COLLECTOR'S ITEM (1986-1993)

Just when prolific German artist's Norbert Krueler career took off, he resided from discography for about three years.Surprisingly he came back in 1993 not only recording a brand new album, but also offering a double-CD compilation entitled ''Collector's Items'' with music pieces created by Krueler between 1986 and 1993.The album was again released on Fenn Music.

The first disc contains material written by Shamall between 1988 and 1993.The style here is a mix of TANGERINE DREAM electronics along with spacey New Age elements and DEPECHE MODE-like Synth Pop.The music is totally instrumental, largely based on Krueler's synths, sequences and pianos with only occasional flashes of bass and guitar sounds along with programmed drumming.However the whole CD is actually quite boring with long repetitive grooves and cheap synth sounds, not to mention the overall sound is ''computerized'' and far from anything human sounding.Actually if you listen to the first track is like you have listened to the whole 70 minutes of the CD's time length.No surprises or particular emotions to be discovered.

The second disc is more diverse with material written in 1986 and 1987, but again far from being trully recommended.Reasonably this time the sound is closer to Synth Pop/Rock with some more guitars and basses to be heard and finally some vocals added to color a bit this pale effort.To my ears the pieces of the second CD sound more dynamic, darker and far more energetic than the first one, although Krueler's style is going quite far from anything progressive.

Shamall fails to impress with his previously unreleased material.If you own any of Krueler's early albums, this album is propably an excess.But even if you don't, there is nothing here worth of recommending it.Mostly uninspired and repetitive Electronic/Synth-Pop with rare occasions of challenging music.This should end up to be what actually its title suggests: a collector's item...1.5 stars.