Music 10K: 67. Schwingungen

Thursday, April 14, 2011

67. Schwingungen

Schwingungen by Ash Ra Tempel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ash Ra Tempel. A breath of fresh air. Spacey, psychedelic, and experimental, this krautrock band from Germany takes music to other places.

"Light: Look at Your Sun" rings in with emotional, accented vocals and soulful guitars that wail and sing to fit right in with 1972. Building to the repeated "we are all one" lyrics, the music is a traditional opening piece that crescendos and then somberly smolders and dies out.

In contrast, "Darkness: Flowers Must Die" is a 12 and a half minute experimental trip starting off with the twangy Jew's harp and crazy vocals that verge on mindless babble and yelling. The saxophone along with the speedy guitar riff combine jazz and rock in an acid trip spin of mystique and emotionality. Perhaps the guys of Ash Ra Tempel were on a rock n roll spirit quest. The improvisational quality and the tripping distortions make one wild song.

Tying off the album, "Schwingungen: Suche/Liebe" begins with soft notes on the vibraphone taking one into a dreamworld. Nearly 20 minutes in length, the faint organ and electronics hover in the background and create a very mysterious and strange cosmic vibe. Are we in space? Where are we? Ash Ra Tempel makes you question. Looking up the translation for the word "Suche", I've come to find it means "Search". When the song transitions to the echoing vocals, guitars, and percussion, it becomes clear that "Liebe" or "Love" is an appropriate title for the second half.

This music is incredibly progressive for the 70s and is some seriously unusual and intriguing stuff. I was turned onto Ash Ra by listening to an online mixtape Lockett Pundt of Deerhunter compiled for a radio show. With them, you feel like you're on a journey. This album gives us three lengthy tracks that are memorable and otherworldly. Check out more of their stuff if you haven't already.