PLANET OF MAN

CODE III really was a project put together to simply showcase the Kunstkopf Artificial Head Recording System. Studio engineer Manfred Schunke was the man behind this and he brought in American multi-instrumentalist Ed Key along with his wife (vocals) and Apama Chakravarti who played tambura, harmonium and added vocals. Manfred asked Klaus Schulze if he would be interested in participating in experimenting with this new technology and he not only said yes he helped in the renovations to the studio. Klaus was back on the drum stool once again.This past week i've been listening to some strange music my friends, not only with this album but also with that DRUM CIRCUS album. Both are so inventive and well done though that it's hard not to be impressed with either.This was is also quite the trip I must say.

"Formations / The Genesis" is the almost 18 minute track to get us warmed up.We get different spacey sounds coming and going to start as distant sounding spoken words arrive before 2 minutes. It sounds like thunder before 3 1/2 minutes. A haunting atmosphere at 6 1/2 minutes followed by more spoken words.Water sounds come in as it continues to be haunting. Birds then come in chirping as acoustic guitar joins in as well. Flute-like sounds join in after 9 minutes followed by reserved vocals as the birds and guitar continue.This is great, it reminds me of an old FLOYD song as it's quite folky. It all gets more passionate then we get vocal melodies before 13 minutes then vocals 15 minutes in. Spoken words and atmosphere take over 16 1/2 minutes in. What a ride that was !

"Dawn Of An Era" opens with faint words then a line is repeated "Man is coming" over and over. Loud bangs come in then native chanting.This is quite haunting too.

"Countdown-Phoenix Rising" opens with female vocal melodies and harmonium. Faint spoken words before 2 1/2 minutes as the vocal melodies stop. Another person speaks over top of the first person who continues. A third person starts yelling and dropping some "f" bombs towards the second speaker as the first speaker continues.Yes this is insane ! The music kicks in after 4 1/2 minutes.This is great ! Klaus is pounding away then the vocal melodies join in a minute later.The tempo picks up before 7 minutes. Some strange shouts after 8 1/2 minutes then it picks up even more. So good. Silence 11 1/2 minutes in until faint sounds can be heard before 13 minutes. Spoken words too then a beat takes over and speeds up. Loud strange sounds after 17 1/2 minutes then we get a reprise of the music from the first track that I had said sounds like FLOYD when they play in that folky style.

I have read that this sounds amazing with headphones on. It's the Artificial Head technology !