Traces Of Tracks

Harmonia '76 - Tracks And Traces

Ripped from a compact disc album released on Gronland Records (CDGRON 102) in 2009. Originally recorded in 1976, the legendary line up of Brian Eno, Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Michael Rother gathered to record sessions at Harmonia's countryside retreat. Those of you who grabbed the BBC Krautrock documentary a few years ago will have seen footage of this collaboration. Allegedly the tapes were though lost and it took until the mid-nineties before they were eventually released.

1 Welcome
2 Atmosphere
3 Vamos Companeros
4 By The Riverside
5 Luneburg Heath
6 Sometimes In Autumn
7 Weird Dream
8 Almost
9 Les Demoiselles
10 When Shade Was Born
11 Trace
12 Aubade

Music Für Snooze

Cluster & Eno - Cluster & Eno

Originally released on a vinyl album on Sky Records (SKY 010) in 1977. Ripped here from a 1989 compact disc released on the same label (however in a different running order) to high quality lossless flac. Top collaboration between an ambient Eno and those German loopologists Cluster which also features Holger Czukay on bass (though you'd have to listen closely to hear him). You don't have to listen so closely to hear a few tracks which were clearly a significant influence on  many a latter day piano ambients such as The Durutti Column and Ludovico Einaudi etc etc etc.

1 Ho Renomo
2 Schöne Hände
3 Steinsame
4 Für Luise
5 Mit Simaen
6 Selange
7 Die Bunge
8 One
9 Wermut

Schlager Nicht

Krautrock - The Rebirth Of Germany

Here's a nice quality capture of the excellent BBC4 documentary looking at the roots and development of the German music phenomena (it's not a genre after all), from the early days of Amon Düüll (and dubious Baader Meinhoff links), Can and Faust, through to early Kraftwerk, Neu!, Cluster, Harmonia and later Kraftwerk. It  includes fascinating chats with a few main players including Michael Rother, Holger Czukay,  Dieter Moebius, and Wolfgang Flür. There is an impromptu performance by Faust, and a few interjections from Iggy Pop (whilst drilling a coconut!). The documentary ends with a look at Krautrock's influence on subsequent music and quite rightly exposes Brian Eno, who clearly should have given Harmonia a great deal more credit in the development of his own solo career, and also Bowie's transition from glam to über-cool euro-rock. The video is in the mastroka (MKV) format which will playback nicely in 720P on most media drives, or on desktop freeware such as VLC. Enjoy!

In Harmonium

Cluster - Zuckerzeit

It seems logical to follow the last post with the third Cluster album (it's the only one I have) and it has been widely recognised as their most important and influential. Hans Joachim Roedelius and Deiter Moebius were masters of the electronic art and their influence can be heard far and wide from diverse bands such as Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and early Human League to more commercial acts like New Order, Soft Cell or Depeche Mode.

Ripped from a compact disc reissue of an album originally released on Brain Records (BRAIN 1065) in 1974 to high quality lossless FLAC audio.
1. Hollywood
2. Caramel
3. Rote Riki
4. Rosa
5. Caramba
6. Fotschi Tong
7. James
8. Marzipan
9. Rotor
10. Heiße Lippen