It gives Lost Map great pleasure to introduce Manuela, the London-based project comprising vocalist and songwriter Manuela Gernedel and multi-instrumentalist and producer Nick McCarthy (Franz Ferdinand, FFS), with the release of their debut single ‘Cracks in the Concrete’. Out now as a PostMap postcard single and download, available exclusively from lostmap.com, and accompanied by a thumping disco remix B-side by London DJ Nadia Ksaiba, it’s a joyous introduction to their addictive, eclectic, off-the- wall and instantly refreshing DIY pop sound, and a perfect taster of their forthcoming debut album.

Of the inspiration behind the song, Gernedel explains: “Lyrically ‘Cracks in the Concrete’, like much of the album, is skipping back and forth between a narration and internal monologue. The line ‘cracks in the concrete’ was partly inspired by the French phrase ‘sous les páves, la plage!’ which came up during the student revolts there in May ’68. Roughly translated it says ‘there is sand underneath the pavement!’. It’s talking about the potential of things breaking and breaking up things. Everything is morbid and falling apart and you have to keep on telling yourself that it’s going to work itself out (‘everything is healing’).”