CLUSTER II

Second album (with their name written with a C or else this would their fourth) from Dieter and H-J, after their superb but adventurous debut. And this album confirms what was developed before and even betters it. But we are still in the domain of early Popol Vuh, Zeit-era Tangerine Dream and the very early Kraftwerk (when those two did not use any synthesisers.

Yes the music is rather destructured music (sometimes resembling Tomita's mid-70's doodlings, no doubt he listened to what the Germans did before him) without melodies, harmonies and even clear rhythm patterns. Generally this kind of music does not sit well with many more conservative music listeners even among the progheads, but the least they can say it that there is something fascinating with this type of music. And this cosmic music is a far cry to what Cluster will do in a few years dishing out a sort of pre-new wave (as would Ralf and Florian of Kraftwerk also. While I personally think that this type of album is always of a certain interest, I can understand those people not getting the subtleties and just wanting to have one of those cosmic records. And the choice would come down between Popol Vuh's Astentude, Tangerine Dream's Zeit or Atem or Cluster's first two. Mine is: z) all of the above. ;-)