by Jason Birchmeier
Austrian alternative singer/songwriter Anja Plaschg made her critically acclaimed album debut as Soap & Skin in 2009 as a teenager and experienced Top Five commercial success in her homeland. Born on April 5, 1990, in Gnas, Austria, and raised on a pig farm, Plaschg began writing and performing music on piano as a teenager and ultimately went on to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She made her commercial recording debut as Soap & Skin in 2008 with an eponymous four-track EP. The following year at age 18 she released her debut album, Lovetune for Vacuum, on the Pias Recordings label. Comprised of songs written between 2005 and 2008, Lovetune for Vacuum spawned a pair of hit singles ("Spiracle," "Mr. Gaunt Pt. 1000") and reached the Top Five of the albums chart in Austria. Released internationally, the album also charted in France and Belgium. In general, reviews of Lovetune for Vacuum were favorable, often drawing comparisons between Plaschg and celebrated female singer/songwriters such as Cat Power, Nico, Kate Bush, and Björk.