’m very excited about. The chemistry with the director and team is already beautiful. And of course: lots of tea and coffee, late-night lyrics in my Notes app, and cozy evenings with fellow musicians, good food, good wine, and better jam sessions.
Listen to Life’s A Mess (But We Love It) below
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