Various - Soul Jazz Records presents Deutsche Elektronische Musik; Experimental German Rock and Electronic Musik 1972-83

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5...according to our Phil on Thu 15 Apr, 2010.

Soul Jazz waltz over to Germany now for their next exploration into all things interesting with their look at the Krautrock scene from 1972 to 1983. I thought this was gonna be a doddle doing this one. I thought I'd be able to do it without even listening to it but looking at the track listing it's a reasonably varied and unusual selection of tracks they've chosen. I guess I'm more familiar with the big hitters of Krautrock like Can, Neu, Kraftwerk, Faust, Popul Vuh, Cluster, Amon Duul II, Harmonia etc. and they're all included here. You also get folks like Gila, Kollectiv, Michael Bundy, E.M.A.K., Ibliss as well as Roedelius, Ash Ra Temple, Tangerine Dream and lots more. It's a big ole meaty set spread across 2 CD's or 4 LP's. It varies in quality and there's certainly some unusual choices on here. I don't think 'A Spectacle' is the best Can song to choose but then maybe the less obvious way is a better approach? if you consider yourself a fan of krautrock music you'll find something new and exciting on here though. The E.M.A.K. track is a top slab of electronic pop music and I'd not heard of them before. Well worth checking out!!

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•   Soul Jazz Records release the ‘Elektronische Musik’ album, featuring a stunning line-up of groups including Cluster, Can, Faust, Popul Vuh, Neu, Amon Duul, Harmonia, La Dusseldorf, Tangerine Dream as well as a host of lesser known groups such as Kollectiv, Ibliss, Between and many more.

•   German Rock and experimental electronic music grew out of the worldwide counter-cultural revolution of 1968. The objectives were to create a new music, ‘free’ from the past.

•   A music that gave seed out of the cultural ‘nothingness’ that young Germans felt as a consequence of Germany’s role in the Second World War. A generation who grew up stifled by the recent history of Nazi atrocities, the guilt of their parents’ generation and their disillusionment at the reintegration of old Nazis into mainstream society.

•   From the opening of the first collective / cooperative in 1967, Commune 1, in Berlin, to the formation of the Baader-Meinhof terrorist group and the bombings, kidnappings and killings of the Red Army Faction (RAF), young Germans sought out new values and a lifestyle outside of ‘the system’.

•   These cooperative and communal experiences led to a number of new radical collective German bands forming such as Amon Duul, Faust, Can and others and these ideals drove this new musical movement.

•   Influenced equally by the electronic experimentalism of Stockhausen, the progressive rock of Pink Floyd and the black American jazz and soul music played at the occupying armed forces bases, young German artists seamlessly created out of this a new unique music with its own unique identity.

•   The double CD pack comes in unique box-edition with large booklet, extensive sleevenotes and exclusive photos.

•   The vinyl edition is two volume heavyweight loud gatefold double-albums featuring all sleevenotes and text.

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