Not only does Ella Smoker have perhaps the coolest name since cover compilations on TikTok have been a thing, but she has also completely emancipated herself from the pretensions of the streaming era. Although her songs are in the catchy three-minute range, she builds melodies and rhythms, verses and hooks according to virtues that do not obey the current sacred practices of the industry. Instead, as gglum, she creates bedroom pop that does justice to the original impetus of the term. Wonderfully soulful vocals nestle up to fragile guitar lines carried by spherical synths and vocoders. In between, ever-changing time signatures, imaginative instrumentation, and thoughtful lyrics make this year’s second album, “The Garden Dream”, a real gem of independently created indie music. The fact that this woman is not yet a celebrity need not cloud anyone’s judgement – least of all her own. Unconventional female artists have always been at their best in the underground, just like at Reeperbahn.