22. October 2025
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Media Review

Johna – Nachtzug

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Johna - Nachtzug

Johna - Nachtzug
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very good songwriting with a very personal touch
  • Nice Americana touch

In mid-July, I received a promotion e-mail by the German artist Johna artist. About the artist herself, it stated She remains true to her style: handcrafted music that is sometimes quiet and cautious, yet at other times full of power and assertiveness. She seamlessly combines genres such as country, folk, and pop, building a musical mosaic – an idea of Americana made in Germany. I was curious and had a listen to her EP Nachtzug (“Night Train”), which will be release on 2nd August 2025. Here is my review.

 

Johna – About The Artist

Johna is the artist name of Nadine Krämer. The Rheinland artist is nowadays based in Wermelskirchen, Northeast of Cologne. She started releasing music in English in the early 2010’s. Her debut album Keep Breathing & Live is dated as of 2012. After the album The Long Way Home (2016) and the EP Mountains (2018), she moved towards releasing music in German language. Her first album in German was Postkarten (“Postcards”) in 2022. In 2023, she also released the children’s book Das Pündel und die Honigkekse.

 

Johna – Nachtzug – Track by Track

The five track EP lasts 17 minutes

1. Nachtzug

The title track opens this five track EP. Nachtzug is slow, very atmospheric reflection of the experience and feelings of a night train ride. Ich will weit, weit weg und nehm’ den Nachtzug (“I want to go far, far away and take the night train”). The slow and wistful track is a very intense and impressing listen.

2. 15

While the Americana influence on the title track is not that present, 15 definitely spreads folk and country vibes. The song has a fast-paced rhythm, but the vocals contrast with a slower, unagitated style. The story of the track is a reflection how teenage life would be with nowadays thoughts and experience. Heute würd’ ich überleben mit 15 – “Today, I would survive at the age of 15”. I really like that one.

3. Still und leise

Literally, the title translates to something like “silent and quiet”, in fact it means something like “secretly”. The song is about a farewell from a beloved person. There is the feeling of sorrow, but also a lot of thankfulness and energy in this track. I enjoy listening to it.

4. Karma

While the first three songs of Nachtzug are new tracks, the two closing songs have already been released. Karma is a song about people who base their life on lies and delusion. The mood of the song is very dark and angry and comes with a energetically marching rhythm. The brief chorus breaks that mood slightly with a wider range of notes. A really nice write.

5. Wolken

The EP closes with an Americana singer-songwriter style song, Wolken (“Clouds”). The song is a poetic reflection about how life on Earth looks alike from the aerial perspective. Love and hate, happiness and struggle. These three minutes are a beautiful, emotional finale of the five track set.

 

Johna – Nachtzug – Spotify

I will add the Spotify widget once the EP has been published.

 

Johna – Nachtzug – My View

I am really glad that I ran into this EP. Johna releases a very widespread, personal, sometimes intimate showcase of her life and her musical work. Of course, I do like the Americana touch in her songs as well. This one is definitely worth a listen.

Favorite Song: 15

 

2025 EP Reviews

Here are all my Media Reviews of EPs, which have been published in 2025:

 

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