Michael Rother, of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia fame, released his debut solo album in 1977 probably feeling quite ready to be freed of the success each of his previous groups had achieved and prove to the world just how little he needed collaborators to create his own works of perfect beauty. Now, this is getting to the late seventies, so the key word on this album is meelllooowww, as was common with any kraut rockers around this time, the zeitgeist was moving towards new aged and bliss out vibes. I’m all for this type of stuff because it’s undeniably dreamy and catchy but still weird and using those unmatched keyboards, oscillators and wacked out guitar tones that only the krauts could seem to find. I highly recommend this shit to anyone in a good mood. Also, while we’re here, be careful when digging for Michael Rother videos on the tube cause you might accidentally click the one where this guy is jammin with the chili peps and barf on your keyboard. Mine will never be the same.
Martin Rev, the musical brains behind possibly the punkest of all seventies punk bands, Suicide unleashed his out debut in 1980. Maybe it was the lack of Vega that made Martin create a very strange, but pretty and warm album that sound like if Suicide took a vacation and was gacked out of their brains on ecstasy. There’s certainly turns towards the dark and more classic industrial kick his previous work was so well known for but over all this album is a cool droned out exercise in electronic pop. I feel like you could watch the movie Brazil is fast forward while listening to this record start to finish and have a pretty good time. If you’re into that sort of thing.
Download: Michael Rother – Flammende Herzen
and
Biannual Haircut 