SELBSTPORTRAIT

Published after "Jardin au fou" and "Durch die wuste", "selbstportrait" is actually the first effort released by Roedelius (Cluster) in solo. All the compositions have been written by the musician during late 70's Cluster sessions. The music in itself is an other exploration in electronic, pre-ambient "picture" music but really orientated to the most "mainstream" side of it. Consequently the album gets very refined moments and some boring, passable sequences. For fans of Cluster and the first German abstract electronic wave, the best composition is certainly "Girlande": a fresh, melodic organ manifestation with some Asian accents. The opening tune with its superposed synth, piano lines, floating throw the air provides a nice ambience. The only problem I see is the sound of the analog material used in it, the combination sounds "dated". The worst side of this album is the absolute "misplaced" romantic synth chord exercises on "Inselmoos". Behind "Prinzregent" perpetual electronic loops we can distinguish a nice, mysterious organ line. The inconvenient is the lack of diversity in the choice of electronic material which gives to the object a rather "weak", "linear" dimension. A rather monotonous album but a nice accompaniment for some winter days spent in solitude. Not fare from "Sowiesoso" by Cluster, but slightly less accomplished.