PLATRONiC give ‘Fortress of Fools’ three new dresses on ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ EP
German-Finnish futurepop duo PLATRONiC releases the EP “The Emperor’s New Clothes” on 16 October 2026, reworking “Fortress of Fools” three ways.
German-Finnish futurepop duo PLATRONiC will release the three-track EP “The Emperor’s New Clothes” on 16 October 2026, with three new takes on their March single “Fortress of Fools.”
The song started with a poem written by Kay Burden, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Kay originally had a storytelling ballad in mind. Then Sami Jumppanen presented her with a considerably more danceable instrumental, and “Fortress of Fools” became something else entirely.
PLATRONiC build three new versions of ‘Fortress of Fools’
For the new EP, they have gone back to the song and, appropriately enough, given it three new “dresses.”
The first, “The Dark Electro Country Dress,” is a collaboration with On Moral Ends, the Linköping-based electronic project of Swedish songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist Andreas Svensson. His work moves through different electronic and alternative styles, making the collaboration a rather unusual match for PLATRONiC’s futurepop side.
For “The Synthpop Mashup Dress,” PLATRONiC worked with Finnish keyboardist, producer and remixer Imppu from Lahti. His work stretches from danceable synthpop to more cinematic electronic sounds, and he has also created remixes and reworks for former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flür.
The third version stays with Kay and Sami themselves: “The Dark Medieval Gothic Dress.”
According to PLATRONiC, “Fortress of Fools” spent several weeks in the Top 10 of both the Klangwald Charts and GEWC following its release earlier this year. The track reached #8 in the Klangwald Charts.
The video for “Fortress of Fools” was filmed in Savonlinna, Finland, and Alicante, Spain, and was created and produced by PLATRONiC.
PLATRONiC formed in 2020 and consists of German singer-songwriter and co-producer Kay Burden and Finnish composer and producer Sami Jumppanen. Side-Line readers may also know the duo from “How To Ride The Wave,” which appeared earlier this year on Side-Line’s The Freya Files Ukraine benefit compilation.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” tracklist: 1. “Fortress of Fools – The Dark Electro Country Dress” (PLATRONiC & On Moral Ends) 2. “Fortress of Fools – The Synthpop Mashup Dress” (PLATRONiC & Imppu) 3. “Fortress of Fools – The Dark Medieval Gothic Dress” (PLATRONiC)
Before the three new “dresses” arrive, “Fortress of Fools” already has its own visual counterpart.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” is available to pre-save via DistroKid ahead of its 16 October release.
About PLATRONiC
PLATRONiC released the single “Now!” in June 2022, followed by the EP “The Healing” in April 2023 and a cover of Depeche Mode’s “The Things You Said” that August. A reworked version of their debut single “Pride” followed in June 2024, then the winter single “Winter Stores” that December. In March 2025, they released the teaser video for “How to Ride the Wave,” and in December 2025 contributed a cover of Depeche Mode’s “But Not Tonight” to the “In Your Memory 2” tribute compilation.
“Fortress of Fools” followed in March 2026 as the duo’s most recent original single, ahead of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” EP arriving on 16 October.
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For almost 15 years I’ve been writing about music, interviewing artists and reviewing releases for Peek-A-Boo Magazine. Recently, I also launched my own WordPress website, where I continue to share interviews, reviews and news from the underground scene. The darker side of music has been part of my life for more than 30 years, with a passion for everything from ’80s synthpop and New Wave to EBM, Futurepop and dark electronic music in general. Also Metal and Rock is part of my world. Away from the scene, I work in a public library, where books are part of my everyday life. I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction, especially books on politics, religion, health and travel. I’m also a fan of thrillers and horror films. When I’m not listening to music or reading, you’ll usually find me exploring nature, enjoying a good sauna, experimenting with vegan cooking, or travelling to my second home, Finland. I’ve always believed the underground has the best stories. My job is simply to help tell them
