The Mix

by

Kraftwerk

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"By pressing down my special key, it plays a little melody." Those are words that all fans of electronic music are familiar with. They come from the 1981 song, Pocket Calculator, by the German techno group Kraftwerk, possibly the most influential group on all modern music. Pocket Calculator as well as many other Kraftwerk greats are found on the astounding disc titled, The Mix, a reworking of classic Kraftwerk hits from the 70's and 80's that would inspire genres such as new wave, rap, and techno. This disc has great beats, creative samples, innovative sounds, and catchy hooks. After pioneering the sound of synthesized music over three decades ago, Kraftwerk impressively stands atop the heap of the big-beat wasteland spawned in their wake and reassert their place in history with this hit spectacular. Back in the early seventies, Kraftwerk exploded onto the music scene in Europe with the release of the single Autobahn. They were tapping into a sound that would end up changing music forever. The roots of rap, techno, dance, and new wave were born in the release of this song and the many others to follow. The singles kept on rolling as the music industry began to take notice, as did the first generation of Kraftwerk fans. The latest release, The Mix, showcases those singles with 90's modifications. The beats are mostly samples of electronic sounds created with synthesizers, but are much more creative than any of today's mainstream techno, R&B, and rap group's sounds. Instead of distorted guitar, booming bass, and screaming voices, Kraftwerk uses an array of sounds that are unique when compared to such acts as The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, and Crystal Method. While most of today's electronic bands sound similar to one another, Kraftwerk maintains that edge that earned them the praise of critics around the world on their historic past efforts. Even though this release is a reworking of previous material, it still sounds fresh and new. The assortment of sounds and heavy hitting beats are very good on The Mix. They are varied in such a way that no matter what your mood, there is a beat to please you on this album. The slow, mesmerizing beat of Autobahn relaxes listeners, while the following three tracks, Radioactivity, Trans Europe Express, and Abzug, showcase the harder side of Kraftwerk's beats. The eerie keyboards and metal on metal clangs are enough to send chills down anybody's spine. The drum machine is loud on all of the songs, thus giving every song a beat that must be acknowledged by the listener. Another interesting thing about this record is that the beat never stops. Every song is mixed into the next, via a breakdown, or a bridge that slows or speeds the beat to match the tempo of the next song. Classic Kraftwerk samples are thrown in to help fans distinguish the next song before the track even changes. Fans and non-fans alike will be pleased with the samples used to compile the robotic sounds this album offers. Unlike much of today's rap and electronic releases, Kraftwerk uses all original samples. No other artist's work is used on a single song on this, or any of Kraftwerk's albums. This sets this German group in another domain that none of today's techno groups can claim to be a part of. It sounds as though the beats are layered with many different levels and structures made with things as simple as pots and pans. This strategy works well, as this makes for a more textured sound with harder hitting beats than past Kraftwerk releases. This brings us to the innovative sounds Kraftwerk displays on The Mix. Sound effects that are not of this world would be the best way to describe the virtually indescribable sounds Kraftwerk comes up with on this collection. Everybody must hear this disc to fully comprehend the depth and charismatic style delivered by Kraftwerk on each and every song that makes up this 11- song album. The only problem with the choice of sound effects used on this album is the overuse of robotic voice boxes. They pretend to be robots almost to the point of amusement, as they robotically sing the line, "we are the robots," over and over again in the first song on the album, The Robots. The strong point to be made about this song is the fact that it has universal club play written all over it with the catchy loops and irresistible disco beat. Kraftwerk is what is called a "loop group." What this means is that they use catchy pop-style repeats, choruses, and refrains to keep the attention of the listener and make the songs recognizable. The over-all appeal is good, as fans can learn the lyrics without difficulty and dance comfortably to the beats that they can easily remember and recognize. The monotone voices of the men in Kraftwerk are looped during the chorus of each song so that the heavy German accents are placed into one's head eternally. This adds individuality to the legends that created the sound of rap, R&B, and techno music as we know it today. This is also why the hooks created by Kraftwerk are sampled by today's artists more than those of any other group or solo artist in history.

The Mix is a compilation from Kraftwerk that was released in 1991. It furnishes 11 compositions, and all of them have something to offer. The sound quality of this album is remarkable; it is clean and dynamic. I also like the pulsating beats. The music is vibrant, precise, creative, and serious. "Trans Europe Express," "Abzug," and "Metal on Metal" are my favorite pieces. The sharp-sounding, commanding "Trans Europe Express" sports some absorbing synthesizer melodies. The CD is just over 65 minutes. The Mix is a satisfying electronic music compilation, and I recommend it.