Panda Lux — Herz

From Crisis Retreat to Rocket Launch:

On «Herz (Heart)» Panda Lux Discover a musical Revival

With renewed passion, Panda Lux are making their comeback and show just how deeply music can resonate. After a two-year hiatus, the four childhood friends release their fourth studio album Herz (Heart) in January 2026. The album is shaped by deepened friendship, creative curiosity, and profound musical connection.

Panda Lux have always been an "album band". From the experimental «Sturm und Drang» of Versailles (2017) to the beautifully packaged despair of Fun Fun Fun (2020), and the colorful genre-mix of Blumen I–IX. Each of these sonic journeys thrive within thematic frameworks the band envisioned. Herz follows on this path, but with a newfound directness, emotional depth, and clarity.

The poetic cover photography by Sina Meyer invites listeners to peer through a blood red veil directly into the heart of a band that was founded by musicians who have known each other since their teenage years. But before Panda Lux could even begin crafting this atmospheric, poetic album, they first had to rekindle their own band spirit.

After completing their conceptual Blumen project, the band's foundation had grown fragile. A planned fresh start in a remote mountain hut turned into a crisis retreat. "We said: After this, we'll meet in the studio and see what will happen", recalls singer Silvan Kuntz. "Since the age of 13 or 14, we've always made music together. It's like breathing. And then suddenly you decide: Now we're not breathing anymore."

What initially seemed like a complete standstill turned into a healing process. One year later, back in the studio, the band experienced what they now call their "Rocket Launch". "This moment healed the heart of Panda Lux," says Silvan. "It's now beating strongly and steadily again."

Herz is the result of this revival: twelve songs that are honest, multi-layered, and full of life. Never before has Silvan's voice sounded so raw and immediate. Between inner turmoil, heartache, and the search for peace, a soundscape emerges that touches without trying to please.

Silvan has further honed his poetic language. Now clearer, more focused, and precise. In "Sonnenbrand" (Sunburn), for example, he condenses an entire summer drama into two sentences: «Einen Sommer lang, haben wir uns geliebt. So einen Sonnenbrand hatte ich noch nie» (For a summer, we loved each other. I've never had a sunburn like that before). The gently flowing "Nimm mich in den Arm" (Hold Me) also reflects this new directness. "I would have never sung a line like that when I was 15" says Silvan. "But because it's so real for me, it's allowed to be that real".

The bands new accessibility is also reflected in the sound. "As a band, we challenged ourselves to do the opposite of Blumen, strived to be musically precise and to the point," explains guitarist Samuel Kuntz. This is evident. Together with their producer Aaron Ahrends (Von Wegen Lisbeth, Catt, Say Yes Dog) the band recorded the whole album at Black Box Studios in southern France. Surrounded by vast planes and quietude, Panda Lux found the ideal place to refine their vision; reduced, honest, and full of emotion.

During the band's break, each member further expanded their creative horizons: Silvan released his first solo EP as San Silvan, produced by Sophie Hunger. Bassist and cellist Janos Mijnssen, a member of Faber's band, co-produced Faber's album Addio. Samuel and Silvan Kuntz released an instrumental guitar album Mistral under the name HOEHN, while drummer Moritz Widrig worked as a musical director in German theaters and composed music for several feature films.

With Herz, Panda Lux have achieved what many bands struggle to do after years of working together: a true fresh start. This was noticed, especially when Panda Lux toured Germany as the support act for Von Wegen Lisbeth in 2025. The invitation was no coincidence, but a clear sign of the band's growing significance in the German indie-pop scene.

With Herz, Panda Lux present themselves more direct and emotional than ever before. A band that has reinvented itself without losing their roots. With this album, they truly strike at the heart. In spring 2026, Panda Lux will embark on their own release tour across Germany and Switzerland.

Herz-Tour 2026
presented by DIFFUS, DLF Nova, ByteFM, Kulturnews, Bandup & untoldency

27.02.26 – Luzern, Schüür CH
05.03.26 – Winterthur, Albani CH
06.03.26 – Bern, Gaskessel CH
07.03.26 – Basel, Kaserne CH

07.04.26 – Hamburg, Hebebühne DE
08.04.26 – Bremen, Magazinkeller DE
09.04.26 – Köln, Helios DE
10.04.26 – Göttingen, Nörgelbuff DE
11.04.26 – Erfurt, Franz Mehlhose DE
12.04.26 – Berlin, Kantine am Berghain DE
14.04.26 – Leipzig, Moritzbastei DE
15.04.26 – Nürnberg, MUZ-Club DE
16.04.26 – Mainz, Schon Schön DE
17.04.26 – München, Milla DE
18.04.26 – Stuttgart, Merlin DE