Audio Objekt - Kraftwerk in swedish

Audio Objekt is a Swedish duo, with a fake biography reminiscent of a certain band from Düsseldorf. The members, Objekt 1 and Objekt 2, for instance released the album "Objekt1 und Objekt 2" in the beginning of their career - after 2 experimental albums.

Audio Objekt really is a duo, with members Håkan Lidbo and Patrik Persson. Lidbo is the most well known of the two, having released close to 200 records in every conceivable electronic genre during the last 15 years or so, from glitch minimalism to straight pop dance songs.

This video is their version of Kraftwerks "Computer World", which translated in to Swedish and into the 21st century has become "Vår nya värld".



Audio Objekt has also covered Kraftwerk's "The Model", renaming it "Modellen". Also in Swedish. "Modellen" is available in mp3 format here.

Wir tanzen im quadrat

It's ALL about this guy.

Den gåtfulla människan

Fans tend to loop certain questions. Within the Kraftwerk community, the loops are few but endless:

1. When will The Catalogue be released?
2. Electric Café was initially intended to be released as "Techno Pop". Are these demos that I found online real?
3. What band is the next Kraftwerk?

I dont know the answer to the first question, but the answer to the second one is probably Trans-Europe Express.

Peoples attempts to answer the third question will usually point to somebody from the Detroit area. Drexciya and related projects are often mentioned. But while I like Arpanet and Der Zyklus as much as the next guy, I still think that is taking the easy way out.

This is why I now present my own nominee to the title, Eric Malmberg, and specifically his album "Den gåtfulla människan" that was released by Häpna in 2005. It's all made by one man and a Hammond organ, but listen to that extra dry, barren beat in this sample track, that I have borrowed from the Häpna label website.

Eric Malmberg - Språk och tankestrukturer (mp3)

It's definitely not electro, but it feels more like Kraftwerk (Autobahn/Radio-Activity era, I guess) than Drexciya ever did (no matter which era).

Eric has just released a new record, called "Verklighet & Beat". The new one is recorded with a full band, which makes it a lot bigger in sound and a bit more folksy than "Den gåtfulla människan". But it's still nice and Bo Hansson is on it, so you should buy both.

Glass Candy does Kraftwerk

Cross-breed Donna Summer (the real one, not this one) with Abba, Blondie, Chromeo, Baccara and Chicks on Speed. Continue by slowing it down a bit, and you've got Glass Candy - an american post CD-r death disco scene act with some weird swedish connections.

Quite recently, Glass Candy did a version of Kraftwerk's "Computer Love". It's an enjoyable version, relaxed almost to the state of drug induced haze.

Hear:



The song is available on this compilation.

It's the Yamo "Time Pie" EPK!

I know YouTube is available to everyone, and i realize this makes re-posting YouTube videos in your blog a rather pointless activity.

But I'm going to do it anyway, as I happened to stumble over something really interesting. It's Wolfgang Flür's Electronic Press Kit, from the release of Yamo's "Time Pie" album. The EPK contains some video footage I hadn't seen before, including a 1993 interview from MTV where longtime Kraftwerk collaborator Emil Schult also appears.

Part 1:



And part 2:

Kraftwerk: Aerodynamik + La Forme Remixes (by Hot Chip, that is)

The new Kraftwerk single is out now. This is what it looks like, at least if you get the cd version.

As I am sure you know, Hot Chip has split itself into two pairs to make the remixes. Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard did Aerodynamik (Intelligent Design Mix), while Al Doyle and Felix Martin did La Forme (King of the Mountains Mix).

The truth is, La Forme is not quite perfect. There could be an idea or two missing, leaving the remix not quite a complete song. The Aerodynamik remix, on the other hand, could most likely get a dancefloor or two moving.

All Right, You Little Bastards!

OK, so I recently published Big Black's version of Kraftwerk's "The Model", and Zeni Gevas cover of "Sex Object". I also hinted about the connection between Big Black main man Steve Albini and the japanese KK Null/Zeni Geva crowd. So I might as well...

In 1992, Steve Albini and Zeni Geva played two shows together in Japan. These concerts, as far as I know the only two they ever played together, are documented on the album "All Right, You Little Bastards!", that was released the following year. And on that album, we find another cover of "The Model", recorded at their second show, at the Fandango in Osaka , on April 3, 1992.

Right now, you can download it here.