Tonton Mahood

GULTSKRA ARTIKLER / LANTERNS, Berezka/Monkey Lament (2008, psychedelic tones)

2010-06-11T11:44:00.004+01:00

"In the woods" again with a very good surprise. The GULTSKRA... side is good, but nothing good prepare to this outstanding side of psych folk tones recorded by LANTERNS. A fascinating fog of sounds, sometimes with melody.
Strongly recommended. And it's here (192 kbps).

BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, The Effects of 333 (2008, drone)

2010-05-30T19:36:00.002+01:00

Dead and re-burried
and born again.
With the surprising and excellent drone album by BRMC (don't believe the fans who's rated it 1.88 on RateYourMusic). Certainly not for their fans, who won't find here any melody nor guitar riff. No, you'd better look for some Experimental Audio Research / drone rock influence, and then you may love the dark mood of "The effects of 333".
Unfortunately, it's been released only in digital format ) what a piety considering the promissing artwork.
here it is.

MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE, Totem One (2009, psychedelic tones)

2010-03-29T22:30:00.006+01:00

Back "in the woods"...

From RateYourMusic :
"Cool shit. Pleasant listen overall, with a sound of its own - and it has a couple standout tracks ("Schism Prism" and "Eaglewolf"). It's like they gave the Sun City Girls a jungle of instruments and top-notch production and told them to be less bizarre, more focused and more "tantric"; so it's a good starting point. Ideal for communal dope-smokin' reunions."

And I could not say it better - the trip is quite fascinating.

Try it here, then try to buy it (as I did).
(waiting for "Totem 2", to be released in May).

AFTER DINNER, S/T + Editions + Paradise of Replica (1983 / 1990, Japanese "avant-folk")

2010-03-16T20:09:00.003Z

By request (at last...).
2 albums + bonus (live session). No particular comments, sometimes I like them sometimes I don't. "Paradise of Replica" may be better composed, but the production choices are weird sometimes, like if 2 versions of some tracks were recorded one after the other...
Sorry for being so long to repost...
Link on Mediafire

DER NEBEL NUR IN KLARER LUFT, Gezeiten des Lebens (?, dark folk)

2010-02-25T21:07:00.005Z

What's this? If someone has any information about the band... The only thing I've found is the artwork, on a japanese web site.
I don't remember where I have downloaded this, but from time to time I listen to it as a curiosity and let's say each time is surprising. A kind of very dark electric folk, with voices that seem to be posessed. The production is not far better than a demo but is clean, it's well composed but certainly too repetitive in the style. But believe me : you should really try! If you don't find it ridiculous you may adore it!

ADD N TO (X), Loud like nature (2002, electro rock)

2010-02-23T23:03:00.002Z

Last recording and last post for this essential electro-rock band. This is probably the most "punk" oriented album they've made (not especially for the music, more for the attitude), I wonder what they would have become if they hadn't split. Some excellent tracks here, though most of them seem to be composed in 3 minutes (does it matter?).
Try it here (before buying?)

ADD N TO (X), Add insult to injury (2000, electro rock)

2010-02-23T22:23:00.003Z

There's probably some hits missing to like this 4th album more, but whereas almost half tracks from "Avant Hard" were really disappointing, there's nothing bad here. "B.P Perino and "Death of the Black Regent" are the highlights in my opinion - they were absolutely magic played live!
Here is the album - if you buy it, there's a surprise if you smell it, And of course you should buy!

ADD N TO (X), Avant Hard, (1999, electro rock)

2010-02-22T22:55:00.005Z

Problems with Sharebee, I've decided to move on MediaFire.
Here is the next album (the 3rd one) recorded by ADD N TO (X). You'll find here sharp contrasts between some of their best hits (the singles "Metal Fingers in my body" and "Return of the Black Regent" and some very repetitive and useless tunes. Nevertheless, It sounds like the electronic orgy that every basic vintage electronic fan should know. I prefer the retro-futurist "On the wire...", but I must admit that the "electro-punk rock" orientation they've tried with "Avant Hard" is quite interesting.
Check it here and tell me.

ADD N TO (X), On the wire of our nerves, (1998, electro rock)

2010-02-04T19:34:00.003Z

Those who've been reading this blog for a long time know how fan I am. In the late 90s, they were one of my 3 or 4 favorite bands, I've probably seen them each time they've come in Paris (I had posted their last live show here before the band broke up).
Reading some reviews and seeing the ratings on RateYourMusic, I was surprised they don't seem so famous as I thought. Their exciting formula - electro rock played with a vintage synths army and a vigorous drummer - was probably not new (see the classic THE UNITS, who have just released a compilation of interesting material from the early 80s). But a kind of charisma, in the music, the artworks, the live shows, make me regret they couldn't last more. Recently you have LADYTRON with more pop oriented songs, but the charisma is obviously not the same.
It's the reason why I've decided to share their albums (except their first release, I don't have the digital material), though I don't like to propose albums you find so easilly. So please be kind to play the rule "you like it you buy it"!

I've discovered the band with this album (the second they've recorded), at this time the artwork was quite entertaining and exciting ; B-movies culture mixed with electronic music! And the music was (and still is) absolutely fascinating. I've listened to it hundreds of times. I hope you'll enjoy it. Most of you probably have it, but if not, here it is (192kbps).

RAMASES, Space Hymns (1971, cosmic psych rock)

2010-02-03T23:11:00.003Z

En lisant le blog de Joseph Ghosn, ces derniers temps on trouve un lien YouTube pour écouter un titre de de "Space Hymns". ça m'a immédiatement rappelé que j'avais eu un bon flash en découvrant l'album un peu au hasard, suite au téléchargement sur un blog psyché. Certainement pas parfait, l'album détonne plutôt au milieu du psyché anglais plutôt convenu et souvent trop prog à mon goût (pour ce que j'en connais), et ne dépareillerait parmi les bons albums kraut qu'on aime ici (Amon Düül 2 ou Brainticket surtout).

Bref, on va se passer dans commentaire in english et se contenter des notes de RateYourMusic, qui sont du genre à forger une micro légende qui n'est pas pour nous déplaire...

From www.rateyourmusic.com :
"Ramases (born Martin Raphael, sometime in the 1930s) was a central heating salesman until he was allegedly visited by the spirit of the Egyptian pharoah Ramses, who apparently informed Raphael that he was the reincarnation of Ramases and gave him the cosmic secret of the universe. Martin promptly changed his name to Ramases, and with his wife Dorothy, who renamed herself Selket, he began writing songs and working toward a record contract in order to spread his cosmic message. He got one with noted progressive rock record company Vertigo in 1970 and recorded Space Hymns in Strawberry Studios in England. Strawberry Studios was run by a group of musicians who would later become 10cc, and in essence 10cc provides the music on Space Hymns, although Ramases' album sounds absolutely nothing like 10cc. Ramases' music could best be described as a kind of spiritual, psychedelic space-folk with references to his own mythological beliefs. In spite of an impressive cover by Roger Dean, Space Hymns did not sell well. Ramases resurfaced in 1975 with the far more folkish Glass Top Coffin. He and Selket then dropped out of the music business, and Ramses moved to Felixstowe to care for his aging mother. He then dropped completely from sight. Sadly, he was reported to have died by his own hand sometime in the early 1990's."
Find this curiosity here.

EDWARD KA-SPEL, Inferno / Illusion (1993, dark ambient)

2010-01-27T23:58:00.003Z

Hard to define this recording by LEGENDARY PINK DOTS member Edward Ka-Spell. I'm afraid many things he's made is really underated, maybe because he's made too many recordings. If you like dark experimental ambient, mixed with a foggy sound (that some could compare to early TANGERINE DREAM / ASH RA TEMPEL), this one is certainly for you.
2 tracks, 20 minutes, LP Rip.
And it's here.

THE ONES, Music for Hippies (1966, psych pop)

2010-01-27T23:52:00.003Z

THE ONES is the band just before TANGERINE DREAM (created by Edgar Froese), a kind of "sunshine pop" immitating the american bands of the 60s. 2 short tracks only, side A is good, side B is so so... A very short post, and it's a LP Rip.
Try it here.

AND : thanks very much for your comments, I'm sorry not to come more often on this blog, but each I read and appreciate them.

Turzi - Buenos Aires

2010-01-01T15:50:00.001Z

From the outstanding "B" album by TURZI.
An absolute hit for sure!!!

Et puis le LP, mes amis, vaut son pesant de cacahuètes : 2 galettes, vinyl brun opaque (mais légèrement transparent à la lumière, marbré!), beau carton avec verni sélectif pour la pochette, bref, un pur objet de collection en plus de la zique qui est à mon goût ce qu'on fait de mieux ces derniers temps.
Et un bon tube pour commencer l'année.

PROMO : FRANCE MUSIK

2009-12-29T14:33:00.003Z

FRANCE MUSIK!!!!!!!!

PROMO : THROBBING GRISTLE "Gristleism"

2009-12-23T09:59:00.004Z

The ideal toy for Christmas - I want it.
What is it? A small plastic sample box containing 13 samples of TG's sound, that you can play and detune. Absolutely useless, that's the reason why you'll need it!
More information on www.throbbing-gristle.com.

CHRIS & COSEY, Heartbeat + Trance (1981/1982 - electronic prehistoric future)

2009-12-23T09:47:00.002Z

Re-up, higher bit rate (192 or 256, I can't remember).
Extraordinary debut albums by ex THROBBING GRISTLE members, also refered as CTI ("The Creative Technology Institute!) at the time. Their sound is a kind of experimental KRAFTWERK, same precision and balance in the production.
I prefer by far these albums to what they would produce later : as their sound became more complex, it was more common too.
The two albums are here on one link.

THROBBING GRISTLE, Heathen Earth (industrial / vintage electronics, 1980)

2009-12-23T09:32:00.003Z

Probably the last TG album / performance I post - I'm not sure the 25CD boxset "TG+" is required, except for the absolute fans (who already have it).
"Heathen Hearth" shows the perfect mixture the band was creating in their last days: an ambient feel, raw electronic sequences announcing what Chris & Cosey would make the next year, and still "industrial" sounds. That's why I think it's the last TG album for beginners. And it seems to be one of the fans' favourite, so...
Try it here (before buying it for Christmas?)

THROBBING GRISTLE, CD1 / GiftGas (industrial, 1980 / 1975))

2009-12-20T10:38:00.004Z

Re-post of CD1, 2 tracks (on the official CD there's only one track for the 2 "songs"). 128kbps only, I'm sorry, I've lost my CD and I can't rip it again. But CD1 is by far the best recording of the band, in my opinion, it's a perfect mix of hypnotic ambiant and industrial sounds, it's uncompromising and easy in the same time, if you need one only TG's album it should be this one. No specific information about when it was recorded (it was release after the band split) but the sound makes me think it was recorded the last year, in 1980.
You'll find "GiftGas" too, one of the many unofficial albums released in the last 20 years and, from those I know, the most interesting one. Long improvised tracks, with rough synths and distorted guitar textures. If you like their sound, you may love "GiftGas".
The two albums on this link.

THROBBING GRISTLE, 2nd Annual Report / D.o.A (industrial, 1977 / 78)

2009-12-20T10:12:00.004Z

By request.
It seems everyone doesn't know well these 2 classic albums by the founder of "industrial music" - at this time, basic electronic equipment + guitar & bass treated by echoes and distortions, with more or less improvisation.
In my opinion, the "2nd Annual Report" (their first "official" release) is their best effort, the 1st side is outstanding - listen to the sound they've created from the guitars! D.O.A contains more various sources and styles, is considered as an absolute classic, but it lacks the basic shock you feel listening to "2nd Annual Report"
Well, find them here.

"SYNTH BRITANNIA" documentary

2009-12-18T14:52:00.002Z

Very interesting doc about how "micro synths" (in comparison with early Moogs and ARPs) have defined the sound of electropop in the late 70s / early 80s in GB, with such bands as OMD, Human League, Depeche Mode, The Normal, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle etc...
Links taken from http://www.surrealmoviez.info

http://rapidshare.com/files/297799233/snth_brttnia.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297810574/snth_brttnia.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297846792/snth_brttnia.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297846794/snth_brttnia.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297865916/snth_brttnia.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297865921/snth_brttnia.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297878228/snth_brttnia.part7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297878230/snth_brttnia.part8.rar

TANGERINE DREAM, The Vintage Years

2009-12-12T14:50:00.002Z

Not an album, more a "collection" of 4 tracks, recorded between 1972 and 1980. The most interesting tracks date back from 72 and 73, very similar to the "Alpha Centauri" sessions and thus, in my opinion, quite fascinating. But side B, with 2 tracks recorded in 79 / 80, are very good too, what is more surprising.
The LP comes from a LP box set containing a replica of the single "Alpha Centauri" and the only single recorded by the first band Edgar Froese played in, "THE ONES" - I may post this too, later.
It's an LP Rip.
And it's here (VBR, 256kbps).

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS, Alchemical Playschool (2006, psychedelic tones)

2009-12-02T22:08:00.003Z

NEW LINK (Sharebee)
Very surpising album by one of the major psychedelic / pop band of the 80s and 90s, less successful (in my opinion) in the 10 past years. After some psych pop albums typical of their style, this is an absolutly weird psychedelic tones album, recorded with a very "vintage" sound, that will probably bring you very far if you accept the trip.
Here it is - and don't forget the artists need your money, IF YOU FIND THE ALBUM BUY IT (maybe for this one it may not be easy...). Thanks for them.

PROMO : SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE- Luminous Night

2009-12-02T21:52:00.003Z

Wonderful "return to form" by my favourite band / artist of the 5 past years. This "single" is a great example of how moving he can be. All the albums he made (or so) will probably become "classics", and as for the others you have to get this one.

J'ajoute que j'ai rarement été aussi dégoûté, question occasion manquée, que pour celle-ci ; le concert à Paris la semaine dernière... Si quelqu'un a l'enregistrement, pour compenser un peu...

ELLI & JACNO, Boomerang (pop, 1982)

2009-11-11T11:36:00.005Z

Yes, again.
There are reasons for re-posting this great album :
> some tracks were missing on my previous post, so here they are;
> it's an LP-rip again, but with a advanced sound card, and ripped at 320 kbps.
> and, most of all - all the french guys here know that - JACNO has passed away last week, at 52 years old. Sad sad news...

Et d'ailleurs on se demande bien comment il n'y a pas eu d'hommage plus appuyé sur cette disparition d'une figure rare de la scène française, dont la présence parfois fantomatique manque déjà. Alors on ré-écoute en boucle "Je t'aime tant", "Pour toi" ou "Roulette russe", les classiques de ce 2è album, dont la tonalité, appuyée par la photo intérieure, avait ce côté "hymne à la jeunesse" mi triste propre au début 80s. Et en attendant, toujours, une ré-édition propre en CD.
Enfin, comment faut-il comprendre le titre de son (bon) dernier album, celui de 2006 : "Tant de temps"?

Find "Boomerang" here.

RUDI ARAPAHOE, Echoes from one to another (2008 - ambient))

2009-11-02T16:08:00.003Z

Not quite 'in the woods" this time. But not far. Beautiful ambient tracks, based on piano, harp and some eletronics. A bit too "new age" probably, but it's obviously the ideal music for cold nights.
Try it here and buy it if you can.

LUNAR ABYSS DEUS ORGANUM, Snovidenie (2006)

2009-10-31T18:03:00.004Z

"In the woods" again. This time, with a music that goes far beyond what my english could describe. Just be warned that you should not expect any melody nor recognise precisely the instruments, it's a floating ensemble that typically seems to come "from the woods". Everything seems to appear randomly though, obviously, the music is not really improvised. Maybe it could be compared to some of the best NURSE WITH WOUND album, with more sensuality and sweetness. The ideal album for day dreaming. And here it is (192kbps).

PLANKTON WAT, Dawn of the Golden Eternity (2009, psych folk)

2009-10-11T00:01:00.006+01:00

To be back or not to be back?
Well, there are so many things posted on music blogs - a small part of them are listed on TOTALLY FUZZY - that I really wonder if keeping on posting some albums here is not totally useless... particularly if you consider that from this point I may (or I would) post my favourite discoveries on other blogs, rarelly specific material of my own collection...

Well, thanks to "Microphone in the trees" blog and, initially, thanks to SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE - the best psychedelic folk "band" I know - and, always, thanks to some krautrock ancestors (particularly in the DOM / AMON DUUL I vein), I'm in a "in the woods" mood. The music you find is sometimes referred as "american primitivism", though I don't know what it means exactly. Understand : more or less psychedelic folk, often recorded with a very basic production, sometimes more ambient, sometimes more electric, often with a tribal feel.

Here si a good example, with this album by PLANKTON WAT . If you like SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE, this is for you.

PS : and of course you buy it if you find it - and of course again, you've bought the beautiful last album released by SIX ORGANS, a return to form after two albums that were not as good as I hoped when they were released.

ALAN LAMB, Primal Image + Night Passage (1995, drone))

2009-08-02T14:47:00.003+01:00

So I'm back, probably not with the funniest music. First : with some drones I like.

Honestly, I'm not sure how ALAN LAMB have recorded those dark electric drones, it seems he has captured the sound of electric wires...
But it doesn't matter : the results consist in 2 great drone recordings, that one could compare to NURSE WITH WOUND's "Soliloquy for Lilith" with more tension.

Here is Primal Image, and here is Night Passage (at 192kbps).

MAHOOD, Granular Sintesis (drone / electronic soundscapes, 1997)

2009-05-10T19:43:00.004+01:00

I was proud to discover that some of you guys have asked for a repost of my "Granular Sintesis" work, recorded 12 years ago (how can it be so far..?).
More or less 4 tracks (20 minutes), with the exclusive use of a basic software on my Performa 6200, called "SoundEffects". The only source of the sound is sine waves, transformed / cut with the effects of the software (particularly with the most complex, called... "granular synthesis") - except the sampled percussions on track 1 (the only track I really don't like, it's of no use).
I'm particularly proud of the 3rd and 4th tracks (and the transition between), the 4th track was one of my favourite at the time - very hypnotic if you're not irritated by the repetition.
Be concious that it's a really lo-fi recording : 11.000khz, 8bit, recorded on a basic 4 tracks tape recorded, transfered on MiniDisc etc... So if you try play it loud!
Here it is.

ITHACA, A Game for All Who Know (psych pop, 1973)

2009-05-10T00:48:00.003+01:00

Excellent album discovered thanks to another blog, and I've finally found the CD (the original LP seems to be one of the rarest...).
I put it in the same category as english psychedelic pop masterpieces like MONTAGE or FUCHSIA - but ITHACA are probably darker, more mysterious, like a Brothers Quay's movie (or even a Burton). Very well composed, with a rich instrumentation, the only thing that can disturb is the girl's voice, bery weird (and very goth!).
Don't miss it! It's here.

The band has recorded one album 3 years before under the name AGINCOURT : same elements, but with a folk sound and not such a success in the result. I may post it if anyone is intersted.

LA DUSSELDORF, 3 albums (1976 / 1981, krautrock / new-wave)

2009-05-03T14:52:00.004+01:00

Upon request #2
What can I say? I have no explanation for the reputation of these albums except that they follow the NEU albums.
In my opinion, whereas NEU4 had probably some qualities, the official albums released by Klaus Dingerunder the name LA DUSSELDORF after Michael Rother had left certainly didn't contain the same charisma and mystery as the NEU material. Instead, you hear some kind of pre-new wave music, very basically produced (in comparison NEU sounded almost deep), with voices that I often find ridiculous.
But these days I don't have time to find more interesting things to share, so ok for answering the request. Nevertheless, honestly I prefer by far the albums released by ROTHER under his own name - maybe for a later post.

3 albums :
"La Dusseldorf" is here.
"Viva" and "Individuellos" are there.

NEU!, Neu 4 (19.., krautrock)

2009-05-02T21:56:00.003+01:00

Upon request #1
About when the album has been recorded, I'm not sure. Maybe between 1982 and 1986, after the LA DUSSELDORF episode.
Though far less interesting than the previous official recordings NEU, DIE2 and NEU75, NEU4 has its moments. But it's mainly for its historical interest that you'll download it.
here it is.

STEREOLAB, Margerine Eclipse Separate Mono versions (2004, pop)

2009-04-12T20:49:00.003+01:00

Probably only for STEREOLAB freaks.
But it shoudn't.

As I told in my previous post, this pop masterpiece recorded in 2004 was mixed in "DUAL MONO", not in stereo, which means that each instrument is recorded on one channel only (left or right). In the end, it's definitly one whole new album on each channel.
I've made the job for you to make it easier to listen on you 2 speakers the 2 versions : there's the "left album" and the "right album", 2 mono albums that are radically different, although it depends on the tracks (am I clear enough?). Of course, the more obvious effect is that some parts are 100% instrumental now, one other is the absence of the classic Stereolab organ on one version - on the contrary it's almost too present on the other - etc... Some moments become absolutely beautiful now, with a kind of minimalism that is new in some way in their music. It allows to hear how talented they are too.

Take this experience as a re-discover of the album.

The 2 versions are here.

STEREOLAB live (2000 / 2006)

2009-04-05T19:31:00.002+01:00

4 live shows that I may have already posted last year.
Listening again to their albums "Sound Dust" and "Margerine Eclipse" this afternoon made me want to share something about them, but I don't really want to share the original albums - everyone should buy them! Unlike many STEREOLAB fans, I really consider this pair as their best work to date, and as some of the best pop albums of the 2000 years.
And there's another thing : I've read that "Margerine Eclipse" was recorded in "dual mono" : one mono mix on each L/R channel. That means that there's virtually a different album on each channel - try if you can, that's absolutely true! Maybe I'll separate the channels and share each one later, as "2 alternative versions" of the official album - for the fans of course!

In the meanwhile, find 4 live performances here : the first two recordings were found on the web, their quality is good (they may be radio broadcast). The Paris live shows have been recorded by myself, the 2004 one being much better recorded (smaller theatre, new battery in my mic?) and very interesting, the best one in this selection in my opinion.
Click on the link to download.
Denver, Spring 2000
Munich, Muffathalle, 18.8.2001
Paris, Trabendo, 17.3.2004
Paris, La Cigale, 13.5.2006

DUMP, A Plea For Tenderness (1997, indie pop)

2009-03-30T08:58:00.010+01:00

Same comment as for the other DUMP album posted here.
This one is even better though probably too long and not as various in the instruments and production as "That skinny...". In my opinion, it contains major pop hits that everyone who is in BEACH BOYS / BEATLES / BELLE & SEBASTIAN etc... will love.
here it is.

DUMP, That Skinny Motherfucker With The High Voice (2000, indie pop)

2009-03-30T08:58:00.006+01:00

It becomes hard for me to post things more often than I do and be sure I'm sorry for this. I don't have as much time as I'd like to for the blog, and as I've said before I'm not sure I've got so many new good and "rare" things to share...
Well, here is an excellent "low-fi pop" album recorded by DUMP. DUMP is the side project of James McNew of Yo La Tengo.
It really has its own sound, with strange synths and low-fi production. You'll find a good collection of easy melodies and interesting covers. I'll post another DUMP album very soon.
For this one, here it is.

BEN'S SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA, live Paris Pop'In, 17.12.2004 (french pop)

2009-03-17T22:14:00.005Z

Re-up / extraordinary french pop band / pop side of AIR with more energy and without the synths.
Buy the albums somewhere here on Amazon.

à la demande de je ne sais plus qui, qui avait bien raison.
Le son est franchement pourri, le public (des potes?) couvre assez largement la musique, mais n'empêche des chefs d'oeuvre pop comme "From Hull to Hawai" (track 5) d'être aussi bouleversants que sur l'album ("Drifting", impératif dans toute CDthèque qui se repsecte).
On attend - on prie pour? - le troisième album.
ça se passe là (160kbps)

MASSTISHADDHU, Shekinah (1988, dark ambient)

2009-03-10T21:16:00.003Z

I'm not sure I should have posted this : even it's a really good dark ambient (no electronics, only bowed instruments and percussions, or so it seems), it's certainly not very different from many other dark ambient albums of the area. The most known I think about is the exceptional CURRENT 93's "Nature's unveiled" (re-released this year on vynil and CD, buy it!!), and this "Shekinah" is obviously less intersting.
But... I don't know, I really like it - for dark moods.
Try it here.

MITTELWINTERNACHT, Mittelwinternacht '71 (1971, experimental krautrock)

2009-03-10T20:47:00.003Z

"Krautrock" because it's german, it's certainly not the case in the music. Even if this only album made by the band (is it a band?) is probably more for the fans of early CLUSTER / KLUSTER and proto-industrial music made in the early 70s, it's not the hardest way to enter the genre. The world you enter is plenty of self-oscillating ring modulators, echoes and darkness, and it's quite beautiful if you accept it - very "good" trips if you're in it. TANGERINE DREAM made some tracks like this in their early years - those I love the most.
Perfect for my "drone area". Please try it here.

PI CORP, Lost in the cosmic void (dark psych, 1973-1976)

2009-03-10T20:35:00.005Z

(Awful artwork)
Why haven't I posted this album sooner?? It's quite an essential album for those who love the darkest side of psychedelia. It's american, but I could largely compare it with some of the darkest krautrock albums posted here (SIDDHARTA, PATER NOSTER, AMON DÜÜL 2 in some aspects...). And it's very experimental in many ways, there are not so many "conventional" rock songs in it. It's also surprising to discover that it's a compilation made with demos assembled recently, because it really sounds as an full album (except some tracks maybe).
One would say that the recording suffers of basic and amateurish production. It's not false, but we've heard so worse elsewhere!
It's one of the 5 best albums I've discovered thanks to other bloggers, I hope you'll enjoy it.
And it's here.

MAHOOD, The Drone Album (part 2)

2009-02-28T19:37:00.004Z

A small post of a 2nd drone I've recently made. Very basic recording, once more (sorry - I promise I buy a sound card for my Mac as soon as I can), so please if you try it PLAY IT LOUD.

For this occasion, the instruments were :
> Roland SH5 (synth)
> Roland CR78 (rythm box) plugged in Korg MS20 (synth)
> Korg MonoPoly (synth)

Played, recorded and mixed much faster than "part 1" in near live conditions. And it's shorter too (8'48).
You'll find it here.

Some of you seem to be interested, thanks!

Better Than Prince

2009-02-28T19:28:00.001Z

FLAIRS, Better Than Prince

2009-02-28T19:06:00.003Z

NO DOWNLOAD
Un peu de promo pour notre ami FLAIRS, dont l'album "Sweat Symphony" vient de sortir, et qui contient parmi les meilleurs titres electro-pop entendus depuis quelques temps. Le single Better Than Prince est correct, mais pas au niveau, par exemple, du hit absolu qui se trouve sur sa face B, "Truckers Delight".
Vivement recommandé donc.
Vous pouvez achetez l'album sur Amazon ici mais ferez encore mieux en visitant le disquaire du coin.
Enfin, l'animal est en concert le 31 mars à La Maroquinerie. Très bon en live!

:Zoviet*france : Popular Soviet Songs and Youth Music (industrial ambient, 1985)

2009-02-28T11:59:00.002Z

I'm definitely in a drone mood, someone has suggested me to try a "best 50 albums" of electronic music, but I'd prefer a "best 50 drones"!
ZOVIET FRANCE is not exactly a drone band, they create ambient industrial soundscapes. If you've been on MUTANT SANDS several months (years?) ago you could download many of their rarest albums. What "Popular Soviet Songs..." isn't.
This is the CD edition, I don't know if it's different from the 1985 version (on tape?). Excellent industrial ambient music, most tracks are easilly listenable if you're used to hear ambient. Some of them are probably too repetitive, as sometimes in early ZOVIET FRANCE music. Nevertheless, those 3 CDs are highly recommended.
If you find it on the web, buy it : the sleeve art is nice!
You'll find the music here : CD1&3, and CD2.

PEOPLE, Ceremony : Buddha meet rock (1971, JapRock)

2009-02-14T20:16:00.003Z

Thanks to a reader, here is the link where you can find many JapRock albums described in Julian Cope's JapRockSampler book - have I said that it's by far not as good as his KrautrockSampler, maybe because the music in the 70s is certainly not as creative in Japan as in Germany...
Anyway, I wanted to share here my favourite japrock album, the only album recorded by PEOPLE.
It cannot be described better than its title does : "Buddha meet Rock". Very pleasant, very well recorded, very peaceful and charming, on the whole completely meditative, rather dark and mysterious. In one word : beautiful.
To compare with a german band : it's probably somewhere between AGITATION DREE's "Malesh" (yet more peaceful) and YATHA SIDDHRA's "A meditation mass" (but more various).
And here it is.

MAHOOD, The Drone Album (part 1)

2009-02-10T23:43:00.003Z

As I do not have any precise idea about what I want to share these days, here is the beginning a my own series of analog drones. I've recorded many of them since 1997 (first with an old 8bit "granular sintesis" software on my Mac Performa at the time), but few of them really convinced me - and what could I do with them until today?
This first personal post is more a collection of ambiant pieces put together than a real drone, but it's intended to be heard in a drone feeling. Some parts were played live when I played for PanSonic last year (you can hear them on the MySpace link "listen to my music").
Very basic recording (no mastering and basic mixing), and for the occasion the instruments were :
> Korg Polysix
> Korg Monopoly
> Sequential Circuits SixTrak
> Roland Juno 106
> folk guitar
> maracas.

If anyone is interested... here it is!
I may post a new drone each month, it may be more basic drones than this first post.

FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND, Satori (1971, JapRock)

2009-01-25T17:59:00.004Z

I'm in a JapRock mood.
My favourite JapRock band (including the more most recent ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE, GHOST etc...), far better than most japanese band from the 70s - I think of the bands described in Julian Cope's book "JapRockSampler", some of which are ok but not so many...

For those who don't know them, THE FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND is a sort of Japanese AMON DÜÜL II, in my opinion. They share this idea of creating their own legend in their music, with killer riffs, very specific guitar playing and charisma in the singing. A difference is their sound, much more minimalist than A.D's and more heavy psych too maybe.

Even if "Satori" is not my favourite album, it's their best known and the album that the fans remember first, maybe thanks to its strong unity. Obviously it's a very good entry into the band's dark and menacing world. A must have.
So here it is.

ps : I've just read that it's in the top30 of the best albums of 1971 on rateyourmusic.com - it seems you won't be that many to discover it on my blog...

BLAGO BUNG, Kärleken & Döden (1981, indie pop)

2009-01-21T23:06:00.005Z

I know absolutely nothing about this obscure swedish band, except that "Kärleken & Döden" seems to be their only album.
To say the truth : I've found it on another blog (Mutant sounds maybe?) and I just want to share it on mine now, because it's simply very surprising, naive and melancholic at once. It's composed of short songs with M or F vocals, it sounds like a mixture of 70s pastoral folk and 80s early dark electronics. Well, once more my english doesn't allow a good description, but believe me, it's very special and quite exceptionnal. You should try as I did last year.
And it's here .

AND ALSO THE TREES, The house of the heart EP (1988, dark pop)

2009-01-15T01:07:00.004Z

The reason why I post this 14' long EP is that I've been looking for it for months on various blogs, as it's never been released in CD. At last, the best way to get it was to buy a used LP on the web! So here it is.
I knew nothing about the band when a friend of mine made me discover this EP, many years ago. We were fascinating by the 3rd track, the haunting "Count Jefferey", one of the darkest song I know. The obsessive synth sequence as a basis, the layers of strongly echoed guitars and synths on it, everything was perfect. Magic!
Another really good song is the almost instrumental "Anchor Yard" - I'm not sure you can find it on CD neither. Same mood as "Count Jefferey".
On the contrary, forget the title track on side A, not really bad but certainly not as interesting as side B.
Find this EP ripped at 192kbps here.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, The Scriptures (1987, death rock)

2009-01-14T21:05:00.003Z

A concept album that confirms Valor Kand's taste for psychedelia, "The Scriptures" is also the 1st to contain many "not dark at all" songs. Many genres of music are explored, from horror film music (or sounds?) to cabaret songs to basic rock'n roll near classics - the cover of Hendrix "1984" is certainly too long but almost moving. The dark side is more in the tribal songs you'll find here too. I would say, after 50 krautrock albums post, that it's almost a kind of kraut from the 80s! In my opinion, a very good album - maybe because this is the one I've discovered the band with (on the contrary, it's not well rated on "rateyourmusic.com").
Let's say here that it's the last good album the band made - but i'll post the other albums recorded in the 80s, "Sex drugs and Jesus Christ" and the double concept "All the love all the hate" (an absolute failure that you've found earlier on this blog).
My rate for this one : 4/5
And it's here.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Atrocities (1986, death rock)

2009-01-14T21:01:00.002Z

After 2 albums that (for various reasons) were maybe not absolutely convinving, Valor - after Rozz Williams had gone - has probably produced the best album of his own CHRISTIAN DEATH. Even if it probably doesn't contain only good tracks, it's very tense, the work on guitars is really outstanding - sometimes it sounds like some analog synths or organs - and can remind the way it sounded in "Only theatre of pain". The general impression again is "death rock meets psychedelia", and there are some really moving tunes too : "Stranger Fortune" is a classic song to me, "Danzig Waltz" or "Chimère de-si de-là" are really convincing. The main problem, listening to this album 23 years after it's been released, is the way snare drums sound : much too loud and very 80s indeed! And the end of the album, with the cover of "Gloomy Sunday" and the dark ambient "Death of Joseph", is a bit too long.
My rate : 4,5/5
And here it is (at 192kbps).
ps : I couldn't find the almost black original artwork, so here is the copy of a re-release edition - same picture but very different and awful treatment.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Catastrophe ballet / Ashes (1983 / 1985, "death pop")

2009-01-09T20:54:00.007Z

Despite the lack of interest of my readers about CHRISTIAN DEATH' 1st (less than 60 downloads for such a masterpiece!!), I keep on posting their essentials recordings from the 80s.

About "Catastrophe Ballet" : second album and first major shifts in the line up, alas. Tell me if I'm wrong, but only the singer Rozz Williams is still there (with a completely different singing though)! A major change is the arrival of guitarist and singer Valor Kand, who would soon lead the band through the 80s until now. It's not a surprise that "Catastrophe Ballet" sounds so different from "Only theatre of pain" : not punk agression, no feedbacks in the guitar, no echo is the drums and organs etc... on the contrary, the sound seems dangerously monotone and polite. And what about the compositions? Well, one on two is good, the other is often too simple and boring (like the 1st track). But I confess that the overall ambience is quite coherent and intriguing.
I remember that those who liked C.D. were considering this album their best, maybe thanks to the lyrics that seemed mysterious and beautiful. I don't know, I don't try to understand the lyrics. But you probably speak english better than me...
My rate : 3/5
Highlights : The Drowning, Sleepwalk, As evening falls, Electra Descending.

About "Ashes" : roughly the same line-up for a more accomplished album in my opinion. Better produced and spacier than "Catastrophe Ballet", it doesn't work as a series of singles but should really be heard as a whole instead. The 1st side obviously is better composed, the 2nd side may be boring, to say the truth (the too long "Luxury of tears" and the spoken words "Of the wound" that don't really work...). You'll note that it's the 1st album where all the songs are not basic rocks tunes (the ambient "Ashes Part II", the cabaret "Lament" and the spoken words "Of the wound"), what would become a kinf of tradition for the next albums from the 80s.

My rate : 3,5/5.
Highlights : Ashes, Ashes part II, Lament.

After "Ashes", Valor Kand, who was invited to play the guitar at first, would lead the band alone, after founding member Rozz Williams had quit (at this time, he was told to have committed suicide... what he's finally done, but 15 years later).
Here are this 2 albums, in a single file.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Only theatre of pain / Deathwish EP (1981 / 82, death rock)

2009-01-09T08:49:00.007Z

It's cold outside, so it's time for a little goth cliched (more or less) music period. I don't know how long nor for how many abums it will be. Not too much...

Let's start with the ultimate "death rock" (american "batcave"? - anyway, nothing in common with "death metal") album, CHRISTIAN DEATH's 1rst. I love it, there's absolutely no humour here, nevertheless I don't feel there is so many cliches either. Well... The guitar is fantastic (a kind of early SONIC YOUTH's distortion and feedback style), the voice is very similar to Robert Smith's around "Pornography" era but even more desperate, the music is tense, well composed, a kind of "punk meets psychedelia in a cave". Many great songs, nothing useless.
Well, I won't tell better than this comment picked on rateyourmusic.com :"The beginning of everything we like is right here: heavy guitars, amazing bass lines, harmfull moods, desperate vocals which you really can get whatever Rozz is saying."

In the file you'll find C.D.'s 1st EP, recorded in 81 but released in 84 only. It sounds more like a demo, but a good one, and it features 3 songs that won't be on the album, particularly one of the darkest songs I have, "Desperate hell". Almost frightening! Great!!
Again, a right comment on rateyourmusic.com :
"Deathwish", "Desperate Hell" and "Cavity" suggest psychedelia, distorted hard rock riffs, existential terror and a horrifying intensity. "Romeo's Distress" adds romantic elements to the recipe, "Dogs" displays doom synths and electronic effects, while "Spiritual Cramp" is a punk maelstrom.
It demonstrates the formidable power of the first Christian Death line-up, and features excellent guitar and vocal work by Rikk Agnew (ex Adolescents) and Rozz Williams respectively."

My rates :
> Only theatre... : 5/5
> Deathwish : 3,5/5

No prejudice, try it here (ripped at 192)
Be warned : I will post most of the albums the various incarnations of CHRISTIAN DEATH have released, as they've really made some good albums.

SIGNAL, Waves+Lines (1997)

2008-12-31T09:05:00.002Z

RE-UP BY REQUEST
Good EP released by Raster-Noton in the 1995 / 2000 minimal wave - a very accessible entry for those who are afraid by "minimalism".
Find it here.

ELLI & JACNO, Boomerang (pop, 1982)

2008-12-31T08:58:00.005Z

RE-UP BY REQUEST.
As all the old links (on the shitty MassMirror server!) are dead, here's a new link for this LP-Rip of a french pop classic album that has never been released on CD (am I wrong?).
Here it is.

ZWEISTEIN, Trip - Flipout -Meditation (krautrock, 1970)

2008-12-28T17:57:00.006Z

"Krautrock" electronic soundscapes / experimentations in the same mood as SCHNITZLER / early CLUSTER. Only for the fans of this kind of music, the others may find this double LP really boring... I confess now that I'm not sure I should have posed it any more, but as I've made the job, here it is!

CONRAD SCHNITZLER, Rot (1972, Experimental Krautrock)

2008-12-28T11:22:00.002Z

By request.
Not my favourite kind of krautrock. It's basically two long drone-like pieces based on early synths radical experimentations. Obviously, it's not the best way to discover krautrock, but it's interesting for all those who like early (or pre-) industrial music.
Maybe, some of you know the first CLUSTER (and KLUSTER) albums, SCHNITZLER had just left the band in 1972 so "Rot" is not far from these albums.
And it's here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#50 : BRAINTICKET, Celestial Ocean (1973)

2008-12-10T19:28:00.005Z

At last...
After a much too crazy (and overrated - who's able to listen to side A at once??) first album, BRAINTICKET added some pop in their craziness, and became more accessible though they kept on experimenting. It's especially true on the 3rd album, "Celestial Ocean", even if some tracks may appear a bit too pretentious (in the typical 70s too serious style). It's hard to describe : not far from AMON DÜÜL II, with plenty of eastern instruments but more electronic, with vintage synths and organs, and softer too. Well, I'm happy to end this selection with such an abum, because actually it's really good.
As it's short, you'll find on this link the 2nd album "Psychonaut" too, it's less adventurous and less surprising, but good too.

Thanks to all the readers who've been following this basic krautrock selection for so many weeks (sorry for those who are not interested in it!). Of course, I could have posted many more albums, but it was not my goal. Nevertheless, if you've heard about one album you'd like to discover, just ask, if I have it I'll try to post it.

KRAUTROCK TOP#49 : IBLISS, S/T (1972)

2008-12-10T18:57:00.004Z

Not far from KOLLEKTIV you've found here last week or from ORGANISATION / early KRAFTWERK. Probably a little more repetitive and sometimes tiring, it's a really good album for all the fans of this kind of repetitive and motorik krautrock. It seems they made only one album.
Sorry, it's only a 128 kbps CD rip, and it's here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#48 : TEMPLE, S/T (1976)

2008-12-05T12:20:00.006Z

One may think that the only album of this minor band doesn't deserve to be part of this selection. It's a very underground band from the second (and last?) wave of krautrock, and, like PATER NOSTER, SIDDHARTA etc..., let's consider them a "pre-gothic rock" band, as they sound dark and spacey at once.
The music, full of mellotron, moog and organ, + the classic bass / guitar / drums trio, could habe been much better if the male singer "Poseidon" (with such a name...) had sounded better, it's totally shitty. Why couldn't F. singer Pauline Fund sing more? She's really ok and even sometimes moving! Instrumental versions would have been much more interesting, and I'm afraid that most of you won't have the courage to hear more than 1 or 2 minutes. It would be a mistake!
Anyway, you should try, and it's here. (ripped at 192 kbps).

KRAUTROCK TOP#47 : KOLLEKTIV, SWF Sessions (1973)

2008-12-05T11:53:00.005Z

KOLLEKTIV made only one album, but this is a live recording for the radio SWF, it is very similar to the album but sounds even better in my opinion, with longer and spacier tracks.
To describe the music, let's say that it's a kind of groovy KRAFTWERK in their early days (K1, 2 or ORGANISATION), it's fully instrumental and very well produced. A bit too repetitive maybe?
Those who love KRAFTWERK (until 74), CAN and even NEU will probably like it, though KOLLEKTIV is probably not as inventive as them. And here it is (192kbps).
If you like it, check also the S/T album of course - its artwork is far better than this one!!

KRAUTROCK TOP#46 : COSMIC JOKERS, Galactic Supermarket (1973)

2008-11-30T22:49:00.003Z

Second release of the ultimate cosmic band featuring members of ASH RA TEMPEL, WALLENSTEIN, KLAUS SCHULZE and friends, produced by Dieter Dierks. And it's really the ultra cosmic trip you could expect from a band with such a name. The direction of the music is less obvious than in the 1st album, it's more experimental but not too hard to listen to if you know krautrock. What I love particularly here is the adventurous electronic trickery and the tremendous mix by Dierks, one of his most extreme work I think.
By the way, it's hard to describe it better for a non english speaking (and even in french!!), I propose you try it here, ripped at 192kbps.

KRAUTROCK TOP#45 : EMBRYO, Rock Session (1973)

2008-11-30T20:46:00.004Z

Well, the track named "Warm Canto" (3rd track) is by itself a reason to get this early EMBRYO's album, a band that some of you may find too much "jazz-rock" oriented - I think they're often right (listen to the much too long 2nd track here). I would also say that if you don't like this album, don't try the other EMBRYO's recordings (except "Opal", posted sooner), contrarily to what some say, they are not so different, at least in their 1971 / 76 period - I don't mean they're not good though, it's a very interesting band with a sound typically of their own.
Find it here, ripped at 192kbps.

ps : don't you find that the artwork is quite extraordinary? The 2nd part gives it all its meaning and is really funny.

PROMO : CARBONE LIVE à Paris

2008-11-24T09:31:00.002Z

CARBONE, c'est votre serviteur et son comparse Guillaume, pour un petit set 100% synth analo, quelque part entre Add N to X et WhiteHouse - juste à titre indicatif, parce que les références écrasantes, hein...
Le tout en cloture d'une soirée orientée punk "alla early Wire".

KRAUTROCK TOP#44 : VINEGAR, S/T (1971)

2008-11-16T15:43:00.002Z

Sorry for being so long in completing this top 50 list, I've lost many MP3s in my hard-drive problems.
VINEGAR made this only album, and probably they could have been better if they had kept on recording, as the main problem of this album is obviously a lack of charisma. The music is good, it's much darker than the sleeve, I don't have the words to describe it because it's basically a bass / guitar / drums / organ combo, nothing more, but nothing less. With a little more personnality, it would have been higher in my top 50.
Only ripped at 128kbps, I'm sorry for this, I don't have the original CD...
Try it " here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#43 : SIDDHARTA, Weltschmerz (1975)

2008-10-27T14:37:00.003Z

To say the truth, this is probably one of my favoutite krautrock albums these days, but I wouldn't admit it until now.
It's one of the later bands of what I consider the "classic period" of krautrock (AMON DÜÜL 2, AGITATION FREE etc...), they released one album only, and the least you may notice is its weirdness! Why?
1. It's absolutely dark and "pre-gothic" in the tone (extraordinary series of minor chords to awake the dead and scare your gand-ma!)
2. I don't know another album where there are so many breaks and changes in rythm, sometimes several times in 10 seconds, as if it was a problem for the band to keep the same tempo for one minute or more.
3. It's very rich in the instruments, but doesn't sound like a demonstration.
4. You'll hear plenty of harmonies and melodies, alternating with some more improvised moments, in an almost prog style, but typically german and kraut.
5. the band seems to have great technical skills, I wish I saw them playing live, were they able to play their music as well as in the album? Their weakness is probably the voices, that may be surprising at first glance (listen to the female voice that appears in the first second? Surprising no?), but I love them now.
For all those reasons, and because the production is (unfortunately) rather amateurish, I suggest you listen to the album many times and carefully if you want to appreciate it. Finally, I would compare it to a dark early NEKTAR, to a prog PATER NOSTER, to a dark PINK FLOYD in its 70/72 era.
here's is the link.

KRAUTROCK TOP#42 : LILIENTAL, st (1978)

2008-10-22T17:55:00.002+01:00

Well, the "supergroup" LILIENTAL will particularly interest those who like CLUSTER, NEU and HARMONIA. It's basically a CLUSTER side project with jazz krautorock band KRAAN members and the producer Conrad Plank, and it's very similar to CLUSTER / HARMONIA albums of the same era. It's sometimes naive early electronic music, sometimes space and nearly drone music, even if it's sometimes a little boring it's a very good and tasty album.
Find it here.
And, yes, I'll try to post more albums in the next days and weeks...

KRAUTROCK TOP#41 : ELOY, Inside (1973)

2008-10-06T17:14:00.002+01:00

Obviously not the best krautrock you've heard here, "Inside" has its moments nevertheless, especially in the opening 17 minutes long track. And there's this almost classic tune that ends the album, the very melancolic "Up and down" - I love it, what a pity the sound is not better. Well, it's 25 minutes of good music (the album is only 37 minutes long), not so bad...

What do you have to know about ELOY..? Well, after a rather mediocre and straight rock 1st album, the band discovered space and prog rock; it resulted in "Inside" and, the year after, "Floating" (very similar though a little harder, that's the reason why you'll find the album too here). In 1975, ELOY seemed to enjoy so much the new direction taken by PINK FLOYD with "Dark side" and "I wish you were here" that they simply copied them; and sometimes it was rather good, like "Power and the passion" in 1975, but the truth is that it was often very boring (I can't understand why their double "Ocean" is so reputed... not bad, but so so so boring...).
In the 80s, the band has probably moved towards more 80s prog rock, but I don't really have listened to the albums...

Of course it's not the funniest nor the newest music of this selection, but "Inside" and "Floating" are really worth listening.
Find "Inside" here and "Floating" there.

KRAUTROCK TOP#40 : TANGERINE DREAM, Rubycon (1974)

2008-10-05T19:56:00.004+01:00

Problems with my uploads make me late in the top 50, I'm sorry for this.
I was absolutely sure that I had already posted this, but... where is the post?
It's the second album of TD' "second era", after "Phaedra", their first album for Virgin. I prefer this one, it's really good if you play it loud. The two tracks are structured in the same way : at first, some ambiant noises and waves (almost new-age on side A, darker and almost like an horror movie soundtrack on side B), and then a shift towards bass sequences and simple synth / electric piano melodies, that create a fascinating soundscape in my opinion.
TD would try one last album in this style, "Stratosfear" (not forgetting the good live album "Ricochet" before falling into pure cheesy new-age music - I confess I don't know it much...
If you don't have it, find "Rubycon" here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#39 : NEKTAR, Remember the future (1973)

2008-09-16T14:07:00.004+01:00

Back again.
With a second album by NEKTAR, remember I've posted their excellent first album sooner. It's amazing that after a rather good second album, the 3rd one xas absolutely shitty. More surprising then was this extraordinary concept album.
I think there will be 2 categories of people : those who'll love it, and those who'll hate it. The album consists in 2 long "progressive krautrock" tracks (one on each side), sung in the typical progressive way that you may not like. In my opinion, some moments sound so great that the worst moments are quickly forgotten (the beginning is probably the worst!). I'm personnaly impressed by the technical skills, NEKTAR were obviously the kind of musicians that punk rocker wanted to kill! And the album evolves beautifully towards a surprising end : a 5 minutes near disco-funk rock - remember that it was composed in 1972, from this point of view I think NEKTAR were ahead of their time.
I wanted to create more tracks to make it easier to listen to but I didn't have time, maybe I'll try to do it later if you're interested.

For the next posts, my classification does not mean as much as for the 40 first albums : obviously, TANGERINE DREAM, AMON DÜÜL II, ASH RA TEMPEL, NEU or CAN should appear again (and they probably will), but I may forget some of them to favour some other "new" bands.
here is the link (when I forget it, find it on the title of the post).

KRAUTROCK TOP#38 : PATERNOSTER, Paternoster (1970)

2008-08-28T21:29:00.007+01:00

The only album this really underground band made is quite a curiosity : it sounds like a gothic version of Pink Floyd (70/72 version) : the voice, tha sounds, the guitar treatments, the church-like organ chords. What a strange feeling! What a pity the compositions are not even better, sometimes you feel that it could have been a far better album.
Find this curiosity here.

PS : these days I meet many huge problems with my hard drive, I'm not sure I will be able to post anything in the next days... please be patient!

KRAUTROCK TOP#37 : GILA, Bury my heart at Wounded Knee (1973)

2008-08-28T21:12:00.004+01:00

Mmmh... could almost be in a "guilty pleasures" collection too maybe, it's sometimes cheesy and quite patchy, sometimes tragic , maybe bombastic in the singing...
This second and last album the band recorded has absolutely nothing in common with their first "free electric sound", you'll notice it's not electric nor free at all! If you're familiar with POPOL VUH's second period, "Bury..." is not far from it. It's not surprising, since it's been recorded with exactly the same band : P.V's leader had joigned GILA for this album, after GILA's Conny Veidt had joingned P.V for several albums; and they shared the same guitar player!. What is different is the way the album is composed, it's brilliant in my opinion. Some tracks like the epic "The Buffalo Are Coming" are richly textures, there are plenty of instruments / tracks, and it can be heard many times before you appreciate it completly. Sorry, I realize I don't have the words in english to describe the music, it's a kind of world-pop-folk, sung with enthousiasm and gravity in the same time.
So : at first glance, a deception for those who like their first album; but listen to it carefully, it's full of surprises.
Try it here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#36 : JANE, Age of madness (1978)

2008-08-28T20:57:00.003+01:00

Ah! JANE! Let's say that it's "Guilty pleasures part II" (after WALLENSTEIN).
JANE is known as a heavy krautrock band and gained its reputation playing rather straight 70s hard space rock at the beginning of the decade. Their fans probably consider this period their best (I don't, and I think you won't) and could easily speak about them better than I do.
In the mid-seventies, synths (and space) became more important in their music, until this incredible album that was one of my last shocks when I discovered it. We're lucky that they absolutely ignored punk music almost 2 years after it appeared!
What will you hear then? It's definitely krautrock, but a decadent version of it. Don't forget it's been released in the "Animals / The Wall" era of PINK FLOYD, it's not far from it but it's much better (I don't like anything P.F has released after 1974), and if one single album of space rock should be kept in your collection it's certainly this one. Unlike P.F, JANE didn't play prog anymore in this time, so it sounds more "intimate" (if it means anything speaking of space rock). Some tracks are so slow they seem to played at "slow motion" (is it the right word?), and are probably the best things to hear on your MP3 walking in the huge avenues of Berlin, I guess (and have tried!). Some tunes contains really dreamy and catchy melodies, maybe even too catchy (those you keep in mind for hours). Some tracks - the retro futurist "Memory Symphony" and "Auroville" - are my favourite space rock songs, and reminds me this french cartoon "Time Master". At last, another comparison would be our french AIR - "Meadow" could have been played by AIR in 2001, no?
Obviously it's not politically "krautly" correct as FAUST, NEU etc..., but let's be honest : it's much more exciting than most of their recordings!
And it's here.
(P.S : don't stop after the 1st track, it's the worst. Unfortunately its reprise ends the album too...)

KRAUTROCK TOP#35 : NEU!, Neu 75 (1975)

2008-08-28T20:51:00.002+01:00

One classic more and still nothing you for the usual rapidshare downloader... It could habe been NEU2, but since it's very similar to NEU's first album I've prefered to upload this one, that many consider the 1st "new-wave" album - it's probably true. Obviously it's the easiest album, as it contains some potential "hits".
Find it here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#34 : CAN, Saw Delight (1977)

2008-08-21T10:37:00.004+01:00

Ok, everyone here knows CAN, "Tago Mago" at least. But I really wanted to post one album of their totally underated later period, and "Saw Delight" is probably the best one. As you've read it many times in this blog, I'm basically "anti-Tago Mago" : according to me this album does not promote / help krautrock at all, with its useless experimentations and awful guitar solos / noises. Who can seriously hear that? I still don't understand why it appears in the head of the charts...
The CAN I love begins with "Future Days" (previously posted). How do they sound in 1977? Very groovy, sometimes almost "funky" (in their own way), and still inventive in the production and sounds (listen to the masterpiece "Airwaves").
If you don't have it yet, try it " here (192kbps)

KRAUTROCK TOP#33 : EMBRYO, Opal (1970)

2008-08-20T15:03:00.002+01:00

Better known for their (often great) "world" oriented jazz-rock, EMBRYO had begun in a slightly different style with "Opal", that sounds almost like a jazzier and almost only instrumental version of the early AMON DÜÜL II. Even if there's saxophone in every track (and I rarely loke saxo) I love the sound, and there are plenty of inventions in the compositions, it's a very good album, and it's really not too jazz oriented. Maybe it's a little "too intelligent", you may understand what I mean listening to it.
From the numerous recordings EMBRYO made, I strongly recommend "RockSession" - I don't know yet if it will be in this selection.
Try "Opal" here, ripped at 192kbps.

KRAUTROCK TOP#32 : ANNEXUS QUAM, Osmose (1970)

2008-08-08T15:12:00.007+01:00

NEW LINK
A krautrock classic, in the improvised space jazz vein with bands such as EMBRYO, XHOL etc... Side B consists in one long track that could have been more interesting; but the A-side contains one of my favourite tracks, the 2nd one. It's a moving floating improvisation on minor chords that i can hear for hours, not far from the spaciest and most moving tunes played by the early ASH RA TEMPEL you've found sooner on this blog. It's instrumental only, as elegant as CAN's recordings and better in my opinion.
ANNEXUS QUAM has recorded one second album only, that sounds more conventional as a whole but that contains an incredible mantra based on acoustic guitar and saxophone; it may be part of my TOP50 selection.
Speaking of this, I may go further than 50 albums. We'll see...
Find "Osmose" here (192kbps).

KRAUTROCK TOP#31 : MYTHOS, S/T (1972)

2008-08-08T14:54:00.007+01:00

To be honest, without the leader Stephan Kaske's voice, and without the ridiculous 1st track too, this 1st album the band recorded would have been much higher in my top list. It's really trippy, creative and dense krautrock here, with good melodies, ; it's built and sounds like a concept album (what it may be... about destruction of the earth by humanity?). You recognize all the things you like in bands such as AMON DÜÜL 2 or GILA : strong guitar / bass / drums basis, organs and synths effects for a more complex sound + flutes, congas etc..., with an eastern feel sometimes, and I really like the production.
Once more, the problem is the voice - the strong german accent makes it hard to forget, and it will be even worse in the next albums... Nevertheless, the 2nd one is strongly recommended and may appear later in this top albums selection.
Find MYTHOS 1st here (192 kbps)

KRAUTROCK TOP#30 : IKARUS, S/T (1971)

2008-08-06T21:38:00.003+01:00

At first, this seemed to be one of these jazz prog albums that the 70s produced by millions, and it was obviously not for me. But, listening more carefully, the sound reminded me "Malesh" by AGITATION FREE (and you know how I love it), there were really nice melodies and deep spacey moments, and in the 2nd part of the album, there is this "theme for James Marshall" that would become one of my favourite krautpop tune.
What a pity it's the only album IKARUS made, I'd like to know what they could have become later.
Once more, be patient with this one, listen to it carefully, and not once, forget the jazz prog clichés that appear sometimes, I think you won't be disappointed.
Download it here (192kbps).

KRAUTROCK TOP#29 : COSMIC JOKERS, S/T (1973)

2008-08-06T21:28:00.004+01:00

First album by the supergroup formed by members of ASH RA TEMPEL, WALLENSTEIN, and KLAUS SCHULZE, it's been produced by by famous producer Rolph Ulrich Keiser (what a name!) from several famous giga-sessions played when the band was in Switzerland, reputedly more or less the same as for WALTER WEGMULLER. Unlike the next albums released the same year (that are worth having for those who like the most freaky experimental / electronic side of Krautrock), it's a very cosmic affair, typically kraut in my opinion - I mean : if you ask "what's krautrock?", I would answer it's COSMIC JOKERS 1st. In its 2nd side, the music becomes deeper and more moving; but it's a really nice and trippy album as a whole.
If you've liked ASH RA TEMPEL 1st, no doubt this classic is for you, and it's here (at 192kbps)

KRAUTROCK TOP#28 : UDO LINDENBERG, Lindenberg (1971)

2008-07-31T13:55:00.004+01:00

Back for a few days.
UDO LINDENBERG is certainly not considered as the main artist for Krautrock, according to the Crack in the Cosmic Egg encyclopedia UDO is "one of the top bubblegum pop stars in Germany" and has nothing to do with krautrock. Nevertheless, on this album UDO has definitely a sound of his own, there are many good moments and this masterpiece I love and can hear again and again, the last 11 minutes long track "The children of your children won't even know your name" (a good title no?). The beginning of the album sounds like a basic (but not bad) 70s pop album, but the further it goes the better it is. At last, I love the production, with a cool rythm base and good guitars on it.
You should try this unknown and probably underated gem. It's here, (VBR>256kbps), it's an ideal listening for summer.

KRAUTROCK TOP#26 : GURU GURU, U.F.O (1970)

2008-07-09T09:43:00.003+01:00

Second album by GURU GURU in this selection, this is their first release, and it's much more improvised than "Kanguru" you've heard before. It's the same power trio, but here they play a kind of "pre-industrial psych rock" - some sounds of "burned guitar" remind me those played later by THROBBING GRISTLE. Don't expect any melody nor quality in sound (it sounds like a live recording). Nevertheless it's really really good and exciting. Exceptionnal work and experiments on the guitar in the Hendrix style (but it goes much further).
Try it here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#25 : WALLENSTEIN, Cosmic Century (1973)

2008-07-02T01:20:00.004+01:00

Ok boys, let's speak seriously now, let's speak about last century, the "cosmic century" - and krautrock integrist should quit now, I mean : those who can't go further that the CAN / FAUST / NEU trio, what I respect too. And I admit that you have to be really open-minded to try this one, but try!
The easiest way to speak about WALLENSTEIN's music, and particularly of this 3rd album, is to compare it with the craziness of "Phantom of the Paradise" (yes, the movie) and its beautiful soundtrack composed by PAUL WILLIAMS. Not particularly kraut, it's a bizarre piano-based pop prog rock, with brilliant developments, all along extended tracks that seem impossible to play if you haven't worked the compositions nor the instruments nor practice with your band 10 years long. The thing becomes even harder when you hear the voice, typical from the 70s lyrical type - and add a strong german accent to this (sung in english though).
Believe me, it's a really fun and rejoicing experience here. Who can resist such incredible tracks as "grand piano / silver arms"? Yes, I hear the Phantom...
Here it is.

KRAUTROCK TOP#23 : WALTER WEGMULLER, Tarot (1973)

2008-07-02T01:00:00.003+01:00

Huge couble concept album by a "supergroup" consisting in ASH RA TEMPEL and WALLENSTEIN (see later for them) members, KLAUS SCHULZE joined by WALTER WEGMULLER (but who he is I really don't know... kind of a poet / prophet?). Consider it as a massive presentation of all that krautrock is capable of : killer guitar riffs, haunting melodies, cheesy voices, weird noises, beautiful soundscapes, long band improvisations... hard to describe, there are too many styles in this double album. I'm afraid it's too "german" for some of you : it's sung in english (with strong accent) but sometimes spoken in german (probably? but with an accent that seems weird too); but it's german in its spirit too : what I try to mean is that "Tarot" is much too excessive to appeal to everyone.
I consider the first CD as one my essential "kraut-shocks"; unfortunately the 2nd CD is a more classic long improvised cosmic krautrock suite, in the same style as ASH RA TEMPEL's or COSMIC JOKERS 1st (see later), but not as good (and a bit boring...).
Two links for this double album : 1st disc here and 2nd disc there.

KRAUTROCK TOP#22 : TANGERINE DREAM, Zeit (1972)

2008-07-02T00:49:00.005+01:00

Thanks very much to those who have leave the encouraging messages, I hope the next posts won't be disappointing.

This one maybe yes, it's basically another TD recording, their 3rd album. Let's consider it as their first real professionnal recording, as their previous albums seemed to have been recorded with basic instruments and probably live. It's obviously their hardest too : entirely atonal, it consists in 4 20 minutes long floating and dark tracks, with very subtle changes from the beginning to the end. It's very similar to the 1st albums by KLAUS SCHULZE "Irrlicht" and "Cyborg" - try them if you like "Zeit". But there's something more here in my opinion : deeper, more moving.
Certainly to be played at night, alone, and in one shot.
An essential recording for those who like drones and ambient music. Download it here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#21 : KALACAKRA, Crawling to Lhasa (1972)

2008-06-25T17:11:00.004+01:00

First real weird album in this selection, this is the only album recorded by the band and, according to the photos in the booklet from the Second Battle CD re-edition, it seems to have been recorded in their attic or something like that!
The music is hard to describe for a non-english speaking like me : a very tribal feel in the playing (based on drums, acoustic guitar and winds, maybe flutes), menacing or whispered voices, improvisations on repetitive structures inspired by eastern music... everything is perfect for me.
Will it be the same for you? Just try, here it is.

KRAUTROCK TOP#20 : NEKTAR, Journey to the center of the eye (1971)

2008-06-25T16:01:00.002+01:00

A very shocking album for the ears of CAN / NEU -like krautrock fanatics, as NEKTAR is more or less a progressive rock band!
I don't know much about prog rock but NEKTAR obviously from their debut ave composed their albums as long suite more than short pop-rock tracks. This "Journey" is an often surprising album, full of weird and cosmic sounds, with plenty of gorgeous and sometimes poignant (like in the extraordinay "Burn out my eyes), everyone should try.
So, forget all the things you've been told about prog and download "Journey" here.
PS : I'm disappointed, you don't seem to be so many to be interested in this krautrock retrospective. Any problem with it?

KRAUTROCK TOP#19 : HARMONIA, Tracks and traces (1976)

2008-06-25T10:35:00.002+01:00

It's the second time I post this album.
I'm not sure it's been released at the time it was recorded in 1976, though it's been played and composed by famous inventors of electronic music Brian ENO + NEU and CLUSTER 3 members - the 3 who have recorded 2 albums under the name HARMONIA before this one.
In my opinion, "Tracks and Traces" offers the best music made in the CLUSTER / ENO / HARMONIA galaxy; it's somewhere between CLUSTER's "Zuckerzeit" and ENO's "Another green world", but with longer and deeper tracks. Curiously, it hasn't much in common with the more rythm based two other (and over rated) albums recorded by HARMONIA.
If you missed it in my previous post, here it is again.

KRAUTROCK TOP#18 : TANGERINE DREAM, Atem (1973)

2008-06-25T10:25:00.002+01:00

Still nothing really new for krautrock basic fans, I'm sorry for this.
Basically, it's the same description as for their "Alpha Centauri", but you feel it's been composed and played 2 years later : their technical skills and their material is not the same, old organs and basic effects have been replaced by huge synths and an evolved mix work. Forget the 1st and last 3 minutes that are not precisely in the tone of the entire album, much more mysterious.
A great album I hope you'll want to discover. It's here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#17 : AMON DÜÜL II, Carnival in Babylon (1972)

2008-06-25T10:17:00.002+01:00

I love this underrated album. After 3 real psych-out space trips albums, "Carnival..." is the first LP where the band shows their talent is basic pop folk rock compositions. For the fan of their first period, it's disappointing at first glance, but you have to insist and listen to it twice more to really appreciate it. For newcomers, let's say that it sounds a little like BOWIE in his 72 / 74 period.
Download this nice album here and don't hesitate to purchase its nice remastered digipack CD edited by SPV.

KRAUTROCK TOP#16 : ASH RA TEMPEL, 1st (1971)

2008-06-25T10:07:00.002+01:00

One long track on each side, it's this perfect archetype and one of the best examples of krautrock in its "foundations". The band at this time was a "power trio" like GURU GURU, but it's interesting to hear how different the music is. Basically, it's true space rock (though it's more "space" than "rock"), based on improvisations, in structures that could remind those recently heard with such bands as GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR (for the repetitiveness and crescendos), but of course in a different feel - I prefer ASH RA T. by far. B-side is particularly moving, played in floating minor chords on space-echoed guitar.
The original 33rpm gatefold was beautiful, if you find it in flee markets buy it!
Here is the album, ripped at 192kbps, like all the albums in this series.

KRAUTROCK TOP#14 : NEU!, 1st (1972)

2008-06-19T17:33:00.004+01:00

You've seen this album in thousands of blogs... well, it's obviously a "must have" in the krautrock genre, and, unlike many psych / folk / experimental kraut albums, is absolutely not dated. I won't say anything that has not been told about it, except my favourite track is not the famous opening "hallo gallo" that defines the typical NEU! metronomic sound and style (their entire 2nd album is based on a variation of it), but the incredible pre-industrial and full of tension "Negativland" that I could hear 10 times a day when I've bought the album.
If you don't heave it yet, it's here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#13 : GILA, 1st (1971)

2008-06-19T16:49:00.006+01:00

Put together AMON DÜÜL II, AGITATION FREE and GURU GURU, the result won't be far from this first album by Conrad Veidt's band GILA - not to be confused with his grand father Conrad Veidt, the famous german actor of the 20s / 30s who's been playing in "The Cabinet of Dr Caligari" or in "The Man who laughs" (they really look like each other). The album is clearly devided in two sides : the first one is based on guitar riffs and improvisations, the second one sounds more folk, based on almost tribal drums. The music is slightly evolving from one to the other and can be heard as a near concept album. I've forgotten to say that it's mainly instrumental, but you hear Veidt's voice here and there, speaking and singing.
A really really good but too short album you can download here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#12 : POPOL VUH, Affenstunde (1972)

2008-06-19T16:37:00.005+01:00

Still nothing really new for the basic krautrock collector, but it's not a surprise those reputed bands appear at the top of this selection.
"Affenstunde" consists basically in tones and drones played with prehistoric Moogs on an eastern percussions' basis in a very eastern feel. Very spacey indeed! So why hasn't POPOL VUH kept on making this kind of music after this brilliant 1st album? The 2nd one has its moments, but later their music turns into neo-medieval / classical and is rarely interesting in my opinion.
But who cares? For the moment you just have to try this one, and it's here.

KRAUTROCK TOP#11 : GURU GURU, KanGuru (1972)

2008-06-19T15:49:00.004+01:00

The 3rd GURU GURU made, this is an album fans of HENDRIX should have at all cost! Extraordinary killer guitar solos, effects and noises on a deep rock basis. The albums is made of 4 long tracks, richly composed and textured, with wonderful harmonies, drums breaks and powerfull riffs. It's probably more typical of the average 70s hard rock than some other weird albums krautrock produced, but believe me, you shouldn't miss it!
So here it is.

KRAUTROCK TOP#10 : DEUTER, Aum (1972)

2008-06-19T15:48:00.004+01:00

Already posted when sharing the 4 albums by DEUTER, his second "Aum" is finally the best one in my opinion, even better than his excellent debut "D". To compare with TECHNICAL COMPOSERS CREW and early TANGERINE DREAM, though more based on guitar treatments, it's a very peaceful, dark, spacey album, with a deep "tantric" feel. What a pity DEUTER went into more new-age oriented music later.
Those who have missed it can download it here, it's obviously dangerously underrated.

KRAUTROCK TOP#9 : CODE III, Planet of man (1974)

2008-06-17T10:50:00.005+01:00

No comment for this one, I've posted several weeks ago and you can read my comments further on this blog. But as it's one of my favourite krautrock albums, it's not a surprise it appears it the top 10.
Here is the link again.

KRAUTROCK TOP #8 : SAND, Golem (1974)

2008-06-17T10:48:00.006+01:00

Nothing new, as this wonderful album has been posted here twice (at least). The old link seem to be working. Some tracks in the album - "Helicopter" and "Sarah", their music and their incredible lyrics - are among my favourite krautrock songs. For those who come here for the 1st time, SAND is a minimal trio who is playing bass / guitar / synths and sings long meditative tracks - not far from DOM.
Here is the album. CURRENT 93 and NURSE WITH WOUND have re-released it on their own label on a double CD with plenty of unreleased bonus tracks you won't find in my files.

KRAUTROCK TOP#6 : AMON DÜÜL II, Phallus Dei (1969)

2008-06-17T10:32:00.003+01:00

Basically , all the albums released by A.D.II before 1973 are the basis of every krautrock discography and are worth buying : they are full of ideas and inventions, more in each album than most bands have never had in their whole career.
"Phallus Dei" is their first album, production is very approximative but the result is absolutely unique - no comparison comes to my mind. It's a mixture of folk, dissonant rock, tribal drums and voices, theatral singing, experimental sounds etc...
I've already posted it when posting the entire A.D.II's discography, find it again here, without the bonus tracks of the Repertoire edition I let you buy.

KRAUTROCK TOP#5 : DOM, Edge of time (1972)

2008-06-17T10:20:00.003+01:00

Almost the contrary of AGITATION FREE, this obscure band - who recorded this sole album - played a dark and meditative experimental folk music that is almost perfect in my opinion. The sounds used for the experimental ambient around the dark folk basis is typically the same as PINK FLOYD produced in their "More" period - "Edge of time" could have been the soundtrack for this film too (in its psychedelic parts).
Ok it may sound too dark and meditative for this summer, but not in my opinion, it's so good! Well, you can find it here.