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Klaus Schulze - Big in Japan CD (album) cover

BIG IN JAPAN

Klaus Schulze

 

Progressive Electronic

3.27 | 26 ratings

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Conor Fynes
Prog Reviewer
3 stars 'Big In Japan' - Klaus Schulze (6/10)

If there's ever been an electronic composer one might call prolific, it is Klaus Schulze. An artist who has now gotten used to composing drawn out suites of music on the spot in front of an audience, it seems a live recording of the man's creativity is the best way to hear him work. Enter 'Big In Japan', an album recorded in front of a live audience by an electronic musician with forty years of experience to work with. At two discs of complete material and even a single track approaching forty-seven minutes, it would be easily to think at first glance that this is a challenging piece of work. Quite on the contrary, Schulze has fashioned a very ambient two hours of music here, and while the album's gratuitous length may be questionable, Klaus Schulze pulls through here with soothing electronic sounds.

Although recorded in front of a live audience, there is little here that might suggest that this wasn't a studio recording, besides the occasional bout of applause from an otherwise lifeless audience. From someone that is more used to hearing a live recording plagued by the cheers and jeers of intoxicated audience members, this is a welcome change, because it gives a studio quality clarity of the sound, with the sort of sonic resonance that can only be achieved when everything is being recorded at once. Although it sounds like Klaus picks up a guitar once or twice in the concert, he is almost always stuck behind a synthesizer, noodling around and at times even creating some very well intentioned segments. With virtually every track here being indistinguishable from the other, it is evident that the music here is being improvised, but taken for what it is, the effect is rather refreshing.

There's no doubt that 'Big In Japan' is a relaxing piece of work, but really the biggest weakness here is in it's structure; more specifically the length. Both discs are filled almost completely with music, and while this does technically give more music for one's money, the whole addition of a second disc on its own feels utterly ridiculous. While the live album is obviously supposed to emulate a live performance in its entirety from Klaus Schulze, for listening purposes, it would have been much nicer if Schluze had compiled the best ideas and put them all into two or three tracks on one disc.

'Big In Japan' may be more of a fan-based item, but I find it is one of the better examples of Schulze's ingenuity with improvisation. Despite its gross length, I find that 'Big In Japan' is a fairly enjoyable piece of electronic ambiance, and quite easy to get lost in at that.

Conor Fynes | 3/5 |

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