With “Who Knows,” Frieder Nagel continues his bold sonic journey, this time joining forces with Daniel Brandt: producer, drummer and co-founder of Brandt Brauer Frick. Together they deliver a track that pulses with unease and intensity: menacing Moog textures, sweeping strings, and sharp rhythmic tension conjure an atmosphere that feels both cinematic and deeply human.
The single arrives with two alternate takes: a concise radio edit and a beatless version highlighting Nagel’s meticulous sound design, revealing new layers of the composition’s hypnotic character.
Nagel and Brandt’s collaboration began in 2019 when Frieder directed Brandt’s “Flamingo” video for Erased Tapes. The pair later co-created a dance opera with Japanese choreographer Fukiko Takase, premiering at the Gluck Festspiele in Berlin. “Who Knows” captures that same creative spark: the meeting of Brandt’s restless, percussive drive and Nagel’s introspective melodic world.
“We’re total opposites,” says Nagel. “Daniel thrives on movement and rhythm; I live quietly in the woods, focused on introspection and melody. It’s that contrast that fuels the music.”
Following his acclaimed single “Do As I Please,” “Who Knows” marks another step in Nagel’s evolution moving away from downtempo roots toward raw, forward-looking electronic landscapes that blur the line between club music and immersive sound art.