Paso Doble

Formed in 1983 in Germany, Paso Doble brings together the singer Rale Oberpichler, born in Pinneberg, and the composer, producer and keyboardist Frank Oberpichler, born in Paderborn under the name Frank Hieber. The duo belongs to the late Neue Deutsche Welle with a synthetic pop characterized by electronic melodies, direct refrains and an aesthetic of 1980s German variety. Paso Doble emerged at the moment when the NDW movement declined, but managed to establish its name with the singles « Computerliebe (Die Module spielen verrückt) » in 1984 and « Herz an Herz » in 1985. Before this common venture, Rale Oberpichler had worked as a backing vocalist, notably for Udo Lindenberg and Marius Müller-Westernhagen, while Frank Oberpichler was already active as a composer and producer. After the Fantasie album in 1985, Paso Doble continued its journey with several discographic returns, including Versunkener Schatz in 2006, Hautnah in 2008, 30 Jahre NDW in 2012 and Urknall in 2021. Paso Doble's repertoire also experienced new interpretations over the years, notably around « Herz an Herz » and « Computerliebe », while the duo resumed live activity more regularly from the 2000s, sometimes in a stripped-down voice-piano format that highlights the songwriting.