Robert Lawrence - "Electron Sorceror" (Self-Released Cassette) 1982

Robert Lawrence?Wasn't he in Five Ximes Of Dust,and  isn't he one of the genii behind one of the greatest minimal electronic albums of all time,and even before that; "The Dada Computer"?.......Yes ,it is he, and this tape of unreleased demo's is taken from that same cooking pot of divine inspiration.
Minimal, analogue,classic vintage tech,recorded in high fidelity to reveal the real beauty of the music.Like peeling off centuries of grime from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel....except this reveals a masterpiece,unlike the Sistine Chapel which revealed a rather garish amateurish fresco.
Is Robert Lawrence the Michaelangelo of Minimal Synth?.....on this evidence I'd have to say YES!
It just depends on how highly you rate Michaelangelo.(His statues did have a habit of losing limbs after all.)

Track Listing:

1  Electric Technology (1.04)
2  Bassmatix 30 (3.33)
3  Sunshine Dance (3.03)
4  Going To X5 Colony (2.54)
5  The Box Of Unlimited Happiness (1.42)
6  Broken Pipes exposed 6 (2.22)
7  Japanese Brain warning (1.43)
8  If I didn't Know Better (3.50)
9  Shanghai Music (4.30)
10 Thermal Punch (5.13)

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Con-Hertz ‎– "Contrasts" (Auricle ‎– AMC 028) 1988

Compare and contrast this three hour long Con-Hertz release with the earlier "Face On Radio" and you will discover a completely different experience. Conrad has discovered the eighties Digital synthesiser, and tries very hard to be some kind of modern composer like Philip Glass, or someone on Eno's Obscure records;and failing like a teenager tying to be Keith Jarret on his new casio keyboard he got for christmas.
Whereas "Face On Radio" is fantastic in its free bubbling simplicity,"Contrasts" is awful in its pompous "Ich bin ein Composer" pretensions,and those incredibly characterless FM digital presets he is twiddling his fingers with for THREE HOURS! This one could be edited down to a couple of ten minutes tunes only, its that boring!
There are moments when some interesting electronics and sound processing rise from the background to remind us of past glories,but they are camouflaged by that unbelievably bad 'cutting edge'(for 1988) digital porridge. 

Tracklist:

Con Brio Parts 1-24
Including Several Pieces For Small Mock Orchestra
Con Spirito Parts 1-28
Abstract Dances And Bizarre Happenings
Con Fuoco Parts 1-11
Mysterious Sounds From Beneath The Earth
Con Dolore
Con Dolore
Con Moto Parts 1-9
Returning From Whence We Came...

DOWNLOAD this complete contrast to earlier schnitzler works HERE!

Con-Hertz ‎– "Face On Radio" (Auricle ‎– AMC 016) 1986

A rather good Schnitzler collaboration with Wolfgang Hertz from between 1980/2,released on the Freeman Brothers' Auricle label.
On reflection I have to admit that I think this is better than any of CS's 'monochrome' series.Mainly because i'm a sucker for recorded radio voices and found dialogue samples,especially mixed in with abstract analogue electronics,provided by my favourite synths the Korg MS10 and MS20 (I sold my MS20 for £23 in 1986!.....Twat!).
The sounds are also more processed than earlier works,thanks duly to the input of Wolfgang "Hertz" Heusmann. These tracks are basically Schnitzler source recordings manipulated and remixed by Herr Hertz. Never released officially,until complied by Audion Magazine's Alan Freeman in 1986,to spread this great work to a wider audience.
Of special interest is the track title "The Fourth Reich",an anthem for the NWO times we live in today.Herr Schnitzler is well out of it,leaving a vast and growing legacy.

Tracklist:

1 CHz 1 (29.25)
2 CHz 2 (4.37)
3 CHz 3 (7.52)
4 The Fourth Reich (9.41)
5 Face On Radio (5.05)

BUY face on internet HERE!

Conrad Schnitzler ‎– "Gelb" (Captain Trip Records ‎– CTCD-546) 1974/1981/2006

Captain Trip's definitive reissue of the Gelb 1981 album (which was already a reissue of the 1974 The Black Cassette tape) complete with bonus tracks recorded in 1973-1974.
A wonderful bunch of analogue synth aural oil paintings with the brush strokes and finger marks of the artist left intact. There's something to admire in a craftsman who sticks to his methods in the face of commercial pressures and public ignorance.Irrespective of celebrity and or fame (even though Schnitzler is probably one of the more famed persons on this website!), CS continued up to his death,and probably beyond.Leaving a legacy that will hopefully lead him to join the holy canon of the "Famous when Dead" club.

Tracklist:

1	Gelb 1
2	Gelb 2
3	Gelb 3
4	Gelb 4
5	Gelb 5
6	Gelb 6
7	Gelb 7
8	Gelb 8
9	Gelb 9
10	Gelb 10
11	Gelb 11
12	Gelb 12
	<Bonustrack>
13	Gelb 13
14	Gelb 14
15	Gelb 15

DOWNLOAD some seventies Gold HERE!

Conrad Schnitzler ‎– "Grün" (Captain Trip Records ‎– CTCD-547) 1981/2006

Another great Conrad Schnitzler electronic voyage from his 'Monochrome' series;this is the fourth and last installment from 1981. This version being the excellent re-release by Captain Trip which features both the 33 rpm version and 45 rpm version of 'Bis Die Blaue Blume Blüht' ,which could be played at both speeds on the original vinyl version.
Could even be the best of the series? I think so anyway. Classic Schnitzler.

Tracklist

1	Der Riese Und Seine Frau (32:49)
2	Bis Die Blaue Blume Blüht /33rpm version(20:36)
	<Bonustrack>
3	Bis Die Blaue Blume Blüht / 45rpm version (14:08)

DOWNLOAD at the green light HERE! 

Conrad Schnitzler ‎– "Blau" (Conrad Schnitzler Self-released ‎– KS 1003) 1974

The rebels are hidden in the mountains,says the first track on this classic Electronic album packed with wonderful early seventies synthesiser sounds that the rebels wouldn't get to hear in the mountains. Why is it that with all instruments,it is always the first versions that sound the best, like Violins, electric Guitars,Valve amps, Theremins etc?.......its most likely because,these sounds were the first thing to be identified with the instrument in question,and to emulate that sound fully,you really need the original. Those huge synths that Tangerine Dream used were capable of such weird sounds,via patching leads and knob twiddling,that no-one could be bothered to achieve in today's instant planet. And they had no inbuilt memories either.All the settings and patches had to be written down on paper if one wished to recreate a sound at a future date; even then it wouldn't sound the same due to a nano meter's differential  on any given knob.
Therefore Schnitzler would not have been able to perform these epic tracks live,so this Self released LP is a record of the only time these sounds were played,kind of like a vinyl sequencer reproducing the composition via your stylus. I find that far more incredible than digital reproduction.Vinyl is an actual recording of the actual sounds,whereas digital is a recreation of the original sounds in blocks of zero's and ones. Music is a classic sine wave,not blocks of stuff.Vinyl and tape reproduce sine waves, digital machines do not; simple as that.
Bare that in mind,while you listen to this compressed digital version of this beautiful warm and bubbly analogue chocolate.

Tracklist:

A	Die Rebellen Haben Sich In Den Bergen Versteckt (18:48)
B	Jupiter (19:32)

DOWNLOAD Schnizlers blue period HERE!

Conrad Schnitzler ‎– "CON 84" - (Transmitter Cassetten ‎– TC 124/125) 1984

Three hours,on two c-90's, of Conrad Schnitzler's Bach-pretentions. 4 different, dated(in both senses of the word) improvisations on synthesizer; it just sounds like he's moving his fingers on a keyboard. They could be scored ,but it doesn't sound like it to these untrained ears. Its very long,and could have done with some editing,like down to a single C-90 . The synth sounds are very unadventurous and seem to be influenced by the era this was recorded in. This is the time when electronic music tried to emulate real instruments,and failed disastrously. Schnitzler is far better when he's using electronic sounds that sound like electronic sounds,as does anyone.

Tracklist:

A	1.1.84
B	29.2.84
C	1.7.84
D	10.10.84

DOWNLOAD a con from 1984 HERE!

Conrad Schnitzler ‎– "Rot" (Konrad Schnitzler Self-released ‎– KS 1002) 1973

To mark the birthday of thee most famous German (A.H.),here's one of thee most overlooked and not famous Germans,(K.S.).And in turn,back to the more intellectual end of the German electronic experience and what a load of Rot,or Red it is.How much more Red,or Rot, could a record sleeve be? None more? Well I've seen redder ones, but none by the Grandaddy, or Grossvater, of Industrial, Conrad Schnitzler. Although this early solo effort is not as proto-industrial as his previous work with Kluster, it is not yer standard Krautrock Kosmishe bore off,like Klaus Schulze,or Popol Vuh. 'Rot' concentrates on exploring and manipulating Electronic sound,rather than as accompaniment for some Utopian acid trip. No meetings with God here, just the raw reality of contorted analogue sound. Some beautiful noises twist and writhe in  the space of the two LP length sides here, one ironically entitled 'Krautrock'. A fine probing exploration this self released album is too;originally limited to just 500 copies,I expect it to comfortably pass 500 downloads very quickly,and so it should;this should be heard at least once.

Tracklist:

A	Meditation
B	Krautrock

DOWNLOAD this red meditation krautrot HERE!

Thomas System ‎– "Die Göttliche" (Wartungsfrei ‎– wf025) 1982

A jolly little tape full of jolly little tunes from a jolly German mate of the slightly less jolly Andi Arroganti,who makes an appearance here playing Synthetix(They also appear together as part of Altes Eisen) . Lots of old school low budget and lo-fi electronic toys,backed up with fashionably choppy rhythm guitar on six systemic synth pop overtures.Reminds one of a few of those Integrated Circuit Records releases in the UK around the same time.Technology is a great dissolver of borders,but creator of time barriers that cannot be broken,this is from 1982,and could never be from any other epoch;not even in Einstein's topographical universe.

Tracklist:

A1	Im Film
A2	(Es Ist) Zu Spät
A3	Egal Wohin
B1	Heute Oder Morgen
B2	Die Sonne In Der Wüste
B3	Verwüstung

DOWNLOAD a system of  download HERE!

Synthenphall ‎– "Laut & Deutlich" (Wartungsfrei ‎– wf002) 1981

A Teutonic bedroom Depeche Mode outing for Andi Arroganti of Duotronic Synterror fame. This is a more DIY electronica angled collection,leaning further towards minimal synth pop than the proto body music of his other identities.
Not being a German speaker, it is probably an advantage not understanding the 'lyrics', a definite disadvantage listening to Depeche Mode and Yazoo crooning on about teenage love or  childishsado-masochism-isms. I've always preferred the voice as an instrument rather than a tool for vomiting out the personal irrelevances of some 'tortured' teenage soul.Leave the words to people who have something interesting to communicate, like Bob Dylan,Peter Hammil or Patrik Fitzgerald?
The German language and it's harsh strangled vocal tone, fits perfectly with regimented electronics like this.Imagine Arroganti's ,otherwise awful voice, as some kind of abstract Oboe, weaving an ugly tune into a beautiful tapestry,in a Horror as beauty kind of way?

Tracklist:

A1	Allez Dancer
A2	Rita
A3	Laut Und Deutlich
A4	Die Profis
A5	Sequenza
B1	Travaillez Jamais
B2	Psycho
B3	Paul
B4	Auf Dem Teppich

DOWNLOAD an arroganti german's beautiful tapestry og ugliness HERE!

Altes Eisen ‎– "Sehr Nett" (Wartungsfrei ‎– wf012) 1982

A brief Wartungsfrei uber group outing,on a C-20 that leaves 'em wanting more.....well,at least a C-25?
Duotronic Synterror hero, Andi Arroganti, is joined by label mate Thomas System,and Joachim Burkhardt(from whence he sprung forth I do not know!?),to make a a jaunty ,early DAF-lite German New wave 20 minute set; which coincidentally your author believes this to be the optimum exposure anyone should have to any group before they outstay their welcome.
I'm pleased to say that Altes Eisen don't outstay their welcome. The combination of hand played minimal synth melodies, art-thug drumming,and abstract guitar work, are the perfect backing to Arroganti's barking. I'm gonna play this again!

Tracklist:

A1	1x1
A2	Liebe Ist Kein Spielzeug
A3	Erikas Telefon Klingelt
B1	Der Film
B2	Luxus
B3	Tote Kinder

DOWNLOAD some daf-lite german new wave HERE!

Duotronic Synterror ‎– "Pech Und Schwefel" (Wartungsfrei ‎– wf003) 1981

Moving on swiftly from the cerebral end of early 1980's German Electronica, to what normal Germans were doing with their synthesisers at home of an evening.Gathering around the SH101 and drum box for a sing-a-long, donning unwashed lederhosen ,swinging a foaming flagon of strong continental lager to an efficient 4/4 beat.
The advent of DAF lead to a legion of similar bedroom synth bands, bestowing the virtues of a hard regular,dare I say, marching beat? Overlaid with minimal hard synth sounds,usually sequenced for maximum accuracy and efficiency. A musical version of the Volkswagen , economical,reliable, and robust. This stuff is the German successor to Om-pah musik, that unwittingly reflects German folk culture, kind of frightening,with a concealed aggression,but very efficient and practical,useful; Volksmusik.

Check out more from Duotronic Synterror and Andi Arroganti  ,  here and there.

Tracklist:

A1	Liebe Auf Den Ersten Blick
A2	Blutsturz
A3	Flipperfieber
A4	Wir Stehn Auf Sex
A5	Arabische Nächte
A6	Edelweiß
B1	Metro A Move
B2	Variotronic Synterror
B3	Faules Fleisch
B4	Klaatu Warara Nicto
B5	Weltsicht
B6	Fanfare
B7	Live Mit Schnitt

DOWNLOAD some volksmusik HERE!

Asmus Tietchens ‎– "Musik Unter Tage" (Aeon ‎– AE 009) 1983

More underwater,outer atmospheric, abstract electronic noise for the inner space. I have noting more to say on the subject, except that if you like serious electronic composition of the Berlin School variety then this is for you.

Tracklist:

A1	Strenge Klänge
A2	Dämmerattacke
A3	Gelber Himmel
B1	Maschine 6B
B2	Einer 5

DOWNLOAD some intellectualised abstract electronics HERE!