Cluster - 1971 - Cluster

Cluster
1971
Cluster

01. 7:42 (7:42)
02. 15:43 (15:43)
03. 21:32 (21:32)

- Dieter Moebius / electronics

- Hans-Joachim Roedelius / electronics

After a scission of the avant-garde (Berlin) group « KLUSTER » due to the departure of Conrad Schnitzler, the two musicians Dieter Moebius and Hans Joachim Roedelius go to work in duet as « CLUSTER ». The band's first years were clearly orientated to Krautrock and to experimental electronic music. Consequently, the production of the band started with massive, radical improvisations, constructed around electric organ works, electronic collages, guitar sound manipulations, feed back. The result is rather similar to KLUSTER's underground, conceptual music, very chaotic with lot of distortion and reverb. With its repetitive, hypnotic guitar patterns and embryonic electronic collages, the second album "II" can be seen as a classic in 70's German electronic underground. This high quality experimental electronic music will progressively lead the band to something far from the kraut rock scene and extreme music.

Since 1974, CLUSTER has recorded many albums of ambitious, pre-ambient electronic music with gorgeous synth arrangements, a groovy tone and a constant sense of melody. "Zuckerzeit", "Sowiesoso" and "Grosses Wasser" are the most representative progressive albums of the band's career. At the same time, the two CLUSTER's members begin to work in solo and in collaboration with others artists (notably Brian ENO and Michael Rother for the project "Harmonia"). They published many innovative, complex and attractive sounds for contemporary and ambient music.

Individually or together, Roedelius and Moebius are now recognised as pioneers of the "Kosmische Musik genre", extending the experiences of contemporary music thanks to the growing capacities of modern technologies.

Three experimental electronic pieces made after the departure of Conrad Schnitzler (Kluster). The principles of composition prefigure what we can hear on Cluster II: long abstract & "visceral" soundscapes using echo-machines, microphones, and aleatoric electronic "collages". The music is constantly impressive, giving a certain "claustrophobic" atmosphere. Track 1 starts with electronic noises and repetitive, obsessional electronic patterns. After 5 minutes of tormenting effects, the music includes different primitive synth sounds and cyclical, electronic rotations. No melody here but a very evocative mental picture, maybe the sound of nightmare or bad dreams. The tension goes higher during the last minutes. The pulsation is changing, exploring the place of emotional "trance". Track 2 begins with some vibrant, linear, oppressive industrial sounds, floating into the room. The orchestration features "fuzzy" accentuations, sustained synth chords and some noisy arrangements. As in the previous compositions, the last track contains some minimalist, "hypnotic", circular motifs in the background. A "monochord" surrounds the deep spheric place. We can hear similar materials in Cluster II. Without any doubts the best Cluster with the following one: psycho-electronic works focused on mechanical and organic "assaults".