CYBOTRON

Cybotron was one of the first,if not the first,electronic rock bands in Australia.This duo was formed in 1975 in Melbourne by keyboardists Steve Maxwell Von Braun and Geoff Green,after Von Braun had already put up a solo album a year earlier.Heavily influenced by the electronic/kraut acts of Germany like Kraftwerk,Neu,Tangerine Dream or Ash Ra Tempel,Cybotron released their self- titled debut in 1976 on the small Aussie label Clear Light of Jupiter,the same which released Von Braun's personal effort.

The album opens with ''Arrakis'',a track progressing as it unfolds,offering double analog synth attacks with a KLAUS SCHULZE-vibe and ''Mumbo Jumbo'' follows,this one being an electronic piece with an ethnic touch on saxes and heavy use of percussions.''Gods of Norse'' is a nice piece of Psychedelic/Space/Electronic Rock with a repetitive rhythm and intense loops,maybe the best track of the album.The 9-min. ''Parameters of Consciousness'' is rather too long,very hypnotic with little changes,before the saxes of Von Braun deliver some extra energy after the middle.''Sonic Overide'' will close the album with 10 minutes of pure Electronic/Space Prog with grandiose work on ARP 2600,but again with not much going on,not to refer the very dissonant KRAFTWERK-like middle part.

If I see this album from a historical point of view,its significance to the Aussie Electronic/Prog scene is of great interest.But if I see it from the objective side,this is rather mediocre Electronic Music,and the most important,very unoriginal.Headed only to dedicated fans of Kraut/Electronic..