KRAFTWERK

The first Kraftwerk album proper proves to be a highly experimental and frequently frustrating effort, which finds the group's trademark electronic sound tempered by an avant-garde, early Tangerine Dream-style acid-krautrock approach that leaves little room for the engaging melodies that would make later albums such as 'Autobahn' and 'The Man Machine' international breakthrough hits. At this stage of their burgeoning career at least, group founders Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider seem unsure of which musical direction they should be heading, but there are shreds of interest to be found amongst the four long, unwieldy pieces that make up this self-titled affair, with the compressed flute percussion of 'Ruckzuck' pointing funkily towards the bands commercial future. 'Ruckzuck' apart, however, 'Kraftwerk 1' is one for the electronic fans who enjoy the likes of Karl-Heinz Stockhausen, early Cluster and Brian Eno. To recap then: All very interesting - but it's a lot of hard work. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2010