Pioneers of electronic music,
Kraftwerk has had a lasting effect across many genres of modern music.
For over 40yrs Kraftwek’s all-electronic music has paved the way influencing
many artists and setting the stage for new music genres to come to fruition. The
band was formed in 1970 by Ralf Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, which upon
creation gave off an immediate robotic feel. This is definitely so when the
band performs on stage. Standing behind their synthesizers they combine
repetition and appealing melodies all within a minimalistic approach.
Kraftwerk’s
first several releases in the early 70’s were experiments in rock. None of
their early works used hooks or catchy structures. Both Hütter and Schneider
have remarked that they never found poppy songs or catchy songs that are found
frequenting radios that interesting. They are more interested in having the
listener unsure what is coming next, but at the same time enjoy what is being
played. Those several albums were more of an exploration into modifying various
instruments through multi-dubbing and tape manipulation.
They found
their first commercial success in 1974 with the release of Autobahn. This album
allowed them to spread their music to a wider audience cover all of Europe and
even reached the US and Canada. Their hit title Autobahn, the same as the album
title, was an ode to the monotony many face while driving this
well-known road. The two albums released afterward Radio-Activity and
Trans-Europe Express would also pay homage to other such modern
marvels. The band would maintain similar themes through subsequent releases.
With
their ability of synthesizing in an minimal capacity it drives their music to
be popish. Hütter and Schneider would certainly have something to say after
reading that, but this style of music is no different from the simplicity of a pop
singer. People find solace in simplicity and that’s what’s makes both styles
appealing. While I may not find their music engaging it’s undeniable to see how
the use of effects in their music has drifted over to many bands and even bled
into numerous genres.
Patric,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog this week on Kraftwerk. It was very informative and while reading it I saw some information that was new to me. I agree that while their sound was different at the time, it contains many pop elements and in turn has mass appeal due to the simplicity of the music. You seemed to have covered all your bases in terms of the items on the rubric. There are no structure or grammar mistakes to be seen. The only thing I could suggest is to maybe talk a bit more about the subsequent albums and their themes. I thought they were quite interesting. Overall though, you did a great job.
-Jahan Gonzalez