Born out of a recording session in a house in Denmark in which producer & guitarist Dennis Rux, keyboard player Chris Haertel, bassist David Nesselhauf and drummer Lucas Kochbeck spent two weeks writing and recording instrumental songs onto a 1980s TASCAM 388 8-track tape recorder, the project was originally intended to be a soul revue featuring various singers throughout the record. 

A few years previously, Rux had met Nathan Johnston at Clouds Hill Studios in Hamburg while working on their own separate projects. In a search for new voices, Rux asked Johnston if he would like to feature as a vocalist on one of the songs from the Denmark recordings. As a challenge to his own songwriting abilities (with no instruction as to the lyrical content/vocal melodies and complete freedom of expression) Johnston accepted the offer and a few months later sent a demo to Rux of the newly titled track – “Angel Of Libra”. 

After hearing it, the band decided to name themselves after the song’s title.

The newly appointed Angels Of Libra made their debut in March 2021 with digital single “Kung Fu Noir”, a cinematic instrumental with mysterious vibes. Their first physical release however, came almost a year later, in February 2022, with double-sider 45 “Bless My Soul” / “Souvenir” on Légère Recordings, featuring music whiz Shawn Lee getting down over two modern soul steppers: A-side “Bless My Soul” is a dreamy funk track with a catchy hook, while the B side, “Souvenir” is a proper feel good soul number. 

In the meantime, the band enlisted Johnston to come to Rux’s ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah!’ studios in Hamburg to write and record a full-length album, featuring 10 tracks of their own compositions reminiscent of Air, Khruangbin or Ennio Morricone. Self-titled album Nathan Johnston & The Angels of Libra was released in 2022 on Waterfall Records and is a soulful & atmospheric journey characterized by remarkable, funky vocals accompanied by a strong rhythm section and heavenly horns/strings arrangements, while the lyrics throw a bridge between old mythologies and various themes of the contemporary world.

From then on their releases are as fast-paced as they are varied: from standalone singles such as the dark and moody “Concrete Jungle” featuring American rapper Joél Davíd, to second album Revelations in 2023 under their own name and featuring four guest vocalists, including Nathan Johnston. To a third album out the same year in which they are the backing band for singer Maiaah‘s debut self-titled full-length Maiaah & The Angels Of Libra based on authentic lyrics, to-the-point arrangements, tight horns, rousing background vocals and the spirit of the golden age of soul music.

Fast-forward to 2025 and it seems something’s brewing… stay tuned!