soon in the archives

Here is what I can say about them:

HARMONIA: Pre-ambient / electronic prog music with members of Neu! & Cluster.

Before to start a fruitful career in solo, Michael Rother integrated Cluster’s side project called Harmonia. Initially formed by Hans Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, the band had the intention to go further in ambient music approach. Rejecting a great part of the experimental side of Cluster’s music (I & II), they recorded Musik von in 1974. Michael Rother who produced the same year Cluster’s zukerzeit, collaborated in Harmonia for guitars, ambient synth parts. With rather discreet appearances of the band on stage, the promotion of Musik von failed to attract the attention of the public. Musically the compositions stay obscure, consisting of complex, “avant-garde” pieces made for electronic gadgets, organs, including drum machines, repetitive pulses. The atmosphere is “abstract”, sometimes “cosmic” but still melodic. In 1975, the trio recorded its seminal Deluxe with the participation of Mani Neumeier (Guru Guru) on drums. The album was produced by Michael Rother himself. With new, various compositional ideas, inventive synthesized sounds and Rother’s guitar signature, this album is more relaxed, light than the previous one. Historically it remains a pre-ambient electronic standard. Brian ENO who is fascinated by the music of Harmonia joined the musicians on stage during a concert at the Fabrik Club in Hamburg.

He finally collaborated with the band in 1976 for their last album Harmonia 76- Tracks & traces. The music is clearly into ambient, “aquatic”, dreamy atmospheres with floating synth effects, repetitive guitar lines. ENO wrote the lyrics and provided some synth parts. After Harmonia’s dissolution, Brian Eno will work with Roedelius & Moebius for several personal albums (Cluster & Eno, 1977/ Before and After Science, 1977 / After the Heat, 1979).

Splendid stuff - I've only got 'Musik Von Harmonia', though I'm a huge fan of Neu! and the Cluster/Eno collaborations. 'Deluxe' and '76 Tracks and Traces' are both on my extremely long wish list. 

Yes, "Liliental" an "ambient" project by Moebius with nice jazzy rock arrengements due to sax parts. A very accessible and beautiful album! Time will say if I need to include them in the archives.

I think about adding Klaus Dinger's La Dusseldorf project soon!

Yes I know this album. After the release of Liliental, Moebius has recorded several albums with the help of Conny Plank. "zero set" is a must from this period! A splendid album which combines the abstract, conceptual sense of music, typically from Europe and the passion, the spontaneity and the rhythm of African music.

Bernard Xolotl  is a visionnary artist in "electro acoustic", "cosmic" / abstract music. He probably deserves a page in "electronic prog"

I don't know Pascal Comelade's carrer after Heldon

I think to add Roedelius but also Moebius' fruitful career in solo soon! same thing for Between!

"Canaxis" by Holger Czukay is one of my all time favorite album, sumptuous sidereal music with gorgeous ethnic,mystical influences. However I don't know the whole career of the man in solo.

Also well worth checking out by Holger Czukay:

Movies (first post can solo album)

Rome Remains Rome (featuring Pope John Paul II)

Radio Wave Surfer (oddball improvs with very strange lyrics)

I've yet to hear anything by him that wasn't at least interesting. There are lots of samples and clips on his excellent website http://www.czukay.de/ - http://www.czukay.de/