RALF & FLORIAN

Ralf & Florian is the album where Kraftwerk started to sound like Kraftwerk that we all know and love so much. The electronic experimentations from the last album have finally worked their way into intertwining with the music instead of just being junky noise. This isn't quite the Kraftwerk robo-electro progressive pop yet, though. This album is equal parts progressive electronic and krautrock, but you can hear the obvious development in sound that would become to define Kraftwerk.

"Elektrisches Roulette" sounds like a very poppy krautrock track, and is fun and springing with happiness and energy. Think a sped up Neu! "Tongebirge" always sounded to me like Yes' "The Fish" with ambient modification as done by Brian Eno. "Kristallo" is an obvious precursor to the additional tracks found on the Autobahn LP. "Heimatklange" is a soft keyboard track with a steady electronic drone in the back, and it serves the purpose of being a beautiful intermission before the last two (and best) tracks. "Tanzmusik" is a very danceable track with a fluttery, butterfly-like melodies. This track also seems like an obvious comparison to Neu! "Ananas Symphonie" is a great progressive electronic/ambient combination track, and is the most notable track on the album. It's the longest track and it moves through various soft passages and includes fine field-recording manipulations that really give it an organic vs. inorganic vibe.

Ralf & Florian is one of my personal favorite Kraftwerk albums. It really puts on display the slightly primitive electronic experimentations that would eventually develop to become the trademark Kraftkwerk sound. This album is also a perfect merging of krautrock and progressive electronic, done in a way that I've not actually heard before, which makes this album seem like one of a kind. A definite masterpiece.