RADIO-ACTIVITY [AKA: RADIO-AKTIVITÄT]

"Radioactivity is the logical successor of "Autobahn", radically orientated to sophisticated cold electro pop music with a dose of "concrete" experimentations. The material is not as contrasted as in their two previous effort (flute, acoustic elements totally disappear after a last use in "Morgenspaziergang"). The leaders Florian Schneider & Ralf Hutter continues to confirm that they are the co-pioneers of electronic music. "Radioactivity" starts with a metronomic pulse ("Geiger Counter") which accelerates until the entry of synth choir in the background and a simplistic, catching melody accompanied by a rather plaintive voice (Radioactivity). The atmosphere of the self titled track is unmistakable (cold, vibrant and emotional). With "Radioland" the affective tension falls into a fantasist, monotonous atmosphere with radiophonic experimental sounds and vocals in German (mentioning a use of the "vocoder" system). The following track is a brief humoristic, simple, rhytmical electronic music (old dated, too naive for me). After several interludes of radiophonic programs mixed with electronic collages we have an interesting, efficient electronic tune with drum machines, cosmic noises and a strange, cold echo voice ("Antenna"). The album closes the concept with two naive electronic pieces that I find quite light and pleasant. Too sum up things this album contains distracting "artefacts", sound manipulations taken from concrete noises and good electronic pop hymns.