A Japanese band playing Krautrock???? This certainly sounds like something that would be on a Julian Cope fantasy wish list……….Taking inspiration from the classic early 70s German bands but adding a new twist to the genre, the Minami Deutsch self-titled debut album embodies the ‘Endless Straight’ motorik of Neu!, La Dusseldorf and Harmonia evoking an era when some of the most innovative music from the last 50 years was coming out of small studios in Cologne and Dusseldorf, yet feels very part of the here and now comfortably holding its own against the current wave of bands who have also been influenced by this period. Originally released as a limited edition vinyl LP in the Autumn of 2015 by Cardinal Fuzz/Captcha records Minami Deutsch created enormous waves in the underground Psych/Krautrock scene and the album was considered a stone cold classic record and one of the best releases of the year. The vinyl sold out completely within months of the album being released and the Guruguru Brain reissue also sold like hot hash cakes………………..fear not intrepid KrautRockHeads, if you have yet to wrap your ears around this stunning record the good folk at the German Psychedelic Rock label Sulatron Records (the home of the mind bending Electric Moon and the legendary Sun Dial) are releasing a limited edition CD of one the best records of the last few years with the Minami Deutch album due for re-release with bonus tracks on 17/02/2017.
With a mix of beauty and brutality, Minami Deutsch are not reinventing the genre but taking all the really great bits of Krautrock and brewing up a tasty sonic stew………….”from the opening track, ‘Vocalism Ai - Forever Takemitsu’, Minami Deutsch lock into the groove with laser guided precision, tracks drone, while shimmering chimes coalesce into some sort of cosmic Ur-drone, punctuated by thuds and epic swooshes, resulting in a grand and gorgeous ambience. The hypnotic ‘ Futsu Ni Ikirenai’ is driven by a throbbing metronomic pulse…..somnolent vocals drift in and out of the mix until it all explodes into a cacophonous, fuzzed up, guitar wig out ala Moon Duo. Then the awesome ‘Ubergleich Part 1’ kicks in………channelling Can’s ‘Mother Sky’ it hurtles along at a blistering pace, laying waste to everything in front of it until it is brought to an abrupt halt after 4 minutes, definitely a track you want to go on for at least another 10 minutes and some. ‘Ubergleich Part 2’ closes the original album and again this has a massive Can vibe with rhythms that would not be out of place on Ege Bam Yasi and repetitive Damo Suzuki-esque dream like vocals that ease you into a blissed out state”. The CD reissue carries two bonus tracks of kosmische jams…… the lengthy, slow burning ‘Steal Into Hartmut’ which unravels into a full on squalling Space Rock freak out and the supercharged ‘Taitan’ which grooves like an absolute mutha. For fans of particularly early Can and Neu! this album is one out of the “must listen” section……….if you don’t own a copy of this mind blowing collection of some of the best post 70s Krautrock grooves on any of the formats it has previously been available on (vinyl, cassette and D/L) you really need to check this out.
Limited to only 500 copies, the Minami Deutsch self titled debut album CD reissue will be available from all the usual on-line traders, clued up record stores and websites such as Cardinal Fuzz (plus you can even get a copy from Amazon) when it hits the shops in a couple of weeks time. You can also get a copy direct from Sulatron when it gets added to their on-line store. So get on it People.
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