On this day where we mourn the loss of the inimitable Florian V2 Schneider, it only seems fitting that I look back at an album which celebrated the genius of Kraftwerk and showed how truly timeless and classic their songs are. The album was created by German musician & producer, Uwe Schmidt, in 1999. After relocating to Santiago, Chile, Schmidt conceived of the alter-ego, Señor Coconut, and began creating Latin infused reinterpretations of classic songs. His stroke of genius was to make his second outing a complete dedication to the music of Kraftwerk.
I first heard the album shortly after its release when it was played to me by a friend. El Baile Alemán, at first glance, seemed like an absurd idea. Doing classic Kraftwerk as Cha-Cha and Merengue music felt completely contradictory, until you heard it. Once the disc started to spin and you heard those first notes, it became immediately apparent how beautifully these songs adapted to these interpretations. Song after song sends you on another journey you never expected these compositions could take you. Autobahn, for example, morphs from being a slip-stream cruise on modern pavement into a loping clip-clop donkey ride as the car refuses to start and you have to saddle up instead. The movement and the sense of traveling are still there, but the pace is just so much more leisurely, perfect for enjoying the scenery.
Listening to this album gave me an entirely new appreciation for the songwriting craft of the "Man Machine". It illustrates the precision and elegance of their compositions and how each element is vital to the picture the song paints. It shows how each sound can be translated into an analog which retains the conceptual integrity of the original while transforming it into a new shape. After hearing Señor Coconut, my view of Kraftwerk as song writers was more akin to how I see classical composers vs "pop" musicians. But I shouldn't have been surprised by this, given Ralph & Florian's background.
But let's not heap all the praise on the source material alone. Schmidt's work here is genius in itself. The way he's arranged these songs and performed them is so flawless, he manages to create his own space while at the same time paying tribute to its origins. Though the tools he's using are decidedly electronic in nature, the feel of the album is totally organic and natural, even when he slips in the odd breakbeat trill.
After 20 years in my music library, it's an album I can go to any time and find it just as fresh and fun as the first time I played it. It's a celebration of many things on many levels, and a sincere, genuine love letter to both Kraftwerk and Latin music.
I first heard the album shortly after its release when it was played to me by a friend. El Baile Alemán, at first glance, seemed like an absurd idea. Doing classic Kraftwerk as Cha-Cha and Merengue music felt completely contradictory, until you heard it. Once the disc started to spin and you heard those first notes, it became immediately apparent how beautifully these songs adapted to these interpretations. Song after song sends you on another journey you never expected these compositions could take you. Autobahn, for example, morphs from being a slip-stream cruise on modern pavement into a loping clip-clop donkey ride as the car refuses to start and you have to saddle up instead. The movement and the sense of traveling are still there, but the pace is just so much more leisurely, perfect for enjoying the scenery.
Listening to this album gave me an entirely new appreciation for the songwriting craft of the "Man Machine". It illustrates the precision and elegance of their compositions and how each element is vital to the picture the song paints. It shows how each sound can be translated into an analog which retains the conceptual integrity of the original while transforming it into a new shape. After hearing Señor Coconut, my view of Kraftwerk as song writers was more akin to how I see classical composers vs "pop" musicians. But I shouldn't have been surprised by this, given Ralph & Florian's background.
But let's not heap all the praise on the source material alone. Schmidt's work here is genius in itself. The way he's arranged these songs and performed them is so flawless, he manages to create his own space while at the same time paying tribute to its origins. Though the tools he's using are decidedly electronic in nature, the feel of the album is totally organic and natural, even when he slips in the odd breakbeat trill.
After 20 years in my music library, it's an album I can go to any time and find it just as fresh and fun as the first time I played it. It's a celebration of many things on many levels, and a sincere, genuine love letter to both Kraftwerk and Latin music.
No comments:
Post a Comment