Autumn 2023, Lauber wanders the streets of Paris carrying that most common of afflictions: loneliness. In a poorly insulated apartment, he gathers words at the piano – about home, longing, and what it means to be human – and returns to Switzerland six months later with an EP and a certainty: "s'Härz chlopft". And yes, in Swiss German.
In So Chlopft's, Lauber pulls off the balancing act where poetic language doesn't come at the cost of honesty. His songs are sometimes grand, sometimes small; sometimes the music leads, sometimes the words. Every note and every word chosen, without ever forgetting to stay human.
Lauber is also Dominic Röthlisberger – composer, producer, and native of Solothurn. Holding a Master's in Composition for Film, Theatre and Media, Röthlisberger has collaborated on theatre productions across Switzerland and abroad. A residency in Paris – supported by the Kulturförderpreis Solothurn – gave him the time and space to follow a path less taken.
In an industry that still draws the line between serious and entertaining music, Lauber defies both – and becomes exactly what others don't manage to be: Gentle. Cheeky. And real.
Inspired by Benjamin Clementine and Leif Vollebekk, shaped by Mani Matter and Sophie Hunger, and drawing from Indie, Pop and Baroque, Lauber bridges musical worlds and brings them to the stage: the intimacy of songwriting, the tradition of chamber music, the pleasure of his acoustic piano. An act that leaves you moved.
The EP was created in close collaboration with producer Janos Mijnssen (Faber) and drummer Alon Ben (Black Sea Dahu), featuring string quartet Amour sur Mars (Patrick Watson) and flugelhorn player Sonja Ott (Patent Ochsner). Mixed by Jo Francken (Milow), mastered by Gilles Hauert (San Silvan).
