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Review: Musician, writer and sometime member of Kraftwerk Karl Bartos wrote The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari as a tribute to the iconic 1920 silent horror film whose original music score had long been lost. Through electronic compositions, Bartos skilfully captures the eerie atmosphere and psychological depth of the movie, enhancing its haunting narrative with his sonic reinterpretation. The album immerses listeners in a world of suspense and mystery, blending ominous synth melodies with pulsating rhythms and cinematic soundscapes. Bartos' masterful fusion of retro-futuristic aesthetics and contemporary electronic music was made after he dug deep into his own archives to recreate epics he wrote as a young classical musician and offers an all-new perspective on the original soundtrack.

Review: We're not sure any of us would have predicted that there would be a new Propaganda album in 2024 - after all, it has been 40 years since they made their debut, and almost 20 years since 'principle song writers' Ralf Dorper and Michael Mertens last got together to record an album. Simply titled Propaganda, the album is undoubtedly a triumphant return - a set that recalls the ground-breaking brilliance of their earliest work. Sure, some of the synthesisers and sonics have been updated - it's not quite as cold and icy as their earliest explorations - and there are subtle rhythmic nods to more contemporaneous dance rhythms, but the results are uniformly excellent. For proof, check the throbbing headiness of 'Purveyor of Pleasure', the alt synth-pop bubble of 'Tipping Point', and the atmospheric excellence of 'Love:Craft'.

Review: Influential Hamburg band Palais Schaumburg's self-titled 1981 album takes some beating. It is one of German alternative music's most accomplished and critically acclaimed works, with hardcore prasie from those who know. Fusing rock, new wave and experimental across 10 timeless track, it mixes tight post punk rhythms with dubbed out vibes and avant-garde ideas. This deluxe reissue of Holger Hiller, Thomas Fehlmann, Ralf Hertwig and Timo Blunck's best record includes all tracks from the original album on a nice red slab of wax with a new insert

Review: It's absolutely mind-blowing that Faust released this in 1973. Well, if you know Faust then you know when they became active, and as such it's perfectly logical that they were putting records out when this was unveiled. However, the sounds it contains are so beyond the realms of what we associate with that age it's hard to understand how they ever conceived them.

Having said that, some tracks here are more 'normal'. For example the sweet acoustic folk-ish-ness of 'Flashback Caruso', or the strange, trippy jazz blues on 'Hermanns Lament'. But even these seem to have been born in a different world. Or parallel universe. Then you're given the cut and paste broken beat numbers like 'Don't!', and you realise just how ahead of its time this is.

Review: Detlef Weinrich is back with his fifth full-length album under the Tolouse Low Trax moniker. Now based in Paris after leaving Dussledorf, he heads in something of a new direction and brings heavy yet velvet sounds which replace the rawness of his earlier work. Tracks on Leave Me Alone bring razor-sharp rhythms to drifting cosmic melodies, there are slow and industrial drones and haunting pads, a signature sense of drum funk and much more besides. This is a great new sound for an artist always on the move.

Review: Club scene doyen, dance music veteran, and rave culture hero Johannes Auvinen opts to depart from the dance floor, at least for the time being, and deliver Arles - an ode to the other side of the electronic-acid scene, those sounds that make most sense after the chaos and carnage of a party have subsided and you're safely home on the couch with you and yours and all dearest.
And it works as well as it should, with the experience both of living in that world and making anthems for it clearly evident in the overall production quality and ideas. Arles is a warm blanket, that friendly therapist, an album that understands where you've been because it was there too. Remarkably, despite what that may suggest, this is not ambient or particularly leftfield stuff. Instead, it's rhythmic, pop-infused electronica goodness, for want of a more succinct, less awkward turn of phrase.

Review: 'Conny' Schnitzler's name needs to be remembered by more people. Born on the cusp of World War II, he would prove instrumental in the post-war surge of sonic experimentation that took Germany by storm from the 1960s onwards, playing an integral part in West Germany's krautrock movement having already been an early member of seminal band Tangerine Dream and founding father of Kluster. But it's his solo work that really needs more attention. A proponent of the Dusseldorf school - arguably Germany's most important city for popular music in the late-mid-20th Century - in 1974 he released Blau, a bold record comprising two extended tracks, 'Die Rebellion Haben Sich In Den Bergen Versteckt' and 'Jupiter'. One feels like the late night synth soundtrack to rain-soaked city streets. The other as though we've opened the hatch and stepped out into retro outer space. Take from that what you will.

Review: Bureau B present the very latest full-length LP from art-synth auteurs Propaganda, aka. Ralf Dorper and Michael Mertens. Emerging almost two decades on from their last release, this record is nonetheless remarkable as it is their first and only self-titled record, suggesting a sense of culmination and timeliness - in Bureau B's words, Propaganda (the LP) explores "fresh sounds and styles, and (reflects) personal and societal changes since their last outing". The excesses and lacks of boom-bust capital exhaustion and planetary-systemic fatigue are heard in full sway here; both themes alloy themselves starkly against the understated EBM and dark synth influence that permeates the record, a sound otherwise distinctly connoted as 80s and retroistic. Through their crystal-clear productions - their techno-Arcadian visions in composition, and passionate lyrical musings on machinic desire by way of collaborators Thunder Bae and Hauschka - Propaganda synthesise a yet new subliminal message, one that charts a line out of the past and into the present.

Review: It doesn't take long to pick up on Harold GroBkopf's progressive and krautrock roots. Born in Hildesheim as his homeland began picking up the charred postwar ruins, his oeuvre to date includes a stint in a 1960s beat group, The Stuntmen, and then a spell playing with then-unknown heavy rockers, Scorpions, before joining Wallenstein and Ashra as drummer, and getting in on several of Klaus Schulze's solo efforts. Strom betrays much of that heritage, straddling the fine line between electronica and rock, setting out its stall in a hinterland sound that's really neither nor. At times it glitters, in other moments it grinds, sometimes its beguiling, then it's more charming, in a strange, well-left-of-the-middle kind of way. An enigmatic collection of work from a true musical enigma.

Review: Bureau B's latest release, curated by Faust's founding member Zappi Diermaier and featuring a collective of musical collaborators including Gunther Wusthoff, continues the band's legacy of radical innovation. Faust, the iconic Hamburg group known for their pioneering role in Krautrock between 1971 and 1974, has consistently pushed boundaries with their avant-garde approach. Their early work is celebrated for its uncompromising and experimental nature, which remains influential today. The new LP, Blickwinkel, offers a fresh perspective on Faust's sonic exploration. This album captures a moment of spontaneous creation, merging industrial noise, unsettling ambience, and psychedelic motorik into a cohesive six-track experience. The record reflects the band's commitment to synchronicity and chance, embodying the spirit of their Krautrock roots while embracing contemporary dynamics. Recorded in a collaborative spirit with Zappi Diermaier on drums, Dirk Dresselhaus on bass, and Elke Drapatz handling electronic effects, Blickwinkel represents a continuation of their experimental journey. Unlike the previous Daumenbruch, which featured long-form compositions, this album delivers a more varied auditory experience with six distinct tracks. The session, held in a home studio, was characterised by a deep empathetic connection among the musicians, resulting in a diverse range of soundsifrom drones and delays to unexpected melodic interventions by Uwe Bastiansen. Each track disrupts traditional stylistic boundaries with elements like baroque strings, quirky horns, and dynamic phasing effects, creating a constantly evolving soundscape. Blickwinkel shows Faust's enduring ability to innovate and redefine their musical expression and their ongoing creative process.

Review: Paris-based Detlef Weinrich aka Tolouse Low Trax is back with a new collection, Kiosque Versions, that he has assembled himself and which takes in seven edits of his work (some big hits, some lesser known or overlooked tunes) by friends and treasured artists. Things kick off with his own edit of 'Subghosts' which is a dubby swagger, and the Grim Lusk dub version of 'Mik In Water' is also filled with delayed stabs and warm, dubby undercurrents. 'Rushing Into Water' (Joakim Elemental edit) has a tropical dub feel and liquid rhythm, 'Tristeros Empire' (Ido Plumes Blazer Quest mix) has train track-like percussion over jittery experimental beats and there are many more freaky delights besides.

Review: Known for their pioneering Krautrock era from 1971 to 1974, Faust remain a symbol of innovation and avant-garde experimentation. This album encapsulates a moment of unfiltered, collective creativity, presenting six tracks that delve into industrial noise, eerie ambience, and psychedelic motorik rhythms. Under Diermaier's guidance, this iteration of Faust embraces spontaneity and a democratic approach to music, free from external influences. The creation of Blickwinkel involved Diermaier's drumming sessions at Dirk Dresselhaus's (Schneider TM) studio, accompanied by electronics expert Elke Drapatz. This unplanned, collaborative effort led to a range of auditory experiences, contrasting sharply with their previous release, Daumenbruch, which featured more extended, contemplative pieces. Listeners can anticipate a sonic whirlwind filled with drones, rhythmic clamor, and eclectic textures, accented by unexpected elements like baroque strings, lively horns, and trippy effects. Uwe Bastiansen (Stadtfisch) adds melodic layers that complement Dresselhaus's driving bass, infusing the album with its distinctive pagan soundscape. Faust's unwavering dedication to breaking new ground and crafting a truly original auditory experience remains nothing short of spectacular.

Review: Cluster's Zuckerzeit stands as a landmark in electronic music, showing the duo's innovative approach to ambient electronic soundscapes. Unlike their self-aware avant-garde contemporaries, Cluster's music emerges as a pure expression of their passion for electronic gadgetry and songwriting. The album's subtle shift in sound from their previous work heralds a more intriguing style characterized by bubbling ideas and electronic manipulation. Tracks like 'Hollywood' and 'Caramel' paint vivid pictures with gloriously chunky synthesizers and jerky drumbeats, evoking reflective and playful tones respectively. 'Rote Riki' ventures into experimental territory with alien-like synths and throbbing bass, while 'Rosa,' "Fotschi Tong,' and 'Marzipan' conjure images of ambient space exploration with colorful synthesizers and relaxed drumbeats. 'Caramba' and 'James' delve deeper into experimentation, showcasing Cluster's versatility. Closing with 'Rotor' and 'HeiBe Lippen,' the album maintains its pace, with motorik beats and droning sounds adding to the overall spacey atmosphere. Clocking in at under 40 minutes, Zuckerzeit is a dynamic journey through Cluster's boundless creativity, setting a new standard for electronic music.

Review: Detlef Weinreich's latest release as Tolouse Low Trax is something of a curio, albeit one that's predictably impressive and off-kilter. It's a compilation that boasts some of his own cuts, alongside edits and reworks by friends of tracks described by Bueau B as "hits that never took the charts by storm". Check first 'Subghosts (Tolouse Low Trax Rework)', a bizarre but brilliant fusion of modular electronics and head-nodding organic instrumentation, before admiring the sparse, hard-to-pigeonhole electronic experimentation of Simo Cell's edit of 'A Song and a Photo Novella', the Autechre-esque beats of 'Down Is Temporal (Beat Detectives Dawn Rerub)', and Joakim's club-ready revision of 'Rushing Into Water'. Further inspired excursions are provided by Ido Plumes (the throbbing techno psychedelia of 'Tristoeros Empire') and Froid (the trippy IDM digi-dub of 'Make Friends').

Review: Kreidler return to Bureau B and not without good reason. Their seventh outing on the highly respected label follows suit on previous exploits, exploring some outer limits of cosmic-leaning, guitar-led, electronically augmented stuff. Tracks that feel made for the hidden dancefloors of weird basements as much as the soundtracks to avant garde science fiction. And if that's too much of a stretch, let's just say 'mesmerising' and have done with it. Comparing and contrasting the warm bleeps and filtered hooks of 'Diver', for example, with 'Tanger Telex' and its strange, smoky brass trip into downtempo smoky heaven serves as a quick example of just how broad yet coherent Twists is. As does 'Arthmetique', a strange, patient thing of rhythmic licks and spoken word, when considered next to the fuzzy, dub-tech-meets-math rock of 'Mount Mason'.

Review: Midway through the last decade, Bureau B reissued a kosmiche curiosity from cult synthesiser composer Rudiger Lorenz, Southland - a set inspired by idle daydreaming about the island nations of the southern pacific and the south Atlantic. Here, they return to the late artist's catalogue, presenting their pick of the music featured on the DIY tapes and records he self-released (usually in very small quantities) between 1981 and '83 - IE the period before Southland was recorded. Larger darker and moodier than that set, Lorenz delivers a synthesizer-heavy musical blend of contemporaneous influences that consistently delivers the goods. Our picks of a very strong bunch include the sparse and warped 'Chabomilla Sabinae', the Tangerine Dream-esque beauty of 'Dreaming of Saba', the electronic ambience of 'Independence' and the star-gazing drift of 'Anigre'.

Review: Commonly regarded as the first official release from avant-garde prog/space rock outfit Heldon; Electronique Guerilla (also known as Heldon 1), served as a pioneering piece of studio experimentation and manipulation, utilising a myriad of guitar effects, tape delay and electronics, collated together by the genius of Richard Pinhas. Building the pieces from a Schizo (the earlier incarnation of Heldon) track together with solo guitar loops and electronic works, while warping elements from another collaborative cut with guitarist Alain Renaud, the fruitful, cosmic, proto-wave machinations are often credited as some of the earliest influences from King Crimson's Robert Fripp (who Pinhas cited as a major influence and master of the guitar) and Brian Eno, yet while in no way shying away from their inspirations, Pinhas has since specified that "Heldon 1 was released in '74 at the same time Muff Winwood released the first Fripp & Eno", so while similarities and comparisons are welcome, more attentive ears should be able to extract the nuanced differences with which Heldon crafted their hallucinatory, boundary-pushing early opus. Originally released on Pinhas' own Disjuncta Records and limited to 1000 copies, this long overdue reissue won't stick around anywhere near as long as these swelling brain-pieces.

Review: The story goes that, back when he was a core member of Kraftwerk, Karl Bartos helped create the band's own theme for Fritz Lang's often-soundtracked Metropolis. Bartos has an enduring fascination with the more daring artwork of the early 20th Century, and so he took on the challenge of creating a new score for Robert Weine's landmark silent movie The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari. Using an assortment of synths in his Hamburg studio, Bartos creates a symphonious soundtrack which shows his passion for the subject matter in stark detail. A must-check for fans of Bartos and the wider Kraftwerk phenomenon, as well as fans of Weine's pioneering psychological thriller.

Review: While Fritz Lang's Metropolis has enjoyed reams of revisionist soundtracks in the near-century since it was released, Robert Weine's The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari has remained a more cult concern of Weimar-era cinema. Karl Bartos, one of the early members of Kraftwerk, has indulged his passion for the art of this unique period between world wars, when technology and art was changing as rapidly as the world around them. Employing his considerable experience and well-appointed studio to the task of re-soundtracking, Bartos has created this vibrant new score for Weine's film, pressed up here on double vinyl with an accompanying 16-page booklet.

Review: Talk about creating a universe for yourself. Die Welttraumforscher, or World Dream Explorer, is an imagined musical trio with cosmic tendencies conjured by the mind of Swiss electronic composer Christian Pfluger. Active since 1981, 41 years in and the project is still going very strong and admired by a cult legion of international fans alongside some of the most influential contemporary synth doyens.

Liederbuch is the first new material in some time, an event that will be celebrated by many. Largely rooted in psychedelic indie-tronica, downbeat lounge-worthy beats, and blissful acoustic alt-balladry, it's a beautiful collection showcasing the ingenuity inherent in the music of a truly enigmatic artist who, despite focusing largely on the same endeavour for four decades now, has never remained still for long.