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Silberland, Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik (1972-1986)
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Barnes and Noble
Silberland, Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik (1972-1986)
Current price: $20.99
Barnes and Noble
Silberland, Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik (1972-1986)
Current price: $20.99
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Size: CD
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Hamburg-based label
has put an astonishing amount of work and care into providing proper representation for a wealth of obscure sounds from the strangest corners of the Krautrock map. Though not solely a reissue label (they've also released work from more modernized artists following in the footsteps of pioneering German electronic experimenters), a strong percentage of the label's catalog consists of deluxe vinyl editions of recordings that have been long out of print or in some cases never made it to vinyl (or wide-scale public release) in the first place. A completist mindset means the label goes far deeper than the best-known acts of the genre, digging into side projects of side projects and uncovering some of the stranger and more experimental electronic sounds being made throughout the 1970s and '80s and beyond.
is a perfect example of the label's all-encompassing approach, gathering together 20 tracks of early synthesizer experimentation, genre-twisting electronics, and cosmic funk from artists that largely existed a few layers deeper underground than peers like
or
Several great inclusions come from better-known names like
and
. The lucid wobble of closing track "Base & Apex" will be instantly recognizable to some as part of the tense and cinematic atmosphere crafted on
, an album made in 1978 by
members
. Also included are the icy groove of "Emphasis," from drummer/experimenter
's 1980 masterpiece
, and an edited presentation of the zany shuffling of
' "Regenmacher," from his 1978 solo album
. Some of the most exciting tracks on
come from even lesser-known artists. "Quitting Time" by
, from his 1980 album
, is a syncopated futuristic dreamscape heavily influenced by the economic meandering of
.
's 1982 track "Grossstadtgefuehl" predicts the synth pop wave that followed shortly after, with sharp, snappy drum machine rhythms driving overlapping synth melodies. Many tracks are edited significantly from their original run times, but this whittling down makes space for more music and might be easier on the attention spans of those just getting acquainted with more obscure Krautrock sounds. Ultimately, the compilation is perfect for just that -- offering a fantastic primer for anyone interested in going a little bit deeper down the Krautrock and early synthesizer music rabbit hole. ~ Fred Thomas