Arktis - 2006 - Last Arktis Tapes

Arktis
2006
Last Arktis Tapes

01. Speed Boogie (3:44)
02. Is It Real (2:55)
03. Hey Boy (3:08)
04. Great Spring Feeling (6:12)
05. Quak Quak (3:04)
06. Very Progressive (18:04)
07. Furious Flight (8:44)
08. Slide Experience (9:44)
09. Just Walking (9:21)
10. Student's Idyll (live) (4:03)
11. Sky Drive (live) 5:07) 

The final release from this band is another compilation album like the previous one of mostly unreleased tracks and live tunes. Some good music on here but this isn't as good as the previous record. Lots of guitar led songs but it gets tiresome after a while hearing mostly the same style over and over for over 74 minutes.

"Speed Boogie" opens with the guitar swirling before a full sound kicks in. Some good pickin' on this one. "Is It Real" is a catchy vocal track. It's okay but the best part is the instrumental section starting after 1 1/2 minutes. "Hey Boy" is another commercial sounding vocal tune. "Great Spring Feeling" is excellent as the guitar leads throughout this instrumental.

"Quak Quak" features lots of guitar noodling. "Very Progressive" is good with the guitar, bass and drums jamming away for some 18 minutes. "Furious Flight" is another good guitar driven track. "Slide Experience" is more of the same really. It's good but this is the fifth of six straight tracks in this style and these aren't short songs. "Just Walking" is the final instrumental.

"Student's Idyll (Live)" is a live version of a song from the debut album. "Sky Drive (Live) ends it wih another live tune.

Arktis - 1999 - More Arktis Tapes

Arktis
1999
More Arktis Tapes 

01. Picture
02. Rare girl (slight return)
03. Stepping Ahead
04. Guitar emotion
05. Organ Growler
06. Highlands
07. Rollin' and Grumblin'
08. Proud and loud
09. Arktis Boogie
10. Space Walk
11. Let the music play
12. New Rock (live)

Klaus Blachut / guitar
Karin Töppig / voice
Klaus Göllner / bass
Harry Kottek / drums

After three failed attemps at getting signed to a label by releasing their own albums privately, ARKTIS called it quits.This particular release is a compilation of unreleased tracks, live tracks and a couple of long improvs. At 74 minutes this certainly has it's hits and misses but overall this is my favourite release from the band. I had mentioned earlier that I was surprised at how good the bonus tracks were on their first three albums and wondered why they weren't on the albums because some of these songs were not only amazing but better than the ones they used. Well here's more evidence that this band was very talented and maybe didn't always release the songs maybe they should have.

"Picture" is a favourite of mine with the melancholic guitar that is restrained. Vocals after 2 minutes are reserved. A little more energy but not much more before 4 minutes then back to that earlier mellow vibe wih vocals. "Rare Girl (Slight Return)" rocks out pretty hard then "Stepping Ahead" comes in with it's slow but raw style. It does pick up 1 1/2 minutes in and even more after 3 minutes.They are jamming folks.The guitar is lighting it up 8 minutes in.

"Guitar Emotion" sounds great with the guitar, bass and drums leading the way. It picks up 6 1/2 minutes in then settles as a bass solo takes over before 8 minutes.The drums and guitar then return. "Organ Growler" is catchy with organ coming in over top. Guitar before 3 minutes then the tempo picks up. "Highlands" has this laid back guitar and sound. I like it. It builds then settles back before 5 minutes.

"Rollin' And Grumblin" has these raw guitar leads that are fantastic. "Proud And Loud" has lots of ripping guitar in it. "Arktis Boogie" is just that.

"Space Walk" is much better. Killer tune. "Let The Music Play" isn't the best. A weak vocal track really. "New Rock (Live)" opens with the band or the song being introduced in German. Sounds like it belongs on the debut album. I like it.

Arktis - 1976 - On The Rocks

Arktis
1976
On the Rocks

01. Dangerous Love (4:31)
02. Since You've Been Gone (5:35)
03. Never Come Back (5:00)
04. Please, Call Me (5:26)
05. Loneliness (20:01)

Bonus track:
06. Y.T.T. (5:57)

Karin Toppig / vocals
Harry Kottek / drums
Manni Dick / guitar
Axel Maurer / keyboards
Bernd Kolf / bass

This was ARKTIS' third attempt at a self-released album in order to get a record deal. Unfortunately the third time wasn't the charm. Actually after the last album two important members being the lead guitarist and bass player left the band feeling disillusioned with everything. The female singer and drummer decided to keep the band going and recruited not only a new guitarist and bass player but a keyboardist. They decided to make this album similar to the debut with shorter songs on side one of the LP and a side long suite on side two. As usual Conny Plank gave some assistance in the studio. After this was released they were actually working on album number four but when the news came out that this was their worst selling album to date they folded up the tent and called it a day. I feel that this is the worst of the first three albums. Funny thing though is that the bonus tracks on each of the first three albums are in most cases better than one they decided to release on the actual albums. And this is proved by the following release called "More Arktis Tapes" which is a compilation of songs they didn't use on their albums. It's their best release by far !

"Dangerous Love" is an up-tempo track with vocals. A guitar solo comes in after 2 minutes and again late to end it. "Since You've Been Gone" is another up-tempo track with vocals similar to the first one really. The organ floats in the background again. Nice guitar solo 3 minutes in.

"Never Come Back" is where they slow it down with vocals and soaring guitar. Not a fan of this one at all. Way too long. "Please, Call Me" is up-tempo like the first two with vocals. The guitar cries out to end it. Not a fan of this one either.

"Loneliness" is the side long 20 minute suite. The weird thing about this one is that it reminds me of THE CHURCH with those reserved vocals and that repetitive melancholic sound. I like the bonus song better than the album tracks.

I would have sworn with this album and the previous one that it was a guy singing. She doesn't sound at all like she did on the debut but she's the only one listed as the singer so...I guess she decided to sing in a deeper more reserved manner which was too bad really. 

Arktis - 1975 - Tapes

Arktis
1975
Tapes

01. New Rock (5:56)
02. Boogie (3:01)
03. Small Talk (4:44)
04. High Fly (5:57)
05. Walkin' With My Baby (2:57)
06. Pique-Nique (6:07)
07. Dan 1 (3:22)
08. Deep In (7:39)
09. Rock'n'Roll (3:30)

Bonus tracks:
10. Evolution (16:17)
11. Speeding Up (13:17)

Karin Töppig / voice
Klaus Blachut / guitar
Klaus Göllner / bass
Harry Kottek / drums

This is the second straight self-released album by the German band ARKTIS who were trying to get the attention of a label to sign them.There would be one more self-released album after this then they gave up as no label seem interested. Because they didn't get a contract based on their debut album released a year earlier in 1974 they changed their style on this one.They would do the same for the third album as well. Lot's of instrumentals on this one and Karin has changed her vocal style unfortunately.That heavy Psyche stlye is replaced by Boogie, Beat and other styles.There's more variety here which isn't a positive in my opinion. No side long suite either unless you included the bonus tracks which I don't.

"New Rock" is a top three and it reminds me of the debut with that dark intro as the female vocals then guitar join in. I really like the guitar that comes and goes over top. "Boogie" is a catchy instrumental. It's okay.

"Small Talk" is better with the strummed guitar, bass and a beat.The electric guitar comes in before a minute. Nice.The vocals on this one trade off with the electric guitar the rest of the way. A top three. "High Fly" is my final top three as we get some heaviness with the guitar playing over top.The tempo picks up before 3 1/2 minutes.

"Walkin' With My Baby" is the start of five straight instrumentals.This one is fairly simple with guitar and a beat. "Pique-Nique" is also a laid back instrumental. "Dan 1" is strummed guitar with a beat throughout. 

Arktis - 1973 - Arktis

Arktis
1973
Arktis

01. Student's Idyll (4:02)
02. Outcasted (5:34)
03. Jeff the Fool (3:25)
04. Rare Girl (20:08)

Bonus tracks (recorded 1974)
05. Is it Real (2:45)
06. Sky Drive (4:27)
07. Don't Hang Around (4:21)

Karin Toppig / voice
Klaus Blachut / guitar
Harry Kottek / drums
Klaus Gollner / bass

This is a pretty cool sounding band from Germany listed under Krautrock here. This is very much a guitar driven, heavy Psyche album with a female vocalist. Not the proggiest album out there although we do a get a side long suite which is the highlight of this 1974 recording. I'm just a sucker for this style of music, especially the upfront guitar. This is a self-released album by the band as they were trying to get signed by a label. In fact the next two albums would also be self-released and they never could get signed oddly enough even with the help of Conny Plank.

"Student's Idyll" hits the ground running with a rumbling heavy sound and the guitar leading the way. The vocals join in quickly. They are in English throughout. I'm just not a fan of this straight-forward tune though. The guitar starts to solo before 2 1/2 minutes and continues until after 3 minutes when the vocals return. "Outcasted" has more of a focus on the vocals although there is still this good raw sound. It settles after 3 minutes as the vocals stop and the guitar leads. She's back after 4 1/2 minutes. It's okay.

"Jeff The Fool" has these lyrics that describe how bad he (Jeff) is and she ends the line each time with "...people say i'm crazy hey !". Oh boy. Another up-tempo, guitar led tune. Love the guitar solo from after a minute until after 2 1/2 minutes.

"Rare Girl" is the over 20 minute closer. This is the one that saves this album from being very average. This has a darker sound to it as the guitar opens then bass, drums and vocals join in. She's even singing in a more serious manner and with some attitude. A change 2 minutes in to a brighter sound and no vocals until 3 1/2 minutes in. It kicks into a fuller sound at 5 minutes with the guitar leading and no vocals. It settles 6 1/2 minutes in with the guitar still leading and sounding great. A calm 9 1/2 minutes in then it kicks in heavily until 18 minutes in. Nice. Then the opening soundscape with vocals is reprised. Amazing tune !