ELECTRIC DAY

Final gasps of the seventies

The tail-end of the seventies was a confusing time musically. In many ways you could say that the progressive scene, be that the rock, electronic or both coupled up together - came together in a very homogeneous way that foretold the sonic soap operas of the impending decade. Music got slick and smooth, and a certain metallic and industrial tone had suddenly infected the different recording studios. The sounds of the synthesiser are testimony to this hypothesis of mine. Having spawned from the vibrant and vivacious drive masterly conveyed on classic electronic records such as Alpha Centauri and Blackdance - now those synths took on the very thing that people associated them with: Robots.

You is a fine example of this evolution. They produced their first album in 1979 with the gift of hindsight and the ability to choose from whatever slice of Germanic electro history they saw fit. With the add on of Harald Grosskopf, I guess the group naturally leaned towards that ever so floating Klaus Schulze universe. Remember Grosskopf played with Schulze on the Bodylove soundtrack as well as Moondawn. Still, like I said, the feel of the music is one of order and metal. The recording techniques had revolutionised themselves so as you finally could purchase an album without all of the inappropriate 'noise'... Needless to say(mostly because I keep saying this....) that I've always thought of noise as half of the music. Those ambient oscillations emanating from instruments that take up the invisible room of any recording are priceless and irreplaceable - but whatever you do - don't kill 'em.

Now whilst some sections on this debut album feel somewhat close to the great oceanic textures of the aforementioned electronic guru and pioneer, you also sense a devout and knowledgeable act that know their way around musicians like Moebius, Froese, Schnitzler and Hoenig. The one thing You manage to slap onto the proceedings here that set them slightly apart is speed. The first cut illustrates just how brilliantly and innovatively they do this - sounding like an amphetamine fuelled Berlin school track with a motorik groove that goes faster than anything else from the scene I've come across before.

Other than that, you are facing sequencers up the wazoo, the occasional mellotron as well as those soapy synths that pre-dated the whole 'new age' scene by a couple of years. Real acoustic drumming courtesy of Monsieur Grosskopf and last but not least: Edgar Froese guitar stylings, which incidentally just means David Gilmour butter fingers fondling up the odd guitar string now and again.

I think the tracks on this debut all are pretty good. I actually find some of them quite refreshing and successful, and I'll happily recommend this one to anyone seeking a way into the German electronic scene. I would think the combination of guitar and drums eases the rock fiend's relentless cravings.

If you enjoy the late 70s electronic scene - the moment before the wave broke and flooded the lands with plastic and marshmallow antics, then you should probably take a chance on this recording. Sure, you get a lot of the usual sonic suspects, but there is a charm and warmth to some of these cuts that are as welcome and innovative to the scene as a metallic elbow on your forehead, yet somehow this thing works. 3.5 stars.

Berlin School at the dawn of the eighties

First studio album by YOU, "Electric Day" is in the straight lineage of the 70's electronic Berlin School. The music is mainly based on trippy pulsating electronic sequences weaving hypnotic textures. The German duo adds however more rhythm, futuristic sonorities and upbeat percussions typical of this period. This is also partly due to the participation of Klaus Schulze collaborator and ASHRA member Harald Grosskopf at drums.

The title track features a fast frenetic loop over a dreamy soundscape, in the vein of KLAUS SCHULZE-meets-HELDON. Then comes the very nice "Magooba". A little softer piece, with distorted guitar solo and slight oriental touches, which can remind ASHRA at times. Back to rapid sequencing with the more rhythmic "Son Of A True Star". This average track is nonetheless a bit repetitive and does not contain many variations.

The short "Sequential Spectrums" parts are slow drone contemplative pieces. On the contrary, "Slow Go" is the longest track of the record. This composition is a lengthy electronic improvisation built around Grosskopf's drumming, and has therefore reminiscences of TANGERINE DREAM's "Madrigal Meridian" suite from their 1978 album "Cyclone". The ender "Zero-Eighty-Four" features mysterious strange sci-fi sonorities and sounds rather... bizarre.

For a first studio album, "Electric Day" is quite pleasant. The German duo is just beginning to develop its own musical identity here. In 1979, YOU were one of the only few bands to propose such quick sequenced hypnotic electronic music. Their elder brothers TANGERINE DREAM were still in their progressive rock period before they turned more melodic in the 80's, while KLAUS SCHULZE was changing direction.

Although uneven and not genuinely innovative, this first opus is very futuristic and spacey. Recommended to 70's sequenced electronic music lovers!

A great electronic discovery for me. The fact this German group You recorded their debut in 1979, and had it released the following year, 1980, was the big reason I passed on them, given even progressive electronic was going downhill by '79, so I couldn't imagine You being worth my time. Well, I was wrong, I was just blown away by Electric Day.

Unsurprisingly this is Berlin School electronic music, very much as you expect: heavy on the sequencers, but also Edgar Froese- like guitar playing and none other than Harald Grosskopf on drums, although he was credited as Lhan Gopal, don't ask me why, perhaps it was due to his contract with Sky Records (his album Synthesis came out roughly the same time). It's perhaps a bit more hyper than even what Tangerine Dream would do, and they do not go for that "calm and sedate" stuff that Klaus Schulze is known for (I do enjoy his calm and sedate stuff, like on Mirage, so not to knock on him). Mellotron even makes an appearance on "Slow Go". What's really surprising is the tron in question is the Mark II, as the Mark II seemed to have disappeared from recordings after 1973 (roughly the time Genesis put out their live album). England's Garden Shed (1977) is often thought of as the last commercial recording using the Mark II until the 1990s tron revival, but it appears to be Electric Day. My big gripe is why they didn't use the tron more? Tangerine Dream certainly used it to great effect on many of their albums and You could have had that potential. Strangely You would continue using a Mellotron through the 1980s, only this time a Novatron, but I hadn't heard those albums, but apparently a cut above what many other electronic acts were doing at the time. Anyways, I was also happy that there are no new wave, new age, synth pop or modern elements in Electric Day, which makes me ever so happy. Strangely this music reminds me of some of those newer progressive electronic artists you might run across on Bandcamp. Whatever the case, another great album highly recommended to the fans of Berlin School electronic music.

YOU were an Electronic band out of Germany and this is their debut called "Electric Day". We get real drums and guitar along with two guys adding synths, so a four piece with the drummer being Harald Grosskopf who knows a thing or two about Electronic music. He's played with Klaus Schulze, ASHRA, THE COSMIC JOKERS, WALLENSTEIN, ASHRA TEMPEL and more. He also helped mix this record. This band would release six studio albums over three decades with most in the 80's. I really dig this album and the guitar is different, quite abrasive at times and they add mellotron on one track as there was a MKII in the studio they were recording in.

While my top three tracks don't include the opening title track I want to mention it because it's a really good electronic piece with sequencers, cymbals and synths that gust over top. First top three is the next one "Magooba" and it's the guitar that's the draw for me here. Again it's abrasive with hit and run tactics before becoming a little more melodic after 2 minutes but still shrill. He's lighting it up before 4 minutes all the while we get electronics and spacey synths supporting.

Not a top three but I love the mournful synths on "Son Of A True Star" along with the drums. The synths sound awesome before 4 1/2 minutes. Second top three is "Slow Go" at almost 12 minutes. Beautiful sound when the mellotron arrives after 2 minutes. So warm and spacey. Drums before 5 minutes with sequencers in tow as the mellotron steps aside but returns to end it. Guitar expressions 8 minutes and drums came in too at some point. The final track is my last top three called "Zero- Eighty-Four" at 8 1/2 minutes. It's experimental to start, quite spacey before a beat arrives. Guitar starts to make some noise after 3 minutes and when they add some depth it just sounds amazing. So much going on here!

If your like me and prefer some guitar and real drums in your Electronic music you really need to check this debut out. Love the album cover as well.