From: MikeR@county.lmt.mn.org (Mike Robinson)
Subject: Enigma vs. Kraftwerk
Reply-To: MikeR@county.lmt.mn.org (Mike Robinson)
Organization: LaserMaster Corporation
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 23:37:26 GMT

 This is a response to a request from Laura.l.la gassa and Lazlo Nibble (???) 
to add some Kraftwerk titles to a list of sensual/lush dance music similar to 
Enigma.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a Kraftwerk freak, I have just about 
everything I can get my hands on.  However, I don't think they fit into that 
genre.  

Yes, their rhythms have significantly influenced everyone and everything from 
hip-hop to techno.  

Yes, they've done ambient electronic music stuff that the Orb and countless 
others drool over and still try to duplicate.  

But sensual they ain't.  

I think their overall mood is eerie and alienating.  That's part of their 
strength, but it runs counter to the mood Enigma paints.  Given a choice 
between making love to Enigma or Kraftwerk, what would you choose? (I'm 
probably making myself an easy target for  sarcastic flames with that 
question, but you get my point.)

But Laura, et al. have a point: Kraftwerk has a lot of cool trippy stuff.  
Here's my guide to that side of their music.

"Kraftwerk" was their first album.  Mostly knob twiddling and noise.  Made in 
the 60s sometime.  It had guitars!!  I was so disappointed, I returned the 
record.  That was 10 yrs ago in high school, and I haven't seen one since.  
What a fool I was.  

"Ralf & Florian"  Still knob twiddling and noise.  Better organized & 
melodic.  One of the boys can play the flute, and this is demonstrated on a 
few tracks.  Kinda wimpy, though.  As I remember, there might be a few 
ambient experiments of note on it.

"Autobahn"  Their first big hit.  This has some cool "ambient" passages, 
particularly the highway passage with simulated Doppler effects.  The other 
side is experiments in synth simulations (bird chirps, etc).  On the back 
cover, one of the Kraftwerk guys is a long haired, bearded hippie, with a 
warm fuzzy smile!!  Obviously, the showroom dummies concept was a ways off.

"Radioactivity"  This is probably their most "ambient" album.  I can't 
remember if this came before or after Autobahn.  I think after, because they 
dropped their hippy style and started their futuristic approach with this LP.  
Long droning synth hums with echoey synth beeps, radio sounds and Geiger 
counters.  

Trivia:  That cool choir sound in New Order's "Blue Monday" was sampled from 
this album.  I remember reading an article in a keyboard mag that explained, 
in gory MIDI detail, how the song was made, what synths were used, etc.  They 
never mentioned sampling Kraftwerk.  

"Trans Europe Express"  
This has got a lot of cool stuff on it.  Europe Endless is  pretty song with 
lots of happy high pitched sequencing.  Franz Schubert is more of the same 
with singing vocorders.  The title track is pretty trippy.  It definitely not 
relaxing, but very ethereal and intense.  It also has a funky beat that 
inspired Africa Bambaatta and countless other funk/rap musicians.  

Trivia:  I heard a rumor that Africa Bambaatta tried to get Kraftwerk to 
collaborate with them on "Planet Rock" and refused.  Mr.  Bambaatta copped 
the TEE riff anyway.  I heard Kraftwerk's lawyers sent a threatening letter, 
but no lawsuits came out of it.  Kraftwerk can't be too mad, because they 
contributed a remix to a recent remix EP of Planet Rock.  Anybody know more 
about this?

When I used to be a DJ at a Funk/R&B/Black club I played "Trans-Europe-
Express" on a whim as the last song of the night.  It pretty much cleared the 
floor except for a few people who were really into it.  Later, a woman turned 
to me and said, "Whenever you want to stop doing those drugs, you let me 
know."  What a compliment.  

"Man Machine"  
Ambient delights on this one:  "Neon Lights,"  but it gets irritating after 
awhile.  "Spacelab," which I already mentioned.  
Trivia: Two Live Crew sampled the title track.  

In my opinion, most of Kraftwerk's music after "Man Machine" is too dancey to 
be considered "ambient"  However, check out "House Phone,"  an instrumental 
remix of "The Telephone Call."  Its got a funky house beat that was heavy 
enough for First Avenue's funk night (that's the main club here in 
Minneapolis, you know the one in Purple Rain), but its got all sorts of cool 
futuristic swirling sounds.  

Kraftwerk's latest Remix CD is so hyperactive, I can't listen to it unless I 
need a shot of adrenaline.  That's a long way from Enigma.  

It seems this discussion about Enigma is mutating into a discussion of 
Kraftwerk.  I think worrying about good Kraftwerk titles is pointless.  I 
think all their albums since "Radio Activity" are phenomenal.  Their last two 
albums are little less innovative, but still, you can't go wrong with any of 
them.