Subtitled Experimental German Rock and Electronic Musik 1972-83, this 2CD set was a (requested) Christmas present about ten years ago.
Coming with a booklet, lavish in pictures, explaining the social and political context of Krautrock (or Kosmische Musik, as is now the preferred term), it feels like an ideal entry point to this genre, of which I was woefully ignorant. I’d completely missed this in the 1970s, apart from Faust’s Faust Tapes, which Virgin kindly provided to anyone who had 49p - a friend bought it, played it to me, and I decided that I’d prefer two pints of beer for my 49p.
It’s an interesting listen, with all the main suspects represented - Can, Harmonia, Popol Vuh, Faust, Neu!, Cluster, Amon Düül, Ash Ra Tempel, even Tangerine Dream. No, not Kraftwerk, I suspect their copyright is protected far more expensively than those no longer working. And ultimately, it’s those names that deliver. Much of the rest is certainly listenable, but lacks the impact of Can’s A Spectacle, Harmonia’s Dino and Popol Vuh’s Morgengrüss. And there’s a fine end to CD1, thanks to La Düsseldorf, Harmonia, Faust (It’s A Rainy Day Sunshine Girl) and Neu (Hallo Gallo).
Cluster open up CD2, with the beating Heisse Lippen, before a typical 'flute over driving beat' number from Ibliss. Nice, but 13 minutes, lads? And CD2 continues in much the same vein as CD1, but much more ambient, possibly less filler. At two and a half hours for the set, it’s a little intense for active listening, but it’s a great starter for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the strange world of alternative 1970s German music.
4* - a fine compilation from across the genre
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