SEHR KOSMISCH, GANZ PROGISCH

Apparently there has long been an undercurrent of admiration for Krautrock in today's glorious Scandinavian prog music scene, and led by Ketil Vestrum Einarsen it's all come together in an album that I've been listening to repeatedly for months now. I really can't get over 'Sehr Kosmisch, Ganz Progisch' and certainly can't do it justice in text. There are already excellent reviews of this album from PA's senior reviewers but any 'Krautrock' or 'Psychedelic/Space Rock' fan simply must hear this masterpiece. One feature not previously noted is the classical track titles:

'Tanzen und Springen' is a madrigal by the Dutch Renaissance composer Hans Leo Hassler (I wonder if this comes from guest musician Lars Fredrik Frøislie of Wobbler).

'Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde' is a song by Mahler.

'Die Kunst der Fuge' is a famous collection of pieces by Bach.

'Tristrant' is a romance by a 12th century German poet called Eilhart von Oberge (ditto to note for track 1).

Phew - going back to Krautrock(!), here's my take on the original inspiration: the band's geographical name 'Weserbergland', and the music of the first two tracks, are vintage Neu!. On both of that band's major albums there are 'geographical' titles ('Weissensee' on the 1972 album, and 'Seeland' on the 1975 album). The lovely, languid electronic style of these tracks is particularly similar to Weserbergland's 'Tanzen' and 'Trinklied'. The last three minutes of the second track also sound inspired by Irmin Schmidt's semi-musical electronics (such as on Can's 'Bel Air' to name one example).

But when it comes to 'Kunst' and 'Tristrant', I am simply overwhelmed, I've never heard the like. Walls of magnificent sound, beautiful melodies surrounded by all sorts of complexity and Planet Zog percussion. The last track especially is where all the guest 'stars' (in our world) perform and it has to be heard to be believed. A special mention (again) to Lars Fredrik Frøislie who thereby features on both my favourite albums of 2017 (no prizes for guessing the other).

Verdict: Einwahn's #1 album of 2017.

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