Klaus Schulze En=Trance (Rerelease)

It's time for a look at Mr. Schulze's 1987 studio effort, a little word play providing the title, 'En=Trance' :- OK, so you're an electronically obsessed German fella with a steady career, your own studio and a bunch of synths to muck around with for a couple of weeks…….hmm, what is a guy to do with all that?? I feel an album coming on………

'En=Trance' was originally a double vinyl LP that Klaus quite literally threw together during a creative break in his otherwise rather busy schedule,( amazingly the whole recording process from start to finish only took 3 weeks!!) and was applauded on its release as a return to the classic Schulze of old!! Klaus threw everything into the mix on the four extended pieces presented here all sounding very brash, pacey and 'in yer face' throughout. Obviously what fans had been waiting for, the album strides along without a moment to waste on delicacy or subtle doodlings.

The re-issued album is now presented in a double gate leg card folder with all of the original artwork and more reproduced as per the 1987 vinyl version. Photographic reproduction of cover art is achieved here again by high quality inlaid transfers. The enclosed 16 page booklet provides photos of Schulze from the era, a section of interview with the great man himself in 2004, and also a two page write up about the album. As a musical bonus, we are this time given an 8.02min vintage track from 1975, ( all re-issues will be released with additional material, from the same era whenever possible).

The album's title track commences with a cacophony of digital and analogue noise. Huge slabs of sound just slammed down without too much thought given to structure or to how events will unfold, acting as a kind of opening wake up call to the listener in much the same way as many operetta's were designed to do, initially just grabbing the attention then drawing the listener in. At nearly 19 minutes duration the track fails to let up for even one moment in its onslaught on the ear, theres some serious noise making going on here. The digital edge of many of the synth sounds used making their presence felt consistently in this and on the other three tracks from the original album. Not having really found a steady basis after the first four minutes a punchy sequence kicks in and we're away on a rip roaring trip across the audio spectrum. A variety of typically Schulze solo's and chord changes ensue. Relentless, is the word l'd use to describe it.

'Alpha Numerique' (16.28) fires up in a very strident manner, a metronomic sequence soon joining the party, the firm synth bass holding us in suspense. A bright metallic xylophone patch takes the lead as the simple sequence becomes a multilayered event. The instrumentation is stripped back prior to electric percussion powering in and still a sense of suspense purveys the whole piece. Finishing all too quickly, and never really getting into a higher gear, it all works very well indeed,( though sounding like it would have been more at home as a piece of soundtrack work in an action movie) finally ending with a big operatic slam.

Track three, 'FM Delight' (17.28) and we've either gone back ten years to the Schulze of the seventies or l've accidentally put the wrong CD in only to find we're now listening to one of Jean Michelle Jarre's more airy, pastoral moments. Five minutes in and we know where this track is heading with arpeggiated strings, a busy bassline and off kilter percussion playing along quite happily. I can't actually say that theres much development here for sometime as the sequence cycles around weaving its hypnotic spell for a good ten minutes. Slightly more pronounced drumming puts in an appearance, but outside of a pitched steady solo going on in the background throughout nothing out of the ordinary occurs. Though it has to be said that for many this is the most accessible, vibrant track of the whole album!!!

'Velvet System' starts in a similar fashion to track three. A choral hit is thrown in and the sequence proper gets underway, the drums sounding like a development on those used in 'FM delight'. Another choral hit and the mood changes slightly sounding uneasy. Unyet another hit and the piece comes together in a much more purposeful manner, the multi-timbral sequence at times going neo- classical. The episodic nature of the piece continues brilliantly and things get busier as the piece approaches its resolution. With an indefinable feeling of freneticism the piece winds up on a high note and a sampled orchestral hit or two.