Electronic Music Entry

Part 1

The mid 70’s saw emergence of an electronic revolution the music industry. Kraftwerk, an electronic techno group from Germany was at the forefront of this exciting expanse of popular music. Pioneers of electronic music and often referred to as “robot pop,” Kraftwerk infiltrated a diverse scene of genres that spawned a majority of contemporary music starting the late 20^th century to the present.

            Kraftwerk was the brainchild of Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter who initially released Kraftwerk 1 and 2 as “exploratory jam music” and a precursor to the their 1973 release of “Ralf und Florian” which began the transformation into the sound that was iconic of the electronic ensemble. The sound that the duo created embodied the technological revolution that was unfolding across the mainstream society. Their sonic presence was that of computer, robotic and digital conceptual sounds that included digital instruments, sequencers, drum machines that all ere at the forefront of the transformation happening through mainstream music.

            Their release of the album Autobahn in 1974 was themed from the epic drive the Kraftwerk members had experienced while riding on the Autobahn in Germany. This album like man of those to come embraced the newest and experimental musical technology like the Minimoog and various vocorders. Trans-Europe Express debuted around the time Hutter began to be recognized by David Bowie at Kling Klang Studios. This album embraced European train travel and like “Tour de France”  in 2003 referenced aspects of the Europeans homeland that they had cultivated into an electronic musical arrangement that offered a fresh and electronic sonic experience.

            Radio-Activity released in 1975 and Computer work in 1981 both related electronic house and techno music to the Cold War Nuclear and radioactive technology as well as several musical trends emerging and utilizing synthesizers and electronic drums. This experimental nature of Kraftwerk was essential to the direction of electronic music throughout the next 30 years. The ideas of Hutter and Florian because well embraced theories by professionals to come.