When a band has been established as long as OMD, there is often a creative dilemma faced when deciding how to approach new studio material.
For such occasions, Brian Eno produced a pack of cards called ‘Oblique Strategies’ designed to get producers and musicians out of sticky situations when lacking inspiration in the studio. Helpful suggestions include: “What would your closest friend do?”, “Try Faking It!” and my favourite “Be Dirty!”
So, with such a rich back catalogue of albums to reference and a sizeable amount of hits under their belt, what would OMD’s strategy be on their 12th long player? “Be experimental!” and revisit the ‘Dazzle Ships’ era.
“Be melodic!” and follow a more tuneful path as evidenced by ‘So In Love’ and ‘If You Leave’. “Wear your influences on your sleeve!” and reference elements of bands that have shaped your sound and finally the risky one: “Get down with the kids!” and try to incorporate more contemporary sonic elements to show you’ve moved with the times.
So with this, their follow-up to the successful ‘History Of Modern’ comeback album, what have OMD done? To be honest, rather than following a single path, they’ve gone down the eclectic route and tried incorporating bits of the above, cherry-picking sounds and styles from a few of their periods and in a move which is bound to please a lot of hardcore fans, even revisiting the ‘Dazzle Ships’ era which although proved a mid-period career-suicide move, spawned the epic ‘Telegraph’ and ‘Genetic Engineering’.
With this album more than any previous OMD one, there is an elephant in the room and it’s a big, KRAFTWERK-shaped one… lead-off single ‘Metroland’ re-imagines ‘Europe Endless’ but with a stomping kick drum, ‘Kissing The Machine’ has its roots in ‘Neon Lights’ (more about this track and its Germanic links later) and throughout the album, there are riffs and sounds which remain in debt to the German meisters. In interviews, it has become apparent that Paul Humphreys has taken the reins with much of ‘English Electric’ and gone for a classic, monophonic sequencer-driven approach, yet still retaining enough elements to brand each of the tracks as OMD.
The album opens with ‘Please Remain Seated’, one of the three shorter speech synthesized tracks. In the context of the album, both ‘Decimal’ and ‘Atomic Ranch’ now reveal themselves as musical red herrings, as when the snippets of the album first started to appear, gave the false impression that the band were about to return wholesale to the days of ‘Dazzle Ships’. Instead, they simply provide short links between the more conventional songs.
First impressions of third track ‘Night Café’ is that of a saccharine-sounding electro ballad with a vocal melody strangely reminiscent of John Denver’s ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’.
But by dissecting the lyrics it becomes clear that the major-scale melodies are counterpointing a song about a jilted lover drowning their sorrows at the song-title’s location…
One of the more surprising tracks is ‘The Future Will Be Silent’ which welds contemporary, enveloped dubstep bass and chordal sounds to the more familiar Mellotron-style choir textures that seem to be an OMD staple now, the track climaxing with a rising ‘Numbers’ style synth riff which takes the track to it’s conclusion.
The song itself could be seen as being a thinly-veiled critique on what modern electronic music has now become, with the wub wub synth bass sounds becoming accompanied by a female vocal intoning “the future was not supposed to be like this!” …the song’s inspiration is cited by Andy McCluskey as “audio pollution”, whether that is musical or otherwise is left up to the listener to decide!
‘Kissing The Machine’ will be familiar to those that followed the career path of former Kraftwerker Karl Bartos – the song originally featured with McCluskey’s vocals on the ELEKTRIC MUSIC album ‘Esperanto’. Although similar in sound to that version, the Humphreys’ update / re-work’s synth programming is even more reminiscent of ‘The Man Machine’-era than its predecessor with an added vocoder-led intro and middle eight being spoken in German by Claudia Brücken.
With further nods to their past, the trademark McCluskey live bass makes a welcome re-appearance on ‘Dresden’ and on the aforementioned ‘Night Café’, as do Paul Humphreys’ vocals on ‘Stay With Me’. ‘Our System’ sonically revisits the ‘Architecture & Morality’-era with a live drum-led climax and thematically ‘Helen Of Troy’ also harks back to ‘Joan Of Arc’, albeit with a far more synthetic backbone.
Probably the most out there and experimental track is the closing and fittingly titled ‘Final Song’ which combines a CR78-style drum pattern, upright bass, female semi-gospel vocal sample and almost Steve Reich-esque serial music vocal loops. This track shows that the band is still not afraid to take risks and will probably be the standout track for many on this album.
Criticisms? The synth lead sound that Ralf Hütter wheeled out on the ‘Minimum – Maximum’ tour is maybe over-used on a couple of songs and the overall sonic palette is a little limited in places, but these quibbles aside, ‘English Electric’ is a fine album and one which will undoubtedly delight their hardcore fans, put the band back on the radar for casual listeners and might even pick up a few new ones along the way.
‘English Electric’ uses the following instrumentation…
Paul Humphreys: Synth-Werk, ARP 2600, M Tron Pro, Trillion, Omnisphere, Oberheim SEM V, Morphoder, Jupiter 8V2, Minimoog V, Prophet Pro 53, Massive, Vacuum, Boom
Andy McCluskey: Vacuum, Indigo Virus, M Tron Pro, Jupiter 8, Vox Machina
‘English Electric’ is released by BMG on 8th April 2013 in CD, deluxe CD+DVD, download, vinyl and tin boxset formats. The tin boxset includes a bonus 7 inch vinyl single of ‘Our System’ featuring an exclusive track ‘Frontline’ on the B-side.
OMD’s 2013 UK tour with special guests JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS includes:
Margate Winter Gardens (28th April), Birmingham Symphony Hall (29th April), Nottingham Royal Centre (1st May), Ipswich Regent Theatre (2nd May), London Roundhouse (3rd May), Bristol Colston Hall (5th May), Oxford New Theatre (6th May), Sheffield City Hall (8th May), Leeds Academy (9th May), Manchester Academy (10th May), Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (12th May), Gateshead Sage (13th May), Liverpool Empire (14th May)
The Benelux shows featuring special guests METROLAND include:
Utrecht Tivoli (17th May) and Brussels Ancienne Belgique (20th May)
The German tour with special guests VILE ELECTRODES includes:
It’s been ten years since Karl Bartos’ last album ‘Communication’. Released almost at the same time as his former colleagues’ rather pedestrian cycling travelogue ‘Tour De France Soundtracks’, his effort was far more impressive and rhythmically dynamic.
On leaving KRAFTWERK in 1990, he worked with British musicians such as Andy McCluskey, Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr. As a result, ‘Communication’ was a much more song based, lyrically expansive record that was still electronically pleasing.
The collaborative influence certainly made its presence felt, with ‘Life’ in particular sounding like one of NEW ORDER’s more instrumentally conventional tunes reprogrammed by Kling Klang while ‘The Camera’ and ‘I’m The Message’ were meatier developments of the template that Bartos was best known for.
1998’s guitar based excursion ‘Electric Music’ aside, Bartos has remained the beacon of hope for KRAFTWERK enthusiasts frustrated by the drought of fresh, new material since 1986’s ‘Electric Cafe’. After all, Bartos co-wrote ‘The Model’, ‘The Robots’, ‘Neon Lights’, ‘Numbers’ and ‘Computer Love’. If people can still hold enough regard for a version of the Düsseldorf quartett featuring just Ralf Hütter to crash the websites of the world’s art spaces, then Kark Bartos should at least be accorded some kind of equal status.
Photo by Markus Wustmann
Since ‘Communication’, there has been the move towards download culture and smart technology. But Herr Bartos said: “The change in music culture had no influence in the making of this album. It is true: the music industry has lost its business model but that did not change the power of music”.
Utilising musical sketches gathered during his period with KRAFTWERK, his post-KW project ELEKTRIC MUSIC and ELECTRONIC, ‘Off The Record’ is a fully realised collection with trademark robotics and warm melodics at its heart, driven by solid Minimoog basslines and snappy beats.
The frenzied first single ‘Atomium’ opens the album with orchestra stabs, frequency wobbles and the familiar tones first heard on ‘Computer World’ which have now become Bartos’ signature. Re-exploring themes first touched on with the ‘Radio-Activity’ album, it uses the giant model erected for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels to symbolise “the rise and fall of the atomic age”.
‘Nachtfahrt’ (or ‘Night Ride’) is nicely classic European synthpop with origins dating back to before ‘Computer World’. Meanwhile ‘International Velvet’ is OMD-like, a pretty melody fused to that romantic Retro-Futurist blueprint which KRAFTWERK pioneered… the flutey textures actually recall the Phillips-era prior to Bartos joining. There are also hints of ‘Kissing The Machine’, Bartos’ co-write with Andy McCluskey for the ‘Esperanto’ album.
Indeed, such is the sound of ‘International Velvet’ that if McCluskey had added his voice as on ‘Kissing The Machine’, it could be mistaken for a song on the new OMD album ‘English Electric’. The brilliant ‘Without A Trace Of Emotion’ sees Bartos conversing with his showroom dummy Herr Karl and confronting his demons as a member of the world’s most iconic electronic group.
As the most straightforward pop song on ‘Off The Record’, its autobiographical resignation is not unlike ‘Life’ from ‘Communication’. And whereas his former colleague Wolfgang Flür vented his spleen in book form with ‘I Was A Robot’, Bartos takes a more ironic musical approach with the line “I wish I could remix my life to another beat” being a wry reference to ‘The Mix’ project which drove him to madness and out of Kling Klang!
The blippy sonic cluster of ‘The Binary Code’ acts as an interlude before leading into ‘Musica Ex Machina’. A collaboration with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, it is heavily based on the ELECTRONIC B-side ‘Imitation Of Life’, the inherent mechanical nature now enhanced with the replacement of the looser percussion arrangement in the original. Despite its co-writer credentials, it again does not quite realise its potential. In fact ‘Musica Ex Machina’ starts a strange mid-album lull…
‘The Tuning Of The World’ is reminsicent of AIR and an attempt at the ‘Neon Lights’ staccato piano dressed with a softer ‘Moon Safari’ style of voice manipulation. Meanwhile ‘Instant Bayreuth’ could be a vintage science-fiction theme, the sweeps and steadfast tempo will polarise… it will be either seen as genius or retro-pastiche.
It all gets back on track in the final third though. ‘Vox Humana’ and its primitive organ rhythm box intro recalls Jarre’s ‘The Last Rumba’. With electronic drips providing an abstract backdrop, it then mutates into a more trip-hoppy outline and concludes with some spacey avant weirdness and schizophrenic voices. The percussive ‘Rhythmus’ revisits ‘Numbers and ‘Computer World 2’ complete with synth chorals and Votrax chants before some ‘Silence’, an amusing John Cage styled skit.
The best is saved until last and it all ends charmingly with the wonderful ‘Hausmusik’, its klanking core driven by the type of Farfisa Rhythm 10 backbeat heard on the ‘Autobahn’ and ‘Radio-Activity’ albums. With a lovely toyish lead line, it recalls its near namesake ‘Tanzmusik’ from ‘Ralf & Florian’. This, along with several other tracks on ‘Off The Record’ create a fantasy world of what KRAFTWERK might have sounded like had Bartos joined in 1973 instead of 1975.
‘Off The Record’ will have something for anyone who remotely likes electronic music. Bartos is known for his strong aversion towards the death by 4/4 pounding of modern dance music so there is plenty of melody and variation plus only one song exceeds five minutes.
While there are assorted tougher techno elements to keep it contemporary, there are enough traditional elements to please KRAFTWERK aficionados and synthpop fans alike.
Even using ideas from prior to 1996, Karl Bartos has produced a classic but modern electronic album… it makes you wonder what KRAFTWERK might have achieved if the RFWK team had not lost its way post-‘Computer World’ and stayed together.
‘Off The Record’ is released by Bureau B on CD, vinyl LP and download
METROLAND have a manifesto: a conceptual band, consisting of Passenger A and Passenger S, bringing synthetic sounds from the ‘underground’, highly influenced by KOMPUTER and KRAFTWERK.
Certainly the capital letter ‘K’ is highly resonant in their sound but in many ways, as the single ‘Enjoying The View’ indicates, METROLAND are perhaps more textural, a ride through an electronic landscape, layered with authentic warm sequences, robotic vocals and uniquely vintage drum machines, all designed for the commuter world.
While hints of seminal Belgian synth trio TELEX also preside on this journey, with their debut album ‘Mind The Gap’, METROLAND provide a soothing headphone soundtrack for ‘Enjoying The View’, kind of like BEF’s ‘Music For Stowaways’ but without the Cold War dystopia. The slithery piano run of the beautiful ‘T.F.L’ is something to be savoured while really, ‘It’s More Fun to Commute’ and ‘(Much) More Fun’.
‘Mind The Gap’ has certainly impressed the wider electronic music community and invitations to both remix and support OMD have been evidence of that. And the song that the duo have been asked to remix?? Yes, ‘Metroland’! The duo kindly spoke from their base in Brussels about their technological ideals and commuter concepts.
Where did the idea for a concept album about commuting come from?
With METROLAND, we never started out that way nor did we plan to create a concept album, really. METROLAND, as a band, was not even founded in the true essence of the word; it kind of derived out of a creative, musical frustration. In our former musical career, which lasted already for 20 years at that point, we felt that we reached all that could have been achieved. There were very, very few ambitions to fill and no more goals to achieve. Another reason was the boundaries that we were setting ourselves.
While making music and experimenting with sounds and ideas we got frustrated as so many good ideas would not fit in with our former works and policy. Hundreds of arrangements and melodies were rejected due to this limitation. But we kept on going, creating songs, making arrangements, carefully watching not to throw everything away.
At a certain moment we created a baseline with a rather sinister feeling about it and we were struggling yet again with the question “erase this: yes or no?”. We went for “no” and started working on it, this time with no boundaries. Some weeks later we picked it up again and a second and a third track turned out in the same idea.
After many sleepless nights and loads of conversations on how to proceed with our musical creativities, we concluded that some of the demo-songs we had now made were too strong to leave untouched. Still, they could not be hosted under our former project, so the first step towards the new band ‘METROLAND’ was taken.
The name METROLAND itself comes from the UK band KOMPUTER. They used it as the name of a remix of their song ‘Looking Down On London’ (coincidentally, this remix happens to be Passenger S’ favourite piece of music). Still, at the point where we decided to head for that different musical direction, we did not even talk about any concept to fit all those arrangements.
It was much later, when we picked up some nice samples from the underground, that we started working towards the end result where we are now with our conceptual album ‘Mind The Gap’. The combination of METROLAND as a band name and the first track (pun not intended) ‘Mind The Gap’ triggered us much further than we ever thought possible.
We were already used to working around a concept, which we feel has been one of our very strong points, but with METROLAND we took this conceptual idea to the hilt and beyond. Result is that our album ‘Mind The Gap’ is all about metro systems, the Tube, commuting and transport in general. The samples, the artwork, the titles….they all breathe the same concept. As you can read, this amazing ride that brought us up to where we are now didn’t just happen overnight.
Why did you choose the London Underground as the location, as opposed to say, the Paris Metro or Berlin U-Bahn?
The London Underground is the one that stands out the most to all of us.
She is like the mother of all undergrounds in the world carrying that special atmosphere, more than any other underground, we find, without being condescending to all other magnificent stations.
To be quite frank, we did not particularly focus on the London Underground; our release is more of an international ode to all underground systems around the globe.
The phrase “Mind The Gap” is quintessentially English so how did that enter your mind space to become the title of your album?
On one hand it was by accident, but on the other hand this must have been the most compelling title to be used, as it goes hand-in-hand with metro stations. Just enter the Tube somewhere and you hear the voice chanting “mind the gap….mind the gap”… brilliant.
We believe that if you would ask someone to name one of the most known trademarks regarding the underground it would be precisely that phrase. Our first album, dealing with that topic couldn’t have any better title than ‘Mind The Gap’.
METROLAND composed a track in tribute to Harry Beck, the Underground map designer. Do you regard him as one of modern life’s unsung heroes?
When we were triggered, as mentioned earlier, we started browsing the web for stories, histories, and monuments and so on. One of the names that struck us was that of Henry Charles Beck, or Harry Beck, the man who invented the map that millions of commuters have been using since that day. He was destined to be part of our album, there was no other way.
Which tracks have been your own favourites on the ‘Mind The Gap’ album and why?
On our Facebook page, some months ago, we made a kind of walk-through of all our songs on the album and each song was explained into the finest detail how they were conceived. They all mean a lot to us equally, as this first album was really a leap into the unknown.
If Passenger A had to answer he would say ‘Enjoying The View’, because it was the first song that he made almost on this own (besides the tremendous end mix, where Passenger S spends hours and hours on tweaking and mixing) during one evening and he even remembers the moment where he said “this is it!”
For Passenger S, this is little different, every track has a certain degree of importance, every track took little over 20 hours to get it in the final mix. Loads of time and energy can be found in every song. The standard was set on high level, every little effect or stereo image, filter setting was precisely programmed.
Due to this, every song is kind of a special favourite in its way. But if one truly needs to be picked it would be ‘Inner City Transport’. This was the most difficult track to mix, as it consists out of three separate parts that needed to blend, spread over more than 7 minutes.
What synthesizers and plug-ins have you been using to construct your sound?
Since 2005 we solely work using Reason (Propellerheads). For the both of us this is simply a fantastic and unlimited tool.
We have had tons and tons of sounds that we had been using in our former project and now with METROLAND, it feels like we are rediscovering shiploads of new sounds that we can finally use, simply because now we allow it ourselves. It is extremely liberating in a way. We are not shy to use those precious bass sounds like we used to, and we now easily blend them with sounds we would never consider using before.
Reason is not just worthwhile using for its sound library; it is also very versatile when it comes down to the use of every effect or filter setting. You can program nearly every nano-second in a song, the perfect tool for making the sort of techno pop we create with METROLAND.
Have you tried the Synth-Werk VST and did you find the ‘Musique Electronique’ new KRAFTWEK track hoax that used it amusing?
We never used it. We do know of the hoax, yes, and admittedly, we were tricked too. We guess because so many are eagerly waiting for some new work from the Düsseldorf foursome, the hoax easily started to live its own life.
Obviously you are fans of KRAFTWERK but what is it about them that is special for you?
Maybe it’s their way of working, their musical attitude of “less is more”, or their endurance to find a sound that matches a song so perfect as if it was designed specifically for that one song. Despite of all of this, we are fans of much more bands than only KRAFTWERK, even if they are the pioneers of technological music. KRAFTWERK can easily be considered as the band that brewed the foundation for every electronic pop song.
It’s not just inspirations from them that we used, as we also have influences from bands like OMD, NITZERR EBB, MARSHEAUX and ORBITAL to name some of the more important ones. We find that only the real tutored listener, who spends his time under the headphones, discovers the true face of METROLAND. This listener will hear more than just a hi-q, some bleeps and vocoder voice. That is indeed a typical KRAFTWERK ingredient.
Fortunately we do have a few fans who truly listen to the deeper sound of METROLAND. If you listen carefully, there is only a small hint from METROLAND and even then the difference is huge. In contrary to METROLAND, our bass sequences are more pounding, our tempo is always fast paced, we use multi-layered sequences and rarely one basic sequence which gets spread over an 8 minute song….and so much more to discover in our music.
Which is your favourite KRAFTWERK album and have you been able to see any of ‘The Catalogue 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8’ shows?
Sadly, living in Belgium, makes it hard to see any of the shows. The show at Tate Gallery was sold in about 10 minutes. Before we even heard about it and start thinking about taking holiday from work and so on, all tickets were sold.
For Passenger A, ‘Electric Cafe’ (he stills prefers that title) is the favourite KRAFTWERK album.
Passenger S, his most favourite KRAFTWERK song is ‘Tour de France’ (in its original form, as he believes the 2003 is a boring release, something like: “give a 10 year old a synthesizer and a sequencer and try to copy some old KRAFTWERK song”), but when it comes down to albums, the album with the most nice songs would be ‘Trans-Europe Express’. Along with ‘Europe Endless’ and ‘’Showroom Dummies’, these timeless songs are high-lights in their career and considered by Passenger S as the actual start of their electronic pop.
It has been 10 years since the last new KRAFTWERK album, are you filling a void for their fans or do you want to be seen as a different entity altogether?
We never intended to fill a void or try to meet a demand, as such. We simply wanted to make music without boundaries and use all ingredients that we liked from so many electronic artists ; a melody, a baseline that carries a song, matching percussion where stereo-effects that are gone before the listener realises what has happened, catchy samples that fits the purpose…all this to make METROLAND to what it is now.
We are indeed a different entity; we don’t have the intension to fill up something that may never happen again (hence: a new album by KRAFTWERK).
How do you respond to people who say you are maybe just Kling Klang copyists?
We know they are amongst the many that never really listened in a profound manner. All they hear are the robotic voices and electronics. Sad, really, as they miss out on all the aural fun that is happening in the music. We wonder which band these days is unique, which band doesn’t have roots?
If a band picks up two guitars, a drummer, and a lead singer, are they a copy of THE BEATLES? So are we a copy because we use synthesizers, a vocoder and bleeps? We are not a copy, we just use ingredients from things that happened before and use them again in our personal blend. If only those lazy, lame and short minded people would give it that little extra second of attention, it would all make it more interesting to read their reviews.
How did the OMD support slot come about?
The story started in April last year where Andy McCluskey wrote us a personal mail explaining that they have a new song called ‘Metroland’ and that by browsing the internet, whilst looking for details on the word “metroland”, he came across our website, some interviews, a collaboration with MARSHEAUX and so on.
Appropriately, he was sitting in the train when he wrote us that first mail. Ever since that day, we had been in touch regularly and in August we met near Antwerp after their gig, where he asked us to act as support for some gigs, but nothing was concrete at that time.
Now it is happening on the Benelux dates (May 17 in Utrecht and May 20 in Brussels)….and we are very happy and proud to be their support act.
You are remixing OMD’s new single ‘Metroland’. As the song is already quite Kraftwerkian, what have you done to make it different to the original?
Our remix must have been the most stressing and tiring work ever. The deadline was rather short, and on top of that this was a remix for a band that we both idolized for many years (since 1982 for Passenger S to be exact).
We aimed for a METROLAND interpretation, the METROLAND sound and feel of a fascinating OMD track. We both hate those darn f*cked up club mixes where you can barely recognize something of the original. We started all from scratch. So, every sequence and bass line, melody was played a-new (we did not have a MIDI file), and we searched for new sounds. In the end, it became a more orchestral mix spiced up with the typical bass sounds from METROLAND, along with our famous layered sequences. It was a tough job as the song itself is a splendid OMD song with a KRAFTWERK spirit, a shivering combination, so we hope our remix will attract OMD fans.
Andy McCluskey replied to our mail after we delivered, “loving it!!”, so we have achieved exactly what we intended. Just imagine: making a joyful remix and getting such a reaction from someone you have been looking up to since you were a teenager!!
Have you decided on a concept for your next project?
We have some ideas about broadening the transport idea, some more concrete than others, but nothing for the full 100%. All we do will grow, change on daily bases, but will all make one complete concept again…some day.
We are slowly collecting new arrangements; about four are already in a song format, so we are facing the start of a new album. Only one track made it way in advance and that was ‘2013’ to which the reactions were pretty overwhelming. This only makes us more confident we are on the right track.
Just make sure to hop on our underground METROLAND ride, because it will be second to none, guaranteed!!
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to METROLAND
METROLAND play as special guests of OMD at Utrecht Tivoli on Friday 17th May and Brussels Ancienne Belgique on Monday 20th May 2013.
‘Mind The Gap’ is released by Alfa Matrix in CD, 2CD Limited Edition and download formats
Karl Bartos first came to the music world’s attention as a member of KRAFTWERK.
Along with Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider and Wolfgang Flür, he became part of what is acknowledged as the classic line-up of the pioneering Düsseldorf quartet. Recruited in 1975 to augment the live shows following the international success of ‘Autobahn’, Bartos was studying to be a symphony orchestra percussionist at the time and had to occasionally commute across the Atlantic to complete his exams while on tour in the US.
A now iconic appearance on ‘Tomorrow’s World’ showcased the future of music when the foursome demonstrated their customised instrumentation while smartly attired in suits. Using synthetic drum consoles triggered by metal rods, Bartos and Flür punctuated KRAFTWERK’s pioneering technology enhanced sound with a distinct uncluttered percussive snap. They continued their thematic fascination with science and technology, making major artistic leaps with the ‘Radio-Activity’ and ‘Trans-Europe Express’ albums.
Two of their fans were David Bowie and Brian Eno whose work on ‘Low’ and ‘Heroes’ in 1977 helped raise KRAFTWERK’s profile in the UK and led to a spate of new acts that were to become part of the Synth Britannia cultural revolution. But following the simultaneous high profile success of the Giorgio Moroder produced ‘I Feel Love’ for Donna Summer and his own ‘From Here to Eternity’, KRAFTWERK became fascinated by the throbbing sequenced electronic disco template and incorporated it into the album that many consider to be their crowning achievement, ‘The Man-Machine’.
By this time, Bartos had graduated to become Hütter’s main writing collaborator at Kling Klang with his first contribution being ‘Metropolis’. On tracks such as ‘The Robots’, ‘Neon Lights’ and ‘The Model’, Bartos added a funky groove that hadn’t been apparent in KRAFTWERK’s previous work.
Photo by Deb Danahay
In 1981, KRAFTWERK predicted the world we now live in with ‘Computer World’, a conceptual work that looked at police surveillance, portable office technology, computer dating and home entertainment. A much more tightly programmed work but with that all important vulnerable sense of humanity, the album was rhythmically strong thanks to Bartos’ contributions and tracks like ‘Numbers’ heavily influenced musicians in America who later went on to develop genres such as electro, hip-hop, house and techno.
However in 1983, with KRAFTWERK about to capitalise on the recognition they had been accorded by the success of synthpop throughout the world with the single ‘Tour De France’ and its accompanying album ‘Technopop’, Ralf Hütter had a near fatal cycling accident. While making his recovery, the release of ‘Technopop’ was postponed and the tracks reworked using more new digital sampling technology.
A rethink had manifested itself as computer based instruments such as the Fairlight and Synclavier were becoming increasingly prevalent in modern pop. KRAFTWERK purchased the latter and the delayed result was eventually released as the disappointing ‘Electric Cafe’ album in 1986 which interestingly saw Bartos’ debut as a vocalist on one of the album’s highlights, ‘The Telephone Call’.
KRAFTWERK had clearly lost their way at this point and Flür was the first to leave in 1987. Bartos soldiered on and worked with Hütter, Schneider and new recruit Fritz Hilbert on a remix album entitled ‘The Mix’. Bartos played his last concert with the band in 1990 and left not long after. But despite having already put several years into the project, his name was missing in the credits… keen observers will have also noticed that within the artwork of ‘The Mix’, Fritz Hilpert’s robot image was duplicated in Die Quartett shot to give the impression of a new fourth member!
Wasting no time following his departure, Bartos formed ELEKTRIC MUSIC with Lothar Manteuffel from RHEINGOLD and released the album ‘Esperanto’ which at the time, was enthusiastically welcomed by fans desperate for the void in new KRAFTWERK material to be filled. “Kraftwerk were like a wonderful Jumbo Jet that almost never took off” he wryly said to Future Music in 1993, “Now I’d rather have my own little Messerschmitt… and make my own pirouettes”!
Photo by Katja Ruge
One of the erstwhile collaborators on ‘Esperanto’ was longtime KRAFTWERK fan Andy McCluskey from OMD who sang on ‘Kissing The Machine’, quite possibly the best song that both parties was involved with during the anti-synth backlash that was to eventually became Britpop.The guitar dominated environment led to rather strange happenings with both musicians.
In McCluskey’s case, it was forming ATOMIC KITTEN. Legend says it was Bartos who suggested that it was the vehicle McCluskey was using that was outdated rather than his songs, hence this new messenger! He said:“Andy, if you just write songs, you’ll be a whore and your publishers will control you. You really need to create a vehicle for your own songs… create a three-piece girl group”! To think that ATOMIC KITTEN are part of Kling Klang’s lineage is quite amusing in hindsight!
Meanwhile, Bartos went to Manchester to work with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr on ELECTRONIC’s ‘Raise The Pressure’ album and returned to Germany with a Rickenbacker strapped to his back! Ironically, the resultant 1998 album was titled ‘Electric Music’ which Bartos himself described as “guitar pop out of the computer”. Although a song originally written for KRAFTWERK entitled ‘The Young Urban Professional’ was the first single, the album was not particularly well received by fans!
In 2003, Bartos made a triumphant comeback with his first proper solo album ‘Communication’. This saw a return to his electronic roots with lead track ‘The Camera’ in particular successfully updating the Kling Klang template of ‘The Robots’ for the new Millennium.
The album was far more of an artistic success than ‘Tour De France Soundtracks’ which had just been released by his former colleagues after a lengthy absence. Bartos’ own live show was a huge success too, mixing his new material with updated versions of his classic KRAFTWERK compositions in a striking but intimate audio/visual extravaganza.
Although having been comparatively silent for the last few years musically, Bartos has been working as a visiting Professor at the Berlin University of the Arts having founded its Master of Arts course in ‘Sound Studies – Acoustic Communication’. But now comes the release of ‘Off The Record’, the first album from Karl Bartos in ten years.
It sees lost material being reconceived and recontextualised within a 21st Century setting. The story behind the album’s concept is that during his time with KRAFTWERK, Bartos wrote – off the record – a secret acoustic diary.
Based on his rhythmical and melodic sketches, he has come up with twelve songs that could be perceived as KRAFTWERK compositions in all but name. Indeed ‘Nachtfahrt’ has its origins in the late 70s while the new single ‘Atomium’ re-explores themes first touched on with the ‘Radio-Activity’ album. Using the giant model of an iron crystal erected for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels as symbolism for the rise and fall of atomic power in Europe, its mantra is “what does iron crystal music sound like?”
For those who missed out on seeing KRAFTWERK’s art space album retrospectives, Karl Bartos will be touring in 2013. “Forget about technical nostalgia in 3D” says his press release, “instead tune into LiveCinema: 90 minutes of music and film – rhythmical, modern, intelligent”. So with the imminent release of ‘Off The Record’ on the prestigious German label Bureau B, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK is proud to be able to bring you a short conversation with one of the Godfathers of modern electronic music…
In KRAFTWERK from ‘The Man-Machine’ onwards, you were credited with co-writing. When did this shift come about and what sort of parts were you contributing?
I played electronic drums on ‘Radio-Activity’ and ‘Trans Europe Express’. I got my first contribution as a composer for the album ‘The Man-Machine’. On this recording and all subsequent recordings my input included all parts of the musical content ie drums, bass, sequencer, chords, melody, voice, lyrics.
You left KRAFTWERK in 1990 but you got to work straight away as ELEKTRIC MUSIC releasing the ‘Esperanto’ album in 1993. You wrote ‘Kissing The Machine’ with OMD’s Andy McCluskey. How do you feel about him reviving it for the new OMD album ‘English Electric’?
Sometimes we all love nostalgia because it’s safe. One interesting point; the process of listening to music incorporates what we have learned before, all our lives, what we know. If you listen to a track in a club, or at home, or a concert, it doesn’t matter where, always what our brain does is we remember what we have learned about music, then we have this very second, this very moment, and our expectations about how the music will evolve in the future. Listening to music incorporates all three times.
Back to Andy, when I left KRAFTWERK in the early 90s, I got a call, “Hi I’m Andy, I’d like to visit you”. I showed him part of my archive. He suggested we do something together and I was up for it, so we went through this archive [which became ‘Off The Record’]. We picked some cassettes and finally I found *sings the opening notes of ‘Kissing The Machine’*.
I’m always after melodies, and so is he. He heard this, and then we had a really good time in Düsseldorf, we had dinner with Wolfgang in his flat, and a month later he sent me a demo, “Hey Karl, what so you think of this?”
He wrote the whole song and the lyric and the robo voice and I produced it for my first album. And now, we are always in touch, and when he plays Hamburg, he invites me. Last time he asked me if I had the old vocal recording which is 20 years old. I found this, because at the time I was really well organised. I sent him the vocal track but I haven’t heard the production. Maybe the link is in my inbox. I’m looking forward to hearing it.
Photo by Katja Ruge
In 1995, you worked with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr on ELECTRONIC’s ‘Raise The Pressure’ album but it was reported at the time you were getting disillusioned with music technology. What had happened to make you feel like this?
It was this idea of techno music with people making a track every day, another tune, releasing a record every other week, just fours-to-the-floor with no melody or structure, with no thought going into it really. I found it boring and depressing and it was the technology that was allowing it to happen. But then I worked with Johnny and Bernard who were able to use synthesisers and machines but were bringing so much melody and feeling into it as well. That really helped to make me feel positive again, it was such a great experience.
Did you have any dilemmas about how many KRAFTWERK songs to include when you first went out with your live show in 2003 in support of the ‘Communication’ album, especially as your former colleagues were returning with ‘Tour de France Soundtracks’?
Well, since I have co-written many of the hits, I always had too many of them for just one concert. The real problem was to sort out the redundant tracks.
It’s been 10 years since ‘Communication’. During that time, there has been the move to download culture and smart technology. How have these advances shaped ‘Off The Record’, bearing in mind its background?
The change in music culture had no influence in the making of this album. It is true: the music industry has lost its business model but that did not change the power of music.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its grateful thanks to Karl Bartos
Most of their Düsseldorf shows sold out within 10 minutes.
And for those who were lucky enough to get their names on the list tonight at Die Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Ralf Hütter, Fritz Hilpert (now celebrating his 21st year with KRAFTWERK), Henning Schmitz and new live video technician Falk Grieffenhagen delivered the ‘Radio-Aktivität’ album in full along with other favourites in a comprehensive retrospective set.
KRAFTWERK played an emotional second show as part of their ‘Der Katalog 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8’ residency to an expectant hometown crowd which included PROPAGANDA’s Ralf Dörper and members of DIE KRUPPS.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s on-location witness said: “It was a breathtaking moment for a synth music lover like me who was much too young to see them in the earlier days. This was the place to be. It was exactly two hours of synth and 3D joy which started with ‘Die Roboter’. They brought us ‘Radioactivity’ with a tribute to the people of Fukushima, took us on the ‘Autobahn’ in a VW Beetle and rode the ‘Trans Europa Express’ with ‘Das Modell’ and ‘Die Mensch-Maschine’. Via La ‘Tour De France’, they provided with some ‘Vitamin’ pills as well. It was a fantastic gig tonight”.
The ‘Radio-Activity’ album (as it is known in the UK and US) has a special resonance with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK as its title track inspired the song from which this website gets its name. OMD’s ‘Electricity’ was written by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys as a homage to KRAFTWERK and is basically the title composition speeded-up!
It was also the first album to feature the classic line-up of Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Wolfgang Flür and Karl Bartos, names which have gone down in folklore as the godfathers of modern electronic pop music… indeed OMD did another KRAFTWERK tribute entitled ‘RFWK’ for their 2010 comeback album ‘History Of Modern’ and Andy McCluskey described the two combos first personal encounter back in 1981 at the Zeche Club in Bochum as “like meeting your parents”!
‘Radio-Activity’ is also significant as it was KRAFTWERK’s first album with English lyrics and it was their first achieved by wholly electronic means. ‘Autobahn’ may have been the breakthrough LP but that featured guitar, violin and flute! KRAFTWERK’s fifth album saw the debut of a then-new keyboard contraption, the Vako Orchestron which amplified sounds pre-recorded on optical discs instead of tapes like with the Mellotron.
Creating the shimmering choir and string textures that were to become the retro-futuristic blueprint of acts such as OMD, ULTRAVOX and NEW ORDER, the Vako Orchestron complimented Kling Klang’s existing arsenal of Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, EMS Synthi A, Vocoder, Votrax, Farfisa Rhythm 10 and customised electronic percussion kits.
The concept had originally been themed around radio activity as in broadcasting as opposed to nuclear physics; the hyphen had been added to illustrate the point. But the band courted controversy on the album’s release with a series of promotional photos in atomic power stations. Their ambiguity with regards the politics of this sensitive issue angered the strong Green lobby in Germany and may have even contributed to their lack of popularity at the time in their home country.
However, the ‘Radio-Activity’ song itself was updated for the 1991 album ‘The Mix’ with an overt anti-nuclear message highlighting Tschernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield and Hiroshima. Tonight in Düsseldorf, the recent Fukeshima disaster gave a stark resonance to this still evolving track with a reprise of the additional Japanese lyrics composed for the Tokyo ‘No Nukes’ concert last summer…
The romantic overtones, melodic synthpop, Teutonic tone poems and abstract sound collages of ‘Radio-Activity’ were to prove influential. DAVID BOWIE had it as his pre-show music on the 1976 ‘Station To Station’ tour and it clearly laid some of the groundwork for his legendary ‘Low’ and ‘Heroes’ albums while later in 1983, NEW ORDER sampled ‘Uranium’ for ‘Blue Monday’.
In that same year, OMD borrowed the concept for their now-highly regarded ‘Dazzle Ships’ album. While the ideas were clearly replicating sections of ‘Radio-Activity’ (see ‘The Romance Of The Telescope’ for ‘Radioland’, ‘Radio Waves’ for ‘Airwaves’, ‘Time Zones’ for ‘News’, ‘Telegraph’ for ‘Antenna’ and ‘Radio Prague’ for ‘Intermission’), whereas KRAFTWERK’s gist had been in almost blind praise for technological enhancements and wider communication, OMD’s lyrical focus cast doubt, cynicism and fear.
However, ‘Radio-Aktivität’ (or ‘Radio-Activity’) still remains an under rated triumph. Other than the title track, very few of its songs are cited in most people’s KRAFTWERK Top 10. One case in point is ‘Ohm Sweet Ohm’. From its steady vocodered intro and classic drifting hook, it builds to a crescendo over the pulsing Minimoog bass and improvised virtuoso section to perhaps be one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed! ‘Airwaves’ and its whirring Odysseys over the frantic percussive backbone are a delight while the eerie chill of ‘Radioland’ is short wave experimentation at its best.
The last word has to go to KRAFTWERK’s remaining founder member. As the evening finished with the striking ‘Music Non Stop’, each member departed in turn following their section of improvisation. To sustained applause, the last man – Ralf Hütter – left the stage. His first and only words to the audience were “Bis morgen”. Or as they say in English “see you tomorrow”… the show will go on.
Setlist:
Die Roboter
Geigerzähler
Radioaktivität
Radioland
Ätherwellen
Sendepause
Nachrichten
Die Stimme Der Energie
Antenne
Radio Sterne
Uran
Transistor
Ohm Sweet Ohm
Autobahn
Trans Europa Express
Abzug
Metall Auf Metall
Spacelab
Das Modell
Die Mensch-Maschine
Nummern
Computerwelt
Heimcomputer
Tour De France
Tour De France Étape 1
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is released by Bureau B on CD, vinyl LP and download
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