Ash Ra Tempel
Friendship
The last time these two got together was for the 'In Blue' album. Then they were perfectly content just to bring it out under Klaus' name. Why on earth they now decide to dig the Ash Ra Tempel name up from the past and use that is beyond me. For a start ART from the early 70's was much more of a rock band, Klaus was even the drummer! If this were just put on the CD player without you being told who it was you would think of Klaus Schulze immediately. If you are looking for an album sounding like those heady days of Kraut Rock you won't find it here. What you will find however is a fantastic Electronic Music album with Manuel and Klaus collaborating beautifully.

'Reunion' starts with slightly melancholy synth pads but it isn't long before the drums start up. Initially the rhythm comes in waves echoing into the distance then its presence is solidified to provide the backbone of the track. A diving groove is developed and the drum sound picked really kicks, nothing dance oriented about these rhythms at all. It gets harder and harder to tell what is keyboard and what is guitar nowadays and I am assuming that much of the detail and soaring sounds are coming from the guitar but to these ears it could just as easily have been synths. The rhythms from the eleven minute mark become even more infectious and it is at about this time that Manuel's guitar playing becomes a little more conventional with gentle almost "sunny" licks. By thirteen minutes we are getting strident electric guitar giving some real umph but in no way is it overpowering. Its all very exciting and boppy stuff sounding as if they were having a great time doing it. A couple of minutes later we get the relaxed guitar style returning as well as some typical KS detail. As the track progresses we are given a demonstration of exactly how synths guitar and rhythms should be combined to create something exciting, fresh and above all accessible. All the tracks here are long, but I wasn't bored for a second instead I followed every twist and turn but not in a conscious way the music just grabbed my attention and carried me along with it. Before I knew it the first half hour of the album was finished and the second track 'Pikant' was just about to start.

'Pikante' actually reminded me quite a bit of Klaus' during the late 80's and early 90's, say, the 'Miditerranean Pads' album but probably even more tracks like 'Cellistica' from Audentity but without the cello and a little smoother. Its hard to put your finger on but I think it might be something to do with the high hat accompaniment. I particularly liked the sort of shaken percussive effect and again the drum sounds are spot on. The drum patterns initially start off quite complex but then again settling down to a comfortable groove and it is mainly when we get into the groove that the comparisons above become the most apparent. At the half way mark we get some stunningly beautiful acoustic guitar playing, its a little Spanish sounding and provides a nice contrast to the earlier section of the track. Really its at moments like this that the Ash Ra Tempel tag to the album quite frankly seems ridiculous. After this short interlude we get back into a similar pattern set in the first section.

The final track 'Friendship' begins with a slow but dramatic and emotional electric guitar passage. This is awesome and passionate, a musician really playing from the heart. My only criticism is that it goes on way too long. At thirteen minutes we get the first rhythms entering, they continue to build and the guitar just gets heavier and I think spoils the mood a little. Personally I preferred the first two tracks but on the whole enjoyed the album immensely. (DL)

This page is part of a frame set. If you can't see the information strip to the left of the screen then click on the smd logo above.