White Cube

Karl Bartos, one of the four people still identified by most as "Kraftwerk" (even though he left the band 17 years ago) has opened the White Cube section of his web site to a project called Crosstalk, named after his first post-Kraftwerk release.

Crosstalk contains remixes, covers, mash-ups, video work and a pdf, created by artists from all over the world, all somehow related to Mr Bartos. It's not all good, but some of it might be.

Other things named Kling Klang

It is fairly obvious that Kraftwerk chose the name of their studio, Kling Klang, for it's onomatopoetic qualities. But there are other things named Kling Klang as well. Here are a few:

1. Kling Klang- A poorly named but somewhat decent band from Liverpool. According to Wikipedia, they play krautrock. I'm not sure I agree.


2. Kling & Klang - A pair of police officers appearing in Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking books.


3. Kling Klang Klatch - A graphic novel, written by Ian McDonald and Davide Lyttleton. The story revolves around a murdered panda showgirl/teddybear, and it's investigation - handled by fellow teddy bear, but also detective, Marcus McBear. I haven't read it, but it seems to be rather similar to one of this year's most talked about swedish books, "Amberville" by Tim Davys.


4. Kling Klang Krieger - The duo of Eberhard Streigl and Heiko Schleisser. Released only one 12" that I know of, "Tibetrausch", in 2003.

And then there are the songs, and the albums:

1. Electronic dance act Tussle released the album "Kling Klang" in 2004, on the Troubleman Unlimited label.


2. American industrial metal band Fektion Fekler released the album "Kling Klang Bedlam" in 1998, on Pendragon Records.
   Experimental musician and ex Psyclones member Brian Ladd released the one-sided 8" flexidisc "Kling Klang" in 1990, on the Ladd-Frith label.


3. Swedish early industrial/experimental artist Jonas Broberg released the cassette "Kling Klang" on En halvkokt i folie's excellent Konduktör Records in 1985.
   
   
4. German ndw artist Marcus included the track "Kling, Klang Schicksalsmelodie" on his 1982 single "Ich Will Spass".


5. German tech house producer Todd Bodine's 12" release "Codebreaker" from 2006 contained the track "Kling Klang".


6. Equally german synth-pop band Camouflage included a song named "Kling Klang" on their CDs/12" release "One Fine Day" in 1989, as an homage to Kraftwerk. Which brings us to this new release:

Camouflage - "Archive 01" (2007)

In december of 2007, Camouflage released "Archive 01", a double CD with rarities and a 24 page-book with photos. Although interesting already, the archive gets even more so by the inclusion of Camouflage's cover version of Kraftwerk's "Computer Liebe" (recorded live in 1989) and the abovemeitioned "Kling Klang". "Computer Liebe" was recorded at the Theaterfabrik in Munich in November 1989 and was first made available in 1991 on the 12" release "Handsome - The Remix".

2007 In Retrospect

If you run a blog, you are forced by international law to list stuff at the end of each year. My memory is bad, so it'll be short.

Best album discovered in 2007

The White Noise - "An Electric Storm" (1968)



I stumbled upon this while strolling around Helsinki one day. There was this small, leftfield record store placed under ground, in some railway/train station. I went in, and something amazing was playing. It was this one. I can't believe I've never heard it before. It has the power to remove the term "psychedelic" from all your other psychedelic records.

Best album cover

Pomassl - "Spare Parts" (Raster-Noton)



Best newcomer

I Am A Vowel - "Et Op La Bang" (Fang Bomb)



Sure, I'm a bit biased. But still. "Wibbling glitchy tap drip bad hallucinogenic woodlice-tronica", according to Norman Records in Leeds, UK.

Best live recording



It's a close call between Harmonia's "Live 1974" and the Kraftwerk bootleg "Live on Radio Bremen", recorded in 1971. They both win.

Best new Kraftwerk product

Kraftwerk - "Aerodynamik / La Forme - Hot Chip Remixes"



Mostly because I had to get it in here somehow.

[Edit]

I forgot one thing (and this is important):

Concert of the year

Haswell & Hecker / Pan Sonic at Conway Hall, London, October 11th.





Haswell & Hecker attacked all senses, with high end, high/low frequency, massive volume noise academia and the most intense and impressive green laser thing I've ever encountered. And Pan Sonic weren't bad either. We were outside of the ancient Conway Hall building when they started their set, and we could feel the entire structure vibrating.