Hamonia (neu! & cluster side project)

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   soon in the archives
Here is what I can say about them:
HARMONIA: Pre-ambient / electronic prog music with members of Neu! & Cluster.

Before to start a fruitful career in solo, Michael Rother integrated Cluster’s side project called Harmonia. Initially formed by Hans Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, the band had the intention to go further in ambient music approach. Rejecting a great part of the experimental side of Cluster’s music (I & II), they recorded Musik von in 1974. Michael Rother who produced the same year Cluster’s zukerzeit, collaborated in Harmonia for guitars, ambient synth parts. With rather discreet appearances of the band on stage, the promotion of Musik von failed to attract the attention of the public. Musically the compositions stay obscure, consisting of complex, “avant-garde” pieces made for electronic gadgets, organs, including drum machines, repetitive pulses. The atmosphere is “abstract”, sometimes “cosmic” but still melodic. In 1975, the trio recorded its seminal Deluxe with the participation of Mani Neumeier (Guru Guru) on drums. The album was produced by Michael Rother himself. With new, various compositional ideas, inventive synthesized sounds and Rother’s guitar signature, this album is more relaxed, light than the previous one. Historically it remains a pre-ambient electronic standard. Brian ENO who is fascinated by the music of Harmonia joined the musicians on stage during a concert at the Fabrik Club in Hamburg.
He finally collaborated with the band in 1976 for their last album Harmonia 76- Tracks & traces. The music is clearly into ambient, “aquatic”, dreamy atmospheres with floating synth effects, repetitive guitar lines. ENO wrote the lyrics and provided some synth parts. After Harmonia’s dissolution, Brian Eno will work with Roedelius & Moebius for several personal albums (Cluster & Eno, 1977/ Before and After Science, 1977 / After the Heat, 1979).

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philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Topic: Hamonia (neu! & cluster side project) Posted: August 22 2005 at 07:38
	soon in the archives Here is what I can say about them: HARMONIA: Pre-ambient / electronic prog music with members of Neu! & Cluster. Before to start a fruitful career in solo, Michael Rother integrated Cluster’s side project called Harmonia. Initially formed by Hans Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, the band had the intention to go further in ambient music approach. Rejecting a great part of the experimental side of Cluster’s music (I & II), they recorded Musik von in 1974. Michael Rother who produced the same year Cluster’s zukerzeit, collaborated in Harmonia for guitars, ambient synth parts. With rather discreet appearances of the band on stage, the promotion of Musik von failed to attract the attention of the public. Musically the compositions stay obscure, consisting of complex, “avant-garde” pieces made for electronic gadgets, organs, including drum machines, repetitive pulses. The atmosphere is “abstract”, sometimes “cosmic” but still melodic. In 1975, the trio recorded its seminal Deluxe with the participation of Mani Neumeier (Guru Guru) on drums. The album was produced by Michael Rother himself. With new, various compositional ideas, inventive synthesized sounds and Rother’s guitar signature, this album is more relaxed, light than the previous one. Historically it remains a pre-ambient electronic standard. Brian ENO who is fascinated by the music of Harmonia joined the musicians on stage during a concert at the Fabrik Club in Hamburg. He finally collaborated with the band in 1976 for their last album Harmonia 76- Tracks & traces. The music is clearly into ambient, “aquatic”, dreamy atmospheres with floating synth effects, repetitive guitar lines. ENO wrote the lyrics and provided some synth parts. After Harmonia’s dissolution, Brian Eno will work with Roedelius & Moebius for several personal albums (Cluster & Eno, 1977/ Before and After Science, 1977 / After the Heat, 1979).


Syzygy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 16 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 7003	Posted: August 22 2005 at 09:22
	Splendid stuff - I've only got 'Musik Von Harmonia', though I'm a huge fan of Neu! and the Cluster/Eno collaborations. 'Deluxe' and '76 Tracks and Traces' are both on my extremely long wish list.
	'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom

BaldJean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: May 28 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10387	Posted: August 22 2005 at 10:52
	Moebius and Roedelius also appear on the album "Highdelberg Super Session" (together with Mani Neumeier, Helmiut Hattler and others). Moebius also appears on the only album of "Liliental" (together with Helmut Hattler, Johannes Pappert, electronic musician Asmut Tietchens and others)
	A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Posted: August 22 2005 at 10:59
	Yes, "Liliental" an "ambient" project by Moebius with nice jazzy rock arrengements due to sax parts. A very accessible and beautiful album! Time will say if I need to include them in the archives.


DallasBryan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 23 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3323	Posted: August 23 2005 at 03:34
	philippe, yes to Liliental and Wolfgang Bock's Cycles, and Gunter Schickert! also missing Virus and Missus Beastly. you are doing a GREAT JOB! La Dusseldorf? Edited by DallasBryan

philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Posted: August 23 2005 at 07:48
	I think about adding Klaus Dinger's La Dusseldorf project soon!


oliverstoned Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 26 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 6308	Posted: August 23 2005 at 08:58
	Well played, Philippe! as usual!

BaldJean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: May 28 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10387	Posted: August 23 2005 at 09:25
	philippe, do you know "Zero Set" from 1982 by Moebius, Neumeier, Plank? it is quite unique, especially due to the African singing on some tracks
	A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Posted: August 23 2005 at 13:28
	Yes I know this album. After the release of Liliental, Moebius has recorded several albums with the help of Conny Plank. "zero set" is a must from this period! A splendid album which combines the abstract, conceptual sense of music, typically from Europe and the passion, the spontaneity and the rhythm of African music.


DallasBryan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 23 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3323	Posted: August 23 2005 at 23:37
	Im so happy the german and french bands are starting to be represented hear, i consider this a major benefit to the PROGARCHIVES. philippe are you familar with Bengt Berger's Bitter Beer Funeral, there's you tribal prog from a scandinavian! Other artists to think about? france Bernard Xolotl Paschal Comelade Komintern germany Roedelius AR & Machines Holger Czukay Between u da man!

philippe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 14 2004 Location: noosphere Status: Offline Points: 3597	Posted: August 24 2005 at 05:13
	Bernard Xolotl is a visionnary artist in "electro acoustic", "cosmic" / abstract music. He probably deserves a page in "electronic prog" I don't know Pascal Comelade's carrer after Heldon I think to add Roedelius but also Moebius' fruitful career in solo soon! same thing for Between! "Canaxis" by Holger Czukay is one of my all time favorite album, sumptuous sidereal music with gorgeous ethnic,mystical influences. However I don't know the whole career of the man in solo.


DallasBryan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: November 23 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3323	Posted: August 25 2005 at 16:56
	Holgers On the Way to the Peak of Normal is one of my top 50 prog classics!

Syzygy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 16 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 7003	Posted: August 25 2005 at 17:52
	Also well worth checking out by Holger Czukay: Movies (first post can solo album) Rome Remains Rome (featuring Pope John Paul II) Radio Wave Surfer (oddball improvs with very strange lyrics) I've yet to hear anything by him that wasn't at least interesting. There are lots of samples and clips on his excellent website http://www.czukay.de/
	'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom