VOLUME FIVE

Zeit zum eine Plattenrezension Schreiben! After repeat listening, this one just gets better and better. Volume 5 of The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Program 1972-83 is about as solid as an album can be. And while every KL release is a "concept album," this one has something special: The first appearance of Martin Zeichnete's non-Olympic compositions.

Every KL collection has its standouts, some more than others, and this album has several that would easily make any best-of list of this act's decade of cosmic transmissions. "Der kosmische Strahl," "Südlicht" and "Die stille Sonne (Teil 2)" are downright unforgettable, and the middle-floydian synths of "Die stille Sonne (Teil 1)" are a treat. The cool-down of "Im Herzen des Universums" (in the heart of the universe) provides both soothing close for side 1, and ties that program together with the astronomically-themed second side. And that's a great part of the magic of Volume 5 - its cohesiveness, its integrity as a capital-A Album.

The liner notes treat us to an expansion of the legend ( or is it history?) of Martin Zeichnete. After long hours of working for the glory of the DDR, Martin, we're told, would wait for when his bosses packed it in for the night and, freed from their watchful gaze, steal some precious studio time to indulge in personal projects.

The second side of the LP is a suite of pieces Martin composed as a showcase for his love of astronomy. The pieces are selected from all over the KL timeline, from 1973 to 1982, but are united by their theme: Years of the Quiet Sun (the 11-year sunspot cycle our sun experiences). So while the first side of the album is a by-now-familar running program united by the tracks' beats-per-minute, for the second program we have a unique look into Martin's soul. Of course it is up to the listener to decide whether that soul belongs to a talented musician/composer or is itself the creation of another, different talented musician/composer.

Ya can't get much more Prog than that.