e.m.a.k. (electronische musik aus koln)

A Synthetic History Of E.M.A.K. 1982-88

Soul Jazz present a vital and timely compilation of the E.M.A.K. (Elektronische Musik Aus: Koeln) collective on their specialized Universal Sound imprint. 'A Synthetic History of E.M.A.K.' collects the three releases made by four producers, Matthias Becker, Michael Filz, Kurt Mill and Klaus Stühlen, operating from the Originalton West studio in Cologne; an 8-track recording space located in the basement of a record shop only 200m from Holger Czukay's studio. However, their proximity to such an influential musician had little or no effect upon their individual take on synthesizer music. They were obviously aware of Kraftwerk, Eno, Human League and co, yet impressively sound unlike any of them, putting their machines to task on a wide array of experiments straddling pop craft, kosmische, and dance music in the gap between first wave '70s experimentalists such as Kraftwerk and Conrad Schnitzler, and the later electronic punk of Einstürzende Neubauten and DAF. In many ways they also paralleled the post-punk DIY scene with their modest budgets inspiring innovative recording techniques and the fact they pressed and self-released all their own music, but again they couldn't really be called a part of that scene as their music genuinely didn't adhere to any of the prevailing stylistic trends. The first two releases, EMAK 1 & 2, were recorded pre-midi, and appear here in the form of the dramatic 'Filmmusik' which would become a local dance hit, plus the wobbly , warm abstractions of 'Biela' and the glistening euphoria of 'Tanz Der Vampire' with its strange, skanking, mid-section. Later on, the tracks from EMAK 3 would feature Midi and sampling, notably in the spooky sequences of 'Sein Und Schein' and the glorious, arcing ambience of 'Traumreise'. As this compilation proves, these musicians made a unique, captivating sound which has largely been dubbed over in the history books but provides a crucial connection between two phases of German electronic music. For those scouring the outskirts of original Kosmische, New Age and ambient music, this album is nothing short of a revelation. Highly Recommended.