DELUXE

The process of recording Neu! 75 was characterised by sharp disagreements over musical direction. These seem to have left a bad taste in Michael Rother's mouth which persisted to the recording of this second Harmonium album, which adds Mani Neumeier from Guru Guru to provide compelling motorik drumming but fails to provide him (or any of the other instrumentalists) with any really compelling compositions to get their teeth into. Failing to reach the standards of its predecessor, the album at points (particularly when the vocals creep in) reminds me of an inferior attempt at the sort of ambient rock that Brian Eno had perfected on Another Green World at around the same time. Not the finest hour of Cluster, Rother, or Neumeier to be honest.