AUM

Georg Deuter is a talented multi-instrumentalist and composer who has been able to make a living with his music. His debut "D" from 1971 was a nice blend of krautrock and electronics, and he certainly was a pioneer at what he was doing. Things changed after the debut as he would go on a spiritual and music quest to India, like many 60's artists before him. He heard an Indian mystic preaching on the streets to thousands and was drawn to him, even though he had no idea what the man was saying in his Hindi language.

Georg would return and record this album "Aum" from 1972 and it's very much a transitional album as he scales the electronics way back and goes more for that meditative, transcendent sound he has embraced with his new found spirituality. He would change his name to Chaitanya Hari but keep his professional name DEUTER for his music. The cover art suggests this spiritual change as well, and of course that title Aaauummm... well would you believe that many feel that Deuter is the father of new age music. Following this record "Aum" he would go on to release well over 50 new age records during his career which sold fairly well.

So "Aum" for my tastes drifts into that new age territory too often. And that krautrock spirit is all but gone. Still, I can appreciate what he came up with here, it's just not nearly on the level as his debut. By the way Georg would move to India and work for that Indian mystic who would be known as Shomo. Deuter would live in an Ashram and create music for Shomo's active meditation sessions. You will see later Deuter albums with "reiki" in the titles etc. I have a daughter(now neutral gender) who is a reiki master, and lived on an Ashram for a few months here in Canada and in California. So "Aum" is mostly an all acoustic album with lots of strummed acoustic guitar, nature sounds, atmosphere, percussions and sitar. Meditation music.

If your a fan of krautrock or electronic music you really need to check out "D", but after that it helps to be into ambient or spiritual music.