Review: Various - Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol. 1 Compiled by Fred und Luna (Compost Records)

Is it me but the future of anything is becoming a more difficult concept than ever before and if you add 'Sounds of Kraut' to that, the only thing that's definite in such a phrase is 'sound' itself.

So, let's start with the past as the sounds of kraut that we all know and love is the electronic type symbolised by Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Can, Neu, Amon Düül; and immediately there's no definite connection between them so if we use the 'perceived' connections of kraut; synths, instrumentals, machines, German/English language its perhaps the starting point that Fred und Luna started at with this project?

Fred und Luna you'll recall as the makers of 'Im Fünfminutentak' on Compost Records earlier this year (see review HERE) and "they" have put together six previously unreleased tracks by new artists that are happily 'kraut' and 6 from better known ones that have been labelled 'kraut' in the past; like I-Cube (represented here with 'Vantableu'), Sanki Otten and Pyrolator.

If you think this is a non-starter, check out 'Elkamonious Split' by Higamos Hogamos presents SPACEROCKS (don't you just love them names) and's 'Gilgamesh Mata Hari Duo's tribute 'Florian Schneider-Esleben' which is so perfect, you'd think it was Ralf & Florian.

There was a time when techno/minimal was all about the re-forming of the kraut legacy but with this compilation, Fred und Luna have focused on the repeatative synth style of Kraftwerk (pre vocal pop period)/Eno's favourites Harmonia and Cluster; check out these track titles 'Hymne der melancholischen Programmierer' (you can guess how Sanki Otten envisages that one) and the brilliant rockin' steam train, 'Die Geschichte vom heißgelaufenen Reißwolf' (Pyrolator); the exception being the one track with vocals, Oranza Ray's 'Preen Scene'.

So Neu Retro you might say, but I'll not be wanting to miss out on Vol. 2 that's promised later this year plus, as ever, the label have excelled themselves with the artwork which is a collage made by Norika Nienstedt (Düsseldorf) that's worth having in it's own right.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol. 1 compiled by Fred und Luna

Release date: 1st September, 2023

Label: Compost Records

Cat. No: CPT 621-1

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Fred Und Luna - Im Fünfminutentakt (Compost Records)

There's a new Ralf & Florian in town! Fred Und Luna are a strange double-act (in more ways than one) but if your looking for the sound of version (or more accurately of one the many versions) of Kraftwerk, this is it!

The new album, 'Im Fünfminutentakt' has lots of 'Fün' in it and if you've never heard Kraftwerks 1973 album 'Ralf & Florian' this is pretty exciting stuff and it's quite sparse electronics/synths but also includes bi-lingual vocals on some tracks; perhaps not as 'poppy' as Kraftwerks' big hits.

And then there's reflections of Kraftwerk in that most recently the "band" have been often computer generated whilst Fred Und Luna are, in fact, just "Sugar Ray" Buckmiller (aka Rainer Buchmüller) as Fred whilst Luna is a variety, from the extremes of a showroom dummy (sounds familiar?) to random "volunteers" from the audience at gigs!

This all sound like a modern day computer based Amon Düül II and to emphasis the digital craftwork (no pun etc), all of the tracks are around the 5 minute mark; three being 5:00 exactly.

And then, it sounds fun too and now boardering on the Prins Thomas remix of 'Im Klanggarten' (from 2016) which is all good and in keeping with the "Kraftwerkian edge" of "Krautelektro" and the instrumenatals to listen out for are 'Aurum C', 'Nur ein Viertelstündchen' and the vocals that work best are the unemotional, 'Tanz mit mir' and the two tracks featuring Luna(?!), the duet 'Es ist so schön' and the appropriately entitled, 'Wir atmen digital'.

What's not so representative is the beautiful piano/synth based 'Sommer' which will get picked up for some TV Theme/OST I bet or even 'Morgan' on some synth pop retro show.

I'm also getting some Bowie V2 Schneider going on with this so it's more than just a tribute act so that putting 'Im Fünfminutentakt' in with Compost's other 'leftfield', act Felix Laband (with some incredible remixes just out, see review HERE from his album, 'The Soft White Hand') and other electronic/synth early Cluster releases, you've definitly some worth more than a 0-1 soundscape.

Artist: Fred Und Luna

Title: Im Fünfminutentak

Release date: 21st April, 2023

Label: Compost Records

Cat. No: CPT 613

Format: Digital / Bandcamp