Trans Europe Express

boring

This reminds me of the first Nokia phones with the downloadable ringtones, everyone thought you were super cool because your 3310 could sound vaguely like the bond theme tune.

I don't hate the concept... But the execution... Oh no Not my cup of liquid

Beep boop beep boop

Noooo! Synthpop... This was the most painful listen so far. Ja ja ja, mach schnell mit der art things, huh? I must get back to Dancecentrum in Struttgart in time to see Kraftwerk.

Tedious, sterile and joyless. I really don't understand the appeal of this music - except maybe as a background, ambient sound. Felt a lot longer than 43 minutes.

not good bad

I don’t care for electronic music.

This one was challenging to listen to the whole album. Grinds a bit on the outside of my brain.

I like synth. I even like some Kraftwerk. But this album is so repetitive and boring that it was pretty hard to get through. There's a set of 3 songs that are actually the same song. Rough.

Really could not get through it. Understand why it was foundational for its time but unsure if it translates to anything interesting today. Did find out the melody from the title track was used in a Bollywood movie which was funny.

A little more in the way of vocals than the previous Kraftwerks album, still DEFINITELY not my thing though.

1977 German techno sounds interesting just by the title, but honestly it's feckin boring. Couldn't finish

I fucking hate Kraftwerk!!! We’ve had 3 too many Kraftwerk albums

Weak sauce

Didn’t listen but I’m still going to rate it 1 just cuz

Geen vrolijke maar zeer goeie plaat

Alternatingly dark and uplifting. Somber and joyous. Mesmerizing, a constant motion via repetition held at a steady pace. Synthetic, robotic, exploratory. The darkest element is the naive faith in technology the album exhibits, the playful probing of the human-droid boundary as almost pure possibility doesn't foresee the descent of the surveillance nightmare.

Listening to this album as a teenager made me feel like the coolest guy around. While I am no longer as cool as I thought I was then, this album still is.

I had never heard of the band Kraftwerk but once I listened to it I can see how the band influenced a lot of big hits. Great album!

Must listen electronic album. Kraftwerk's best.

Europe Endless (así comienza el disco), que es como iba a llamarse es un paso desde el Krautrock hacia el tecno, en el bien sentido. Parte de la culpa la tiene el secuenciador Synthanorma. También es el paso de su identidad más germana (Autobahn) hacia una claramente europeísta. De cuando los franceses ganaban el Tour de France por esas carreteras que veíamos en las teles. No solo Bowie tomaba nota, sino que Jean-Michel Jarre les cogió todo lo que pudo. Afrika Bambaataa lo hizo pero de otro modo mucho más respetable. Pues nada, tomen sus asientos y preparsense a viajar. Como todos los discos de Kraftwerk, imprescindible.

As someone who studied music tech and had to listen to Kraftwerk and their influences like a nerd, I don't think this album ever wore out its welcome, and it definitely doesn't 15 years later. Yes it's clunky, yes it's proto everything you've ever heard electronically, and yes it is beep boop music to the nth degree, but by god those synth melodies are still amazing. The most humanistic robot music ever created, AI could learn a few things from these. Actually, lets not. Some things are best left in the human mind.

9/10

Masterpiece

Knew I loved the title track but hasn’t had realized it’s basically broken into three songs. Showroom Dummies just as good

I have loved Kraftwerk since their beginning. This album does not disappoint!

Can't touch it. Closer to a 6 than a 4.

Joni Mitchell’s Blue for robots

I love Kraftwerk, so this was an easy listen. Not my favorite of their albums but enjoyable.

One of my favorite descriptions of Kraftwerk — it might’ve been from a hip-hop documentary — came from someone who talked about the group’s buttoned-up appearance and demeanor, like a collection of office workers. “They were so unfunky, they were funky,” the person said. That’s what I love about this release is its juxtaposition of opposites: it wrings an incredible amount of feeling, nuance and soul from frigid and seemingly dispassionate minimalism, with negative space doing as much work as the preprogrammed beats and loops. The synth refrain on the title track is worth its weight in gold. I knew it as an electro staple from some of the weirder corners of local Detroit radio before I ever knew of a group called Kraftwerk.

I love this record, and I love most kraftwerk records but do they need three on the list? I'm not sure what you get from this record that you don't already get from Man Machine.

ground breaking, special

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

The Kraftwek thing - metronomik beats, gradually progressing electronic music and unemotive vocals - is pretty ubiquitous now. You have to remind yourself it wasn’t once and Kraftwerk are a key reason that it’s now commonplace. Listening again I was struck that despite being innovators they were also amongst the best electronics bands ever.

I guess when I think about Kraftwerk, I think about how antithetical their entire artistic ethos is to American sensibility. The Singularly Voiced Songwriter, The Virtuoso, The Rock God. I love how they are able to extract so much groove out of their instruments while keeping the music feeling cold and robotic. In the electronic music that they helped pioneer, Kraftwerk saw a way out of these rigid ways of thinking, instead seeking the rigidity of a machine, of a train track, the freedom of going where the tracks take you, and letting go in the time between departure and destination. When I think about Kraftwerk, I don't really think about the bone that the chimp threw, or that big space ship in the sky, and or the horrific destructive powers of HAL. I don't think about the marked off watering hole, the primitive thirst, and the circumstantial greed that led the clever little chimp to pick it up in the first place. I just think about where it is I'm going to. I think about how time drags me along. When I think about Kraftwerk, I think about how egoless the music is. The facade never cracks. Nobody takes a solo, there are no lyrics that stand out and shake you to your core. Everything is placed exactly where you want it to be, songs arranged like a doll house from 2152. Yet it is in their deficiency of individuality that they create something profoundly human. Kraftwerk imagines a humanity that is not driven by pride or emotion or even driven at all. All I do is think about all the people I've forged connections with because of technology, and all the beauties, man-made or natural, that I've seen because of the freedom technology has offered us. Though try as I may, when I think about Kraftwerk, I think about myself. I think about the repetitive ways in which I move my muscles, the way I pose. I think about how lifeless I become when I submit myself to the eye of the beholder. This album is really their first to touch on themes of celebrity and the vapidness of living fashionably, themes they'd later expand upon it with The Model on their next album, but I think the tracks Showroom Dummies and The Hall of Mirrors stand out to me on TEE for being particularly self-aware. Look at these dudes from Dusseldorf, putting on makeup and wearing matching outfits. They have very little sex appeal, yet it entrances the audience all the same. Kraftwerk could've been the world's most gimmicky electronic band of the 70s, and it is a gimmick that more and more artists fell into year after year following Kraftwerk's inception. But they never were a gimmick because they didn't see their instruments as gimmicks; they saw them as tools. They discovered new uses for them, modified them to fit their needs, pushed them to their absolute limit, all in the name of creating a world that is as equally orderly and harmonious as it is beautiful. When I think about Kraftwerk, I feel an unshakeable optimism about technology and how we are constantly evolving alongside it, as it evolves from our endless approach. That relationship, to me, is what it means to be human. Life is timeless. Life is timeless.

Apart from some embarrassment from never having listened to a whole Kraftwerk album before, it was actually great to hear this after 45+ years as a fan of many of the bands they influenced. I could hear Bowie, Numan, Human League, Depeche Mode, etc etc (and more unexpectedly, although it shouldn't have been a surprise, LCD Soundsystem) all getting their inspiration here. And many more. Unsurprisingly, I loved it. I wish I'd had this when I was about 12; I'd have gone full nerd, working out all the little repeating melodies and motifs on the piano. There's something about a synth - it grabbed me from the first time I heard one, and I still love the sound now.

Banger, c'est hyper planant avec des sonorités qu'on a pas trop l'habitude d'entendre, bon album pour travailler ou pour écouter dans son canapé à fond en kiffant le chill

It is amazing to me to think that this album will turn 50 next year. It is so far ahead of its time and a foundation that so many artists have built from. That alone would mean that it has earned its spot in this list. More than that though, this was really good to listen to

Rating: 4.6/5 Short Review: Cold, precise, and hypnotically minimal. Feels mechanical on the surface but oddly human underneath. Not emotional in a traditional way, but it gets under your skin slowly. Favorite Track: “Trans-Europe Express.” That rhythm just locks in and never lets go. It’s simple, but it feels like movement itself.

I dug it, its a really good full album listen and locks you in to a vibe. Obviously influential and historically important, but I found this much more enjoyable than Autobahn, but its making me question my original review of that album.

1977!!! Wow, this is the OG of electronic music that is still inspiring artists.

Honestly, I need to listen to this like 3 more times. If deeper than I expected. Want to spent time with it.

My second to last album and the music gods DELIVERED.

Even better than Autobahn

Dope as hell.

Ha wizkid! I was going to cite Tangerine Dream as an example of how to do mirthless all-synth wrong and how this album is goes all hypnotic while staying adventurous and keeping a sense of humour. Okay, I guess I did then.

I must confess doing this list has converted me on Kraftwerk. The first of their albums I heard through this was Autobahn and I found that quite tedious, but I loved The Man Machine and this was great as well This album in particular has an interesting air of minimalism - not everything has a million synth parts all competing for attention. The melodies are clear and catchy and the beats keep the head nodding along as the songs build. It also doesn't need big bass drops to keep your attention like a lot of the music it influences - the tunes are enough for Kraftwerk

Love it, amazing stuff

Hell yeah, soundtrack my sunny land travel through Europe please

Upvote for trains Favs: “Metal on Metal,” “Franz Schubert,” and “Endless Endless”

One of the most influential groups of all time. Kraftwerk are basically godfathers to electronic music and the backbone of hip-hop beats/samples. I've actually seen Kraftwerk at Ultra Music Festival. Very cool show and glad I was able to see them!

Brilliant. So ahead of it's time. Stella liked this one.

1970s synth? Sign me the f up

My favourite Kraftwerk album. I remember vividly listening to this while revising for third year uni exams. Its hypnotic and rhythmic sound helped to keep me focused. Listening back, the album is clearly rooted in its time, when electronic music was in its infancy. But Kraftwerk lean into this, creating a purposefully minimalist sound. The album builds to the standout title track, which embodies this style, swelling slowly and steadily over its runtime. As far as albums go that are an ode to the brilliance of the European transport network, it doesn’t get much better.

I happen to own a picture disc of this album, sold to me for very cheap. It isn't my favorite kraftwerk album but one i love dearly nonetheless. I have wanted to get a tshirt with it on for a couple years, because i think the additional context of me being transgender would be a fun playful double meaning. A must listen during long train rides. Favorite tracks are Trans-Europe express, the hall of mirrors (which i used to listen to before falling asleep on a regular basis a couple years back) and Showroom Dummies.

Ein großartiges Album, dass ich fast vergessen habe. Wie Autobahn fühlt man sich, als wäre man etwas schläfrig auf einer Reise durch eine künstliche, aber schöne Landschaft. Oft wünsche ich mir, Reisen wäre so, ist es aber nie. Ich habe mir das deutsche Original angehört, daher ist mir ein ‚deutscher Akzent‘ den andere Rezensenten hörten, nicht aufgefallen. :-) Und natürlich gibt es als Anerkennung für diesen deutschen Meilenstein in der elektronischen Musikgeschichte den Kommentar in Deutsch. 5/5

unreal, perfect. slayed. wow. no skip album. first song sent me into another plane of existence

Beep beep.

Kraftwerk does something weird to me. It energizes me, but also calms me at the same time - there's a coldness to the music. It's like those beeps and boops are very deliberately pushing buttons in my brain. Great stuff.

Amazing album. In current dark days if you're looking for something optimistic, hopeful, even blissful or idealistic THIS is the right album.

this is 50 years old!? INCREDIBLE.

Its not one of my favorite Kraftwerk albums but its Kraftwerk and I love Kraftwerk! Listened to the remastered vinyl, sounds amazing!

#23/1001🇩🇪🤖 Listened to this through 3 times before 9am today. An absolute masterpiece of early electronica. The title track is magnificent and there is not a bad track on the album. Hall of Mirrors is wonderfully moody and dark. I know that Kraftwerk divide opinions. Seeing them live for the first time at Rock Werchter 2005 is still one of the best shows i've ever seen, whilst my wife will tell you that the time i took her to see them at Blue Dot was one of the worst she has ever seen. Best tracks: Trans Europe Express, Hall of Mirrors, Endless Endless.

Magnetic.

10/10… electronic / *1977

When this came up I thought I had gotten it already, but I've been listening to a lot Kraftwerk over the last few years. I'm hoping they do a 50th anniversary tour for this album in '27. This album is awesome. All the Kraftwerk albums are awesome.

You're in a train It's 1979 You're young old enough to travel alone grey world of January is passing by a world where you belong skies made of stone

I was expecting something more Sprockets-esque, and while it was kind of Sprockets-esque, it wasn't so Sprockets-esque as to justify making a Sprockets joke to encapsulate the whole album, and that's good because I just (unjustifiably) used a Sprockets joke last week to encapsulate the Penthouse and Pavement album. This was really good and weirdly relaxing.

Have loved this for so many years.

I love this, especially the experience of listening to it as album. I love the feeling of relief in Franz Schubert after Abuzug ends. I love the way Endless Endless ties everything back together at the end. It feels like reading a novel; there's narrative movement, and it's obvious a lot of thought went into the sequence of songs.

Otra banda que ya conocía y disfrutaba de antes. Otro disco que considero digno de ser escuchado antes de morir, especialmente por lo revolucionario que es.

Fantastic album

gleaming, sleek, a wonderful journey

Random thoughts: * I've been onto this album for some time. I can't remember how I was introduced but probably from something like this list and I bought this CD. * I went back and listened to this album on my CD player hooked up to my 30 year-old stereo component system. I forgot how good music sounds on that set up! * This is definitely a classic for me. I love that they made a cool and repetitive album about trains across Europe. * I can definitely zone out to this one in a really good way. It is almost meditative. * These freaky Germans are groundbreaking and still sound so cool today. * I will happily throw this one on any time.

WE’RE SO CLOSE TO BEST KRAFTWERK but every second of this is perfect anyways

She werks my kraft until I trans on her Express

I wish the autobahn was real

Another well crafted album. Very well mixed and produced. Hall of Mirrors is so good. What this album did for not only electronic music, but also for Afrika Bambaataa, it deserves 5.

The influence of this album is huge (probably one of the most influential of all time when you look at where music is now) but what often gets lost is how good the melodies are across the whole album - if you stripped back the innovation there are still good songs underpinning it. I can only imagine the impact of hearing it for the first time at that time. Fun fact: This was the album that we listened to while decorating the hall where we had our wedding reception.

It’s so difficult to listen to this and not bear in mind its legacy and what followed directly as a result of this album. As a standalone piece of work though, I love the sparsity of it; that every instrument, every note has a clear purpose in conveying the mood they are trying to evoke. Obviously Trans Europe Express and the tracks that follow are the centre point of this, but the other songs, hall of mirrors in particular are also incredibly striking. Although it might come across as cold to some, I do also get a sense of hope and wonder at inter-European collaboration and culture from it that wouldn’t go amiss in the modern day.

My own personal opinion on the Trans debate: this is slightly better than The Man-Machine because it came first and must have sounded so futuristic in the mid 70s.

I guess you don't really have half of modern music without this record, huh?

Framtiden börjar här ...so abzug! Låt oss först reda ut några missförstånd. - Kraftwerk använder inga trummaskiner 1977, varje trumslag du hör är spelat av en mänsklig hand. - Kraftwerk är inga perfektionister, Kraftwerk är precisionister, rätt ljud på rätt plats i rätt tid. Det är detta som avspeglas i det mnimala men samtidigt oerhört melodiösa soundet. - Kraftwerk sysslar inte med låtskriveri, man jammar fram sin musik, all musik görs på plats i studion, det finns aldrig några demos av deras musik. Musiken är bara en produkt av arbetet i studion, inte målet i sig. När det finns ett koncept och en tematik för ett album införlivas musiken som en del i det. - Kraftwerk är lika mycket arkitektur, filosofi, estetik, ingenjörskonst, sociologi, design, laboratorium, cykling och kollegial kamratskap som musik. Man kan inte bortse från det, det vore att göra sig själv en otjänst. I min värld är Kraftwerk världens bästa band nånsin, helt utan konkurrens faktiskt. För man är så mycker mer ett band än något annat band är. Man tar begreppet band till en helt annan intellektuell nivå, på ett sätt som nog aldrig kommer att kunna överträffas. TEE är världens viktigaste album, den förändrade musikvärlden och än mer viktigt perpektivet på musik och det radikalt. Det är ingen åsikt, det är ett faktum. Det här är nollpunkten för framtiden, vad Kandinsky var för abstrakt konst eller TS Elliott var för modern poesi. Där tidigare (och första) rent konceptuella albumet "Radio-aktivität" (1975) fortfarande hade tåspetsarna kvar i krautrockens experimentella värld och efterföljande "Die Mensche machine" (1978) lägger mer vikt vid direkta låtar är TEE utpräglat bunden till det tematiska. Som sådant är det oxå deras mest lyckade. Ser man bara till det musikaliska och låtar håller jag "Komputer liebe" (1981) som deras höjdpunkt. Men som sagt man kan inte se Kraftwerk bara så endimensionellt. TEE må ha inspirerat och influerat all form av modern musik, från den glättigaste pop till minimalistisk dub-techno via hiphop och postpunk, och det är fantastiskt men det är inte poängen här. Poängen är att man lyckas ta nåt i grunden experimentellt (all syntmusik innan Kraftwerk var i nån mån experimentell) göra det melodiskt tillgängligt, vackert och svängigt. Och göra detta utan att kompromissa bort ett enda dugg av den intellektuella tyngd och helhet som hela bandet vilar på och dessutom få världen att förstå. Det är en minst lika stor bedrift som att Elvis tog den svarta rock'n'rollen till de vita massorna.

"Trans Europe Express" is much more Krautrock to me than, say, "Computer World." Songs like "The Looking Glass" and "Showroom Dummies" feel more man-machine, blank, expressionless, even dreadful, a la Kurt Weill. Like a German Expressionist film where you the listener are trapped.

Kraftwerk are the pioneers of electronica. Every album has something, but Trans Europe Express might be there most cohesive effort, even if it doesn't feature their biggest hits. It is one of their most hypnotic/Transcending. I would take the Trans Europe Express to anywhere. Ps: Listen to the German version, it feels so much more authentic.

i was honestly so pleased to finally get kraftwerk album... among the many things i'm learning about music doing this project, i've learned that kraftwerk (whomst id never sat down to listen to before) is a major influence on some of my favorite artists. like, i think this whole album is a trip to begin with, but it was especially trippy to put the first track on and wonder if i hadn't somehow put early new order on by mistake - THEN, we jump to show room dummies and i'm suddenly reminiscing about SOPHIE (❤️). my favorite thing about this album is when it seamlessly flows together as a coherent fifty minute block of music. i love the melody that carries from the first and last track. while it can, at many points, feel rote and droning, i feel compelled to charitably attribute these qualities to its dark and experiential atmosphere as opposed to thinking its, like, bad music or something. and you know: this album really grew on me with each listen through. idk what i'd do if i was teleported to 1977 and didn't have my emotional support electronica. think i'd get by with disco, and of course moog is here, but could i remain steadfast long enough for the 80s right around the corner?? maybe it wouldn't be so bad if my new best friend, kraftwerk, was there with me and my haphazard time machine accident. anyway, idk what i was talking about: 5 stars. highlights - europe endless, showroom dummies, franz schubert

Today I learned where Afrika Bambaataa sampled Planet Rock. Amazing album to just throw on and go into a futuristic world.

So good ! electronic music!!!!*

5/5. Kraftwerk has been hit or miss for the albums on this list. Thankfully, this one was a hit, incorporating a good balance between the simple but cryptic lyrics and the innovative electronic music they always deliver. And the music here is top tier, with a mostly dark and brooding tone, calming or upbeat at times as well keeping it fresh. I have no clue why they are repeating a train line over and over again, but it slaps. Best Song: Trans-Europe Express, Europe Endless, Franz Schubert

Genius. Pure genius

Absolute masterpiece

I'm not in the least bit ashamed that this once soundtracked a journey across central Europe for me and some friends. A bit clichéd but it was better than being stuck on the M6 outside Birmingham with Radio 1 for company.

i loved it! the recurring melody synth in the first song, to franz schubert to the last outro song is so good. ties it all up nicely. franz schubert was really nice brain massage with the panning. reminded me slightly of the stuff tangerine dream did in phaedra. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I were young if we wanted beeps and boops we had to make them ourselves with wires and valves.

all change at Dusseldorf

Дуже люблю цей альбом, подобається цей похмурий синтовий грув, як тут працюють з репетативністю. Маю на платівці і періодично переслуховую

справжня класика. мені здається, це дуже універсальна музика, як віково, так і по настрою, досвіду, жанру. люблю потяги та ритм їхнього ходу... люблю, коли музиканти різними засобами відтворюють інші "немузичні" звуки. крутий альбом.

Incredible and influential album

Everything I've heard from Kraftwerk so far has been a lot of fun. I can't help but wonder what it would have been like to listen to this in the 70s and genuinely feel like it was "the sound of the future," or even "the sound of space." And despite being so experimental and creative, late 70s Kraftwerk (which is all I've heard so far) sounds incredibly poppy, pleasant to the ears, and doesn't sound strange. All things considered, it's what Brian Wilson did with Pet Sounds a decade earlier, and the Beatles with Sgt. Peppers. Because after all, no matter how experimental and technological the sound is, if it doesn't move people, inside and out, it's useless. 5 stars.

Legacy album that set the standards for the electro genre. They developed and used new tech to such amazing effect for this album and this is all pre computers.

I revisit this album from time to time and I absolutely love it. It’s a singular record that is I think Kraftwerk’s best that I’ve listened to and one of the great electronic albums of all time. It still sounds futuristic, and I’ve found it to be one of the best albums to listen to while working - it’s like a flow state hack.

This is probably my favorite Kraftwerk album of the ones I’ve heard. It’s just so atmospheric and almost haunting. The album is alittle challenging at the beginning cause it has a very repetitive opening that’s stripped down and isolated. But that’s what is going to make or break your opinion about Kraftwerk. If you can get past the repetitive nature of the music you can see that this band was obviously so ahead of there time, but also mastering their own genre. Like the amount of growth on this album compared to a few previous albums is very evident. But the other thing Kraftwerk doesn’t get enough credit for is how iconic every aspect of the band is. For example, you can describe something as “Kraftwerk-esque” and people familiar with the band will have a pretty good understanding of what to expect (plus that is not limited to music, their look and their music videos are all so original and stylistic that there’s just so much to this band and their overall style). I understand when someone doesn’t care for them, they can be challenging at times. But I think this is their most accessible album and it’s definitely one of their best.

Without a doubt one of the best and most immersive albums in the history of electronic music. Not only extremely groundbreaking, but still holds up 100% even to this day. The flow from song to song is just like nothing else, and it really is amazing how many different ideas they can explore with such a limited instrumental pallet, and despite the album's length being pretty average, they still manage to make the whole thing come together perfectly as one complete project.

Meni možda najbolji kraftwerk

Awesome electronic record. Equal parts weird and beautiful. Some of the progenitors of electronic/synth music and it is crazy how well it still holds up.

Very nice album, really enjoyed it. Love the electronic sound of it, its so creative.

L’album qui te fait aimer les trains, l’Europe, et le St-Hubert Express! C’est vraiment une vibe; vient pas pour danser. D’ailleurs, être en mouvement améliore drastiquement l’expérience d’écoute, je recommande une activité sur roue pour imiter le doux roulement d’un TGV sur… une pochette magnétique?

Krautrock at its finest

It's soooo goooood! Every song on this is great. It is also very cohesive as an album! The vibes are great, I would be willing to listen to a lot of this on its own, just good stuff.

Heard it before and love it

Inject this beautiful minimalism straight into my veins; I like everything on this one, start to finish.

Kraftwerk has the coolest album covers. The repetition, the mechanicalness it just works so well. These are the kind of beep and boops that I vibe with. Everything flows together so well here too. I wish to be on a train across Europe.

Love a bit of Kraftwerk. Europe Endless is the best track on here, but they're all good.

I like trains.

Absolute pioneers of a genre, Kraftwerk at their best, wonderful masterpiece :-)

Classic!

Masterclass in electronica

A marvellousm album. It's a measure of its excellence that it still sounds like the future, fifty years after its release. I understand the hate that some give it, it can seem mechanical and repetitive on first listen, but I hear the gentle melodies along with the insistent rhythm. The trach Trans Europe Express is clearly a stand-out, but Europe Endless is its equal, and shown Kraftwek in a slightly playful mood.

Absolutely remarkable stuff. Gets you in a trance, no fancy drops, harmonies or rythmic structure. Pure electronic vibes

An amazing marriage of (subdued) pop melodies and sequenced electronic sounds and rhythms, this groundbreaking record sounds as fresh as it did as it was originally released.

I'm a big Kraftwerk fan, but never really got into this album...until 1001 Albums prompted me to listen to it, and I became addicted. It is easily one of their best 3 albums (along with Man Machine and Computer World). Some might find it cheeky in the sense that it is only really 4 tracks, but it does a lot with them and one of them (TEE) invented a genre.

The Goo Goo Dolls could regain a lot of their pre-Iris rock and roll credibility if they did a cover of Showroom Dummies. Or perhaps not but what have they got to lose, c'mon guys just do it.

Good

This is really lovely.

Turns out I like German Electro music and this might be the best example of it on this list

1. German music. I love German music. 2. who cares about the English version of the album if there's the original German version always available for you? so a track-by-track breakdown. "Europa Endlos"("Europe Endless"): based on a four note motif, this is the ultimate "music to play while you are driving through the countryside". "Spiegalsaal"("Hall of Mirrors"): this song is again based on repeated motifs, but creates an errie atmosphere with the arrangements. "Schaufensterpuppen" ("Showroom Dummies"): The sound sounds as mechanical as ever, maybe its because erm... it's a criticize on commercialism. i like the deadpan delivery. "Trans-Europa Express" ("Trans-Eurpoe Express): It's not a "music to play when you are on a train" song, although the beat resembles the clanking of the train wheels on tracks and also a military march. the vocals are processed through a vocoder while chanting the title, and also used natrually during other parts of the song. it almost feel dangerous, not as calming and lighthearted like the group's earlier work "Autobahn". "Metall Auf Metall" (Metal on Metal) and "Abzug" continues as a refrain but adds more metallic clanking as mentioned in the title. Almost industrial-flavoured. Proto- Einstürzende Neubauten. Germans. As the sound of the train wheezes by, we enter the final two tracks. "Franz Schubert". a tribute to the late classical composer, and to a degree, it has that romantism tint to the music, but it's still nothing like the rest of the album. Then in a circle, there's "Endlos Endlos" (Endless Endless), a short reprise of "Europa Endlos", as the music fades away. So in two words: Truly Revolutionary. Even if there's pioneers in the genre like Wendy Carlos, these pioneers couldn't make this album. 5/5.

Kraftwerk somehow manage to feel simultaneously of the past and of the future. Or to put it another way they evoke an enthralling past vision of the future. Alternatively, they have a futuristic (and Futuristic!) view of the future in what is now the past. With that context, a few albino-looking mutter-fuckers tapping some buttons on a synth, takes on a world of significance. This is a refinement of their sound to be as efficient as possible, true to Germanic form. And it's been instrumental in kick-starting hip-hop to boot. I can understand why the Kraftwerk purist may see Man Machine as a backwards step, but that remains the perfect marriage of industrial synth and melody for me. Nevertheless, this has got to be a funf.

Gear: Hifiman Arya Artwork: 🔳🚅🤍 Production (2009 Remaster): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🔌💻🎶🔁🌍💥 Rating: 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃/5

70s synth-pop from the Germans

The album that launched a thousand techno careers… beautiful and fragile electronica. If pointilism had a musical form, this is it

Amazing and beautiful

A true masterpiece. With no Kraftwerk, there would be no Duran Duran, NIN, Gary Neuman and so many more...

Fantastic album

Stoked to have this one pop up today. Amazing classic that's worth coming back to again and again.

On this journey, I already enjoyed The Man Machine from Kraftwerk, and it is no surprise that I adored the preceding record. Trans Europe Express is an album that saw the group further depart from their krautrock beginnings and dive into melodic electronic compositions while taking inspiration from the Weimar era folk music they grew up with. From the get-go on "Europe Endless", we are treated with glistening synthesizer lines from Ralf Hütter, mixed-in vocoder echoes from Florian Schneider, and the accented electronic percussion from Karl Bantos and Wolfgang Flür that balance each other out into a well-oiled machine. The meaningful repetition paves the way for the synths to oscillate and find new playful motifs. It doesn't take long for this album to get dark, as "The Hall of Mirrors" begins with a rather haunting synth line leading to the spare beat and piano, as Ralf gives a chilling deadpan delivery about one's hollow reflections. It serves as a nice thematical transition into "Showroom Dummies", where the hollowness illicit this feeling as if the people were store mannequins wanting to break out of their department store window to go out, dance, and live. That sentiment is captured excellently with the bouncy yet haunting melody as the vocoder echoes in the background. Then we get to the title track, as the beat bounces along with a melodic chugging that does feel like going on a futuristic train. Considering this song has gotten sampled a lot in hip-hop over the years, it's no wonder this is one of Kraftwerk's biggest hits. But we're not even done yet, as the beat continues in the transition to "Metal on Metal" with the clanging of metal pans, to the tinny keyboard line of "Abzug" as the tension of the train ride builds, before the train stops. At this point, the destination has been reached, with the welcome of a beautifully complex melody played on an analog sequencer on "Franz Schubert" with the vocoder modulating in the background. The album closes with a reprise of "Europe Endless" called "Endless Endless", bringing the experience full circle. Trans Europe Express was an excellent journey all the way through, striking a balance of catchiness and quirkiness that Kraftwerk mastered at this point in their career. I can see how this would be a very influential record across multiple genres.

Love it

Love this freakin shit

straddles a hard line of being both the coolest and nerdiest shit of all time hahaha

Luisterbaar, experimenteel, en baanbrekend. Plus een paar echt lekkere nummers, en een goed geheel. Dit is top!

Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that the album "is often cited as perhaps the archetypal (and most accessible) Kraftwerk album ... Overall, Trans-Europe Express offers the best blend of minimalism, mechanized rhythms, and crafted, catchy melodies in the group's catalog".

Love this one! My favourite Kraftwerk album, and the first one I heard from them. Not only a groundbreaking electronic album, but a nice love letter to Europe as well. Reminds me of some great times I had interrailing in my youth - Europe really did feel endless.

Kraftwerk's *Trans-Europe Express*, released in 1977, is a landmark album in electronic music, known for its innovative sound, conceptual themes, and lasting influence. The album marked a shift for the band from the more improvisational style of their earlier work to a more structured and sequenced sound [2, 3]. **Themes** The central theme of *Trans-Europe Express* is European unity and technological advancement, particularly focusing on the Trans-Europe Express railway system as a symbol of a connected and modern Europe [1, 4]. The album presents a utopian vision of a borderless Europe, celebrating the clean lines and functional design of the Bauhaus school of modernism [1]. The album explores themes of travel, communication, and the increasing integration of technology into everyday life. The music evokes the sensation of being on a train, with the rhythmic sounds of the tracks and the feeling of motion [3]. **Music** The music on *Trans-Europe Express* is characterized by its repetitive, minimalist structures and use of synthesizers and sequencers [2]. The album employs a precise and mechanized sound, achieved through the use of early sequencers, which allowed for greater control over tempos and notes [2]. This approach created a hypnotic, almost trance-like listening experience [1, 2]. The tracks often feature arpeggiated synth patterns and a distinct "pumping rail beat" [2]. * **"Europe Endless"** The album opens with a euphoric sequence of arpeggiated chords, creating a bright and optimistic tone. The song builds gradually, layering synths and a driving drum beat [1, 3]. It serves as a utopian hymn to a borderless Europe, setting the thematic stage for the album [1]. * **"The Hall of Mirrors"** In stark contrast to the opener, this track is darker and more sinister, with a creeping, paranoid mood [3]. It features a bubbling synth line that creates a sense of unease and distortion [3]. * **"Showroom Dummies"** This track explores the theme of artificiality and the increasing presence of technology in human life [3]. It has a more upbeat feel, but still carries a robotic and detached quality. * **"Trans-Europe Express"** The title track begins with the sound of a train building up steam before launching into a repetitive, rhythmic beat that simulates the movement of a train [2]. The track is known for its austere and grandiose feel, with panning effects that enhance the sense of motion and space [2]. * **"Metal on Metal"** This track acts as a continuation of the title track, characterized by its percussive elements and avant-garde funk sound [3]. The rhythmic elements create a sense of industrial and mechanical power. * **"Abzug"** Often considered part of the "Trans-Europe Express" medley, this track maintains the rhythmic and repetitive structures, contributing to the overall sense of travel and motion. * **"Franz Schubert" / "Endless Endless"** The album concludes with this track, which has a calm and uplifting tone, providing a sense of closure to the journey [3]. It creates a peaceful and optimistic feel, leaving the listener with a sense of hope. **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Trans-Europe Express* are sparse and often delivered in a robotic, detached style, which complements the mechanized sound of the music [1, 2, 3]. The lyrics are not complex, and are often more conceptual than narrative. The lyrics sometimes feature name-checks of other musicians and locations, enhancing the sense of cultural exchange and connection [1]. For example, in the title track, the line "From station to station/back to Dusseldorf City/Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie" acknowledges the band's contemporaries and their connection to the wider artistic landscape [1]. The use of simple, repetitive phrases contributes to the hypnotic and trance-like nature of the music [2]. **Production** *Trans-Europe Express* is notable for its innovative production techniques [2]. The album was recorded at Kraftwerk's own Kling Klang Studio in Düsseldorf, allowing the band complete control over the recording process [4]. The use of early sequencers was crucial in creating the album's precise and mechanized sound [2]. The album also employs panning effects, which enhance the sense of space and motion [2]. The minimalist approach to production allows the repetitive structures and synth textures to take center stage. The album's production is often described as clean and clinical, which contributes to its futuristic and detached aesthetic. The album's sound, though groundbreaking at the time, can sound dated to some listeners, highlighting the rapid evolution of electronic music technology [3]. **Influence** *Trans-Europe Express* had a profound impact on the development of electronic music, as well as on other genres like hip-hop, synth-pop, techno and new wave [1, 2]. The album's use of sequencers and repetitive structures became standard practice in much of electronic music [2]. The influence of the album can be heard in the work of many artists, including David Bowie, who was inspired by Kraftwerk's sound and even visited the band during the recording of *Trans-Europe Express* [1, 4]. The album's influence extends beyond music, also impacting the visual arts and fashion, particularly with its retro-futuristic aesthetic [5]. The album's innovative use of technology and its conceptual approach to music paved the way for future generations of electronic artists. The album also demonstrates how technology can be used to create emotive and evocative music. **Pros** * **Innovation:** The album was groundbreaking for its innovative use of technology and its exploration of new sonic territories [2, 4]. * **Conceptual Depth:** The album's themes of European unity and technological progress give it a conceptual depth that goes beyond typical pop music [1, 4]. * **Hypnotic Quality:** The album's repetitive structures and mechanized sound create a hypnotic and immersive listening experience [2]. * **Influence:** *Trans-Europe Express* has had a lasting and profound influence on the development of electronic music [1, 2, 4]. * **Atmosphere:** The album's atmosphere is evocative and transportive, creating a strong sense of place and motion [1, 2]. * **Cohesive Sound:** The album has a cohesive and homogeneous feel, creating a dreamlike listening experience [3]. **Cons** * **Repetitive:** The album's repetitive structures can become monotonous for some listeners, particularly after repeated listens [3]. * **Sterile:** Some critics find the album's sound to be sterile and lacking in emotional depth [5]. * **Dated Sound:** Due to the rapid evolution of electronic music technology, the album's sound can feel dated to some modern listeners [3]. * **Lack of Variation:** The album's tracks sometimes plateau and lack variation, which can detract from the listening experience [3]. * **Lengthy Tracks:** The long runtimes of some tracks, particularly the "Trans-Europe Express" medley, can feel overextended [3]. In summary, *Trans-Europe Express* is a highly influential and innovative album that remains a significant work in the history of electronic music [1, 2, 4]. While its repetitive structures and detached sound might not appeal to all listeners, its conceptual depth, groundbreaking production, and lasting impact make it an essential listen for anyone interested in the evolution of popular music.

Perfect. I’ve been excited to get them for a while. Feel like there’s nothing new to say here. You can hear the influence on so much that comes after it, and I genuinely think it still sounds great and coherent Rating: 4.9

Wunderbar!

Day 8: Trans Europe Express - Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk pioneered electronic music, and the scene of such music wouldn't be the same without them. A large portion of modern-day music is produced electronically, and Kraftwerk were one of the first bands to ever do that. Musically, Kraftwerk's music is very simplistic. It's not everybody's cup of tea. Personally, I didn't particularly enjoy Kraftwerk's two other entries in "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" (The Man Machine, and Autobahn, respectively). I had a peer who was obsessed with Kraftwerk, so I had some strange expectations for their music. Despite the minimalism, this album was a blast to listen to. Something about it is quite simply, very fun. Its title track is notably catchy. I enjoyed its production. It feels like a precursor to new wave music. It's a gas. Personal Enjoyment: 5/5. How Much It Belongs Here: 5/5.

Kraftwerk ist immer ein Hörerlebnis besonderer Art. Ich entdecke immer wieder was Neues oder erschließe die Werke neu. Kraftwerk kennt man nicht auswendig. Kraftwerk erfindet sich neu ohne das Prädikat Kraftwerk zu verlieren. Der Kraftwerk Express fährt kontinuierlich weiter und lässt die Herzen aus Elektronik höher voltieren

Class

I liked this albulm a lot more than the man machine. Some parts reminded of the Ape of Naples for some reason. As for as 70s electronic music goes it’s hard to imagine there’s anything better than this. Favorite Song: The Hall of Mirrors Least Favorite Song: Trans-Europe Express (But it’s still very good)

Just the perfect synthesis of technology, creativity & sound.

I’ve listened to this one before and I really enjoy every song on this album. Hard to not give it five stars.

Is there anything else to say about this album? "Krautrock" whatever that is. As a German who grew up with it in the 60s and 70s, I initially found it a bit disrespectful, but now I see it as an award, even though it says nothing at all about the music Großartiges Album *****!

For me, it is the second Kraftwerk album here after Autobahn. TEE is obviously the successor of Autobahn (even though Radio-Activity was released in between), much more refined, partly because of the sequencing equipment specially developed for Kraftwerk. Ralf's flat singing style and vocoders are key elements of Kraftwerk's music, as are their often minimalistic and repetitive soundscapes. You can imagine sitting in the TEE, watching the landscape flying by, and always hearing the monotonous rhythm of the cart's wheels on the rail tracks. This album was very influential for many musicians, but I still vote for Computerwelt as the most important one.

This album is perfect in everyway. It's everything a modern electronic record should be. Masterful work by a masterful group.

I will always have a soft, warm spot in my cold, robotic heart for Kraftwerk - I know they're not for everyone and that's okay, I will always take their angular minimalist techno and embrace it :) Faves: the set of TEE/Metal on Metal/Abzug blend so well and give a great chugging momentum through the second half of the album

Još jedan klasik! 🙂 Ima dosta dobrih stvari na ovom albumu i uvijek me fascinira koliko su bili ispred svog vremena, ali ima i nekih dijelova koji su mi malo manje napeti i pomalo dosadni/repetativni. Za veličinu albuma i benda bih dala 10/10, ali ovako će biti 5/5 ili 9/10.

Nisu mi najdraži švabe iz toga vremena, ali su ostavili jako veliki utisak na mene. Tipa, oni su mi otvorili oči i uši prema elektronskoj muzici kad sam bio u dvadesetima Nisu možda najinteresantniji danas, ali bez beda poslušam cijeli album Devetka

Wasn't familiar with this particular Kraftwerk album, but as someone who discovered German industrial and techno music in the late 80's, I love hearing some of the origin story. While not on this album, one of the highlights of my life was listening to "Autobahn" while driving 200 kph on the Autobahn, driving from Berlin to Munich.

This is an excellent and highly influential album. Kraftwerk were an important band in moving from synthesisers as a means of emulating conventional musical instruments to using them as instruments in their own right. They influenced many post-punk bands, and even house music bands.

The first time I listened to Kraftwerk, I was dismissive and apathetic, the way a lot of people are when they hear early electronica. That opinion was very, very wrong. Trans Europe Express is both a triumphant Suite and celebration of the endless abilities of electronic music the same way a trip through the gorgeous European countryside into the magnificent city can fill you with inspiration, and a foundational building block album that establishes a lot of the genre’s themes, tropes, and fascinations in a way that makes it inextricably linked to the history of the genre, whether you actually enjoy listening to the album on face value or not. Now that I’m past the “yeah, yeah, it’s important, who cares,” stage of my Kraftwerk exposure, I can appreciate Trans Europe Express as music. And as music, it’s perfection. Side A in particular works for me: the chugging serenity of “Europe Endless,” the Dorian Grey haunt of “The Hall of Mirrors” as it builds up to a full narrative, and finally, in stark comparison, the porcelain stillness and minimal build of “Showroom Dummies.” Again, I think the latter two songs in particular are pretty essential to electronica tropes – about the line of reality and the line of human existence – but the opener’s sprawl is just as important to the vibe of the genre. Side B contrasts this with a tight operetta of sorts, revisiting elements of the opener on “Trans Europa Express” and extending those elements to more nuanced avenues that still keep the sonic motif alive to the very end. Trans Europe Express is magic, and it shows the magic of electronic sounds to create something akin to classical composition, debatably for the first time. It’s also one of those albums that gives you more the more you sit with it, as I’m learning. If it doesn’t click at first, I really encourage sitting with it more. Because once this clicked, it really clicked.

Ahead of its time for sure!

5/5

Like its titular locomotive, Trans Europe Express is nothing short of transportive. Unreal.

Smooth like buttah.

T.E.E

Perfect album. Kraftwerk had about 4 or them.

8.5/10

Fun frenetic melodic danceable electronica.

Ahead of its time, almost fits in today

Kraftwerk - one of my favourites. Good album

So oddly beautiful and optimistic.

This one is an automatic 5 stars from me. I love this album! Listening to this while riding the Deutsche Bahn last year from Berlin to Frankfurt was a fun experience. I know it's not the TEE but it's the closest I'm going to get.

The first of Kraftwerk’s holy trinity of electronic albums (the other two being ‘Man-Machine’ and ‘Computer World’), ‘Trans-Europe Express’ is arguably their best, taking the musical themes they explored on ‘Autobahn’, and expanding on them in a more concise manner, and with consistently more memorable hooks. Opening track, ‘Europe Endless’ feels classical in composition, with a wistful, otherworldly quality, a beautiful elegance, the musical motifs of which are repeated at the back end of the record. Meanwhile the ‘Trans-Europe Express’ medley is muscular but refined, minimal, but tough and hard…Modern. It’s also funk and hip-hop. No wonder Afrika Bambaataa stole the riff for ‘Planet Rock’. In between we get some nice asides in ‘Hall Of Mirrors’ and ‘Showroom Dummies’, one a song about self-image, fame, narcissism and general self-loathing, the other a tale about shop window mannequins who come to life and go clubbing. A celebration then of Europe’s nostalgic, romantic past, and the promise of a glittering future. An album both anachronistic, but ahead of its time. Old, yet modern, but always stylish. Elegant and decadent. And that’s its genius.

Ageless beautiful electonica.

I love the optimism on Trans Europe Express. There wasn't a lot to be optimistic about as a European in 77.

Marvelous

Kraftwerk's 'Trans Europa Express' is probably their finest in their stellar catalogue. They perfected the art of minimalism, hypnotic rhythms and catchy melodies with this album. It's nearly 50 years old but still sounds futuristic and stunning. The album centers around the Trans Europe Express, which was a railway service in Western and Central Europe from the mid 1950s to the 1990s. The monotonous, harrowing and alienated music is directly inspired by long train journeys, among others. When I visited Düsseldorf a couple of years ago, and saw the industrial heart of Europe with the huge, modern factories it all made sense to me why Kraftwerk - which was from Düsseldorf - made such futuristic music. They inspired countless artists and genres with this album, I can hear how they influenced post-punk, new wave and later 80s and 90s electronica. I listened to this album in German because the language fits much better to their music than English. In my opinion, this groundbreaking album deserves no less than 5 stars.

I don't know what I'm listening to, I don't know how they made these sounds. All I know is I like it.

Godfathers of Electronic 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

From the run of albums that spawned multiple music genres. Truly visionary.

Like almost everything that Kraftwerk did in the 70s, this album is magnificient. As innovative as humorous, Kraftwerk paved the way for many electronic acts in the decades that would follow. This, however, is the original. There can be only one. 5/5

I love repetition, so this went down extremely well with me. It's probably the closest you can come to being on a long train journey, without actually leaving your home. For an album that's approaching fifty years old, it sounds remarkably fresh. I struggled to decide between four and five stars, but a relisten convinced me that this was indeed a five star album.

The title song could be the anthem of the EU, though the European Parliament probably wouldn't go for that. But what better example is there of the celebration of post-war Europe? When people abandoned nationalism and embraced a European identity. High speed train travel helped further unite previously warring countries. The past was full of mistakes but the future looks bright here. Kraftwerk took krautrock further by turning to minimalism and adapting the sound of trains into something danceable. Influenced by the recent work of Bowie and Iggy Pop, 'Trans Europe Express' went on to become a seminal work in the history of both post-punk and electronic music, even influencing pop and hip hop along the way.

Äntligen något bra. Inte hört första låten och de 2 sista förut men övriga låtar har jag lyssnat mycket på. Det är ett bra album, riktigt bra. Kanske inte i klass med Man Machine men inte långt ifrån.

Very beep boopy. I like all the synths n stuff here, very danceable: The Man Machine had competition with this one, honestly. Pretty good album!

Legendary.

Crazy German robots - but this time with a hint of humanism, perhaps inspired by fellow contemporary trans-European Jean Michel-Jarre.

It might be the English and not the German version included in the book - but when it comes to Kraftwerk, I don’t care. If it’s available in German, you damn well listen in German.

Perfect album! On of the best pop electronic.

I mean - this is Kraftwerk! It's ahead of its time. Yes, a couple of the tracks become repetitive eventually, and yes, a lot of it is a little bit simplistic, but it's listenable 45 years later. I can't even imagine what they would have come up with if given access to today's musical tech - but the funny thing about that is that without Kraftwerk, today's musical tech wouldn't be where it is.

They've tackled the automobile and the effects of radioactivity. Now they've tackled the transit system. With Trans Europe Express, Kraftwerk set upon a perfect trifecta of electronic albums that not only have stood the test of time but would inform some of the most important genres and musicians that came from it over the next coming decades. From the bookending shimmer that starts Europe Endless and ends Endless Endless, one feels as though they're partaking in their very own train journey; one marked by marvel, wonder, history and possibilities. Whether in the neon-lit revelry of West Germany or in the blighted neglect of the projects of New York, Kraftwerk would find their way in and suit things as they saw fit. Abzug!

The original. The pioneers. The beginning of the electronic craze and of course it comes from Düsseldorf. Buckle up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our Trans Europe Express. Our train will stop at the following stations: *Electro-Kosmische Stadte*, *Weimar Nostalgia Park*, *Schubert Pastische Burg*, *David and Iggy-Straße*, *Proto-Techno-Hub*, *Hip Hop Sample-landër and *Planet Rock Allee*. Our inspectors will check your music history tickets in few minutes. In the meantime, feel the rhythm of our pistons and let yourself go. We hope you'll have a pleasant journey. Mind the automatic doors, and bon voyage..." Not as "driven", mesmerizing and wide-eyed as *Autobähn*, not as catchy, cinematic and melodic as the Metropolis-inspired " bauhaus" extravaganza *The Man Machine*, and not as delightfully ominous as the post-apocalyptic, geiger-counters-infested *Radioactivity* (a record that has always been criminally underrated by the "critics"), *Trans Europe Express* is nonetheless a masterpiece. Truly one of the four Kraftwerk records everyone interested in the origin of the "electronic" umbrella genre should own. Its poetry and its harmonic lines--clear and simple, and yet so "rich" at the same time--are what makes this album sound so fresh, even today. Not many techno and electronica records, even those released decades later, can boast about such assets... 5 stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: 260 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 324 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 184 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 238

7 / 10 Pioneros de la música electrònica en los años 70. Hay que conocerlos. Sorprendentemente bien para lo que podían hacer.

Na muziek voor op de snelweg kwam Kraftwerk met muziek voor in de trein. Hall of mirrors is ook onwijs goed. Vroege elektronica die vandaag de dag nog steeds z’n stempel drukt. Ik hou wel van het repetitieve, duidelijk uit dezelfde scene als Can etc, maar dan elektronisch. Must listen voor iedere elektronicaliefhebber, easy 5!

Kraftwerk are pioneers of electronic music who created minimalist, melodic music with early synthesizers. Trans Europe Express may be their best album, filled with catchy, melodic, danceable songs. In a decade dominated by classic rock and Motown, Kraftwerk made music with drum machines, and characterized their music as "robot pop" - the work of automatons. Kraftwerk was incredibly influential - much of modern electronic music is inspired by their work. This album is arguably where modern electronic music began.

To me, the suite on the side B is the greatest thing Kraftwerk has achieved. I love this album so much.

Very cool sound.

Best album I've listened so far, really amusing

Kraftwerk - einzigartig! Zu lange Einzeltitel - aber egal!

Very unique and cool sound

EUROPE ENDLESS

Kraftwerk inventing hip hop. - Running joke with friends. But this is great. And the end is gorgeous. That whole side of the record starting with the title track just flows so seamlessly I drift into a trance. Franz Schubert just giving you a big cuddle to send you off.

Affirmative

An absolute journey which is what I want in an album

Amazing

Such a banger. Five stars. Fünf stars.

This really feels like a cleansing ray of light hitting you while you're travelling cross-country to new destinations. The album just breathes positivity. I certainly needed that today.

Perfect

Impressiona por ser carregado de inovação e sonoridade icônica já em 1977. Com suas batidas mecânicas, sintetizadores cria um clima de modernidade e a tecnologia e ainda apresenta melodias envolventes.

Pretty stunning album - a cohesive and sonically inventive piece. Both the melodic highs and murky lows come together for a complete listen. Those simple and robotic lyrics really make things fun - enjoyed this listen. Happy to back the unsubstantiated rumour I heard about Kraftwerk headlining Meredith 2023. All aboard the hype-highspeed-continental-railcar Four and a half. Fave track: The Hall of Mirrors

Such a german album from my perspective, and I mean that in the best possible way. I don't know how else to explain it, other than the fact that it reminds me of my college roomate who was from Germany, and used to iron his pillowcases and jeans

Kraftwerk. Absolutely essential listening. Vital to everything electronic in the world ever. 5 / 5 stars.

enjoy!

I liked this album! It’s a vibe for sure, but it’s a vibe that I vibe with. Hi Mickey, I hope you’re having a great day!

Super importante y bueno al chile

An incredibly influential album by a fantastic band. Trans Europe express is actually quite challenging by modern standards, but not because of the maximalism of IDM nor the inaccessibility of some of the more extreme metal genres (Looking at you The Body). It's challenging because of its simplicity and hypnotic repetitive electronics and vocals which is the result of a combination of their krautrock background and the early pioneering stuff they were doing with electronics. This kind of thing, taking a simple idea and repeating it over and over again until it becomes hypnotic is often relegated to ambient and drone but is on full display here. This is an album that rewards you if you have the patience to give it in exchange. Just like a train ride through the countryside of Germany or Austria there is an immense amount of value if you just sit back do nothing and look out the window. Favourite track: Showroom dummies

Classic Kraftwerk album. The first Kraftwerk album I listened to - did not like it back in the early 80s, but adjusted my view in the 90s: it is obviously a great album.

NIIN VITUN LAISKAAAAAAAAAAAA-----naama varmasti niin mutrulla kun olla voi.....ei sätkähdystäkään naama lihaksissa....ei kiinnosta tää musiikki homma PÄTKÄÄKÄÄN. lyriikat bro kirjota kolome lausetta tällä kertaa... jotain vaa...käsi käy...rennolla liikkellä. VITTU EN HUOMANNU EES BIISIENVAIHTOA PAITSI MAINOKSISSA KUN UNOHDIN manuaalisesti klikkaa niin ei tuu spotifyssä mainoksia en jaksa kräkkää VAIHTAA:::::::::::::HUHHUH... the hall of mirrors

Classic electronic.

Elegance and decadence

Охуенно просто (да, я решил не заморачиваться)

Так, ну это реально мой альбом, потому что только увидев облогу с утра я подумал: ну вот это меня точно чем-то удивит. Удивило. Для меня концепт раскрыт полностью, музыкальные решения пушечка, лирика тут не мешается, но и не вокал не машинальный, за что я 4+ "леди и джентльменам поставил", ну и не затянуто, быстрые 40 минуток. Такой музыкальный тикток 70х: 1,5 семпла, 2,5 музыкальных решения, которые привели к прекрасной поездке. Обязательно буду включать в дальних поездках после выезда из города и прямо перед въездом (для полетов уже есть песенька). Отдельно могу выделить почти все, но титульная композиция прям обязательно. 4-6 треки тоже надо послушать. Пы.сы. первая пятерка! Пы.пы.сы. кажется, я ебнутый, но мне заходит что авангард как визуальный жанр, так и аудиальный, как оказалось. Ещё пару альбомов и созрею до пытки авангардом от славы КПСС Пы.пы.пы.сы. возможно не оч структурировано, но 1) оч эмоций много, 2) хочу с утра получить новый альбом, а сейчас уже в кроватке с телефоном лежу, так что подробнее обсосем на подкасте

Iconic Suite in the back end, and further solidifies one of the bands I actually would have have been a hard-core fan of in the 70s

Is this their best album? Probably first among equals anyway, just fantastic. My kids hate it, such philistines

Brilliant.

First time listening to Trans Europe Express. It's what I expect from Kraftwerk based on the other albums I've heard and Kraftwerk never disappoints.

I do like the journey of the album's concept. If you catch it in the right mood, it can be quite immersive. It's a good one to zone out to, given it was released in 1977, it's a ground-breaking album. Otherworldly. I was going to give it a 4, but feeling optimistic today, 5.

an electronic feast for the ears

All in on the synths and I love it

OK so I'm dumb. For the longest time I thought kraftwerk was that shitty joke from the eric Andre show. But that's kraft punk. I'm smart. But this album is amazing. It's so ahead of its time it isn't even funny. I will save this one for now and check out the whole kraftwerk catalog.

Magnificence

Repetitive, detailed, more to it than you get on a first listen. Great!

Still phenomenal.

Coooool

Fav songs: - The Hall of Mirrors - Showroom Dummies - Trans-Europe Express

Nonstop.

fucking amazing electronic I love Kraftwerk favorite song is probably Showroom Dummies, but the whole album’s great - 10/10

Det här kan mycket väl vara det bästa som någonsin släppts. Det är, fulländat.

I like trains

Love this album, smooth elegance electronica.

Awwww yiss. I fucking love this album, but I am happy to rediscover that fact.

I don't know why but I love this album. It's great. Fun sounds, cool german accents saying the same words over and over again. So amazing! I think my favourite tracks are Europe Endless and The Hall of Mirrors.

Brutal!! Me ha encantado. Discazo

duh

I think this is the first album of this project that I’d actually listened to all the way through before. This is an excellent album, hugely influential, ahead of its time/invented the time. For how stripped-down it sounds compared to later electronic music, it still manages to be really sentimental.

This may be their most refined and engaging album. It feels very conceptually unified as they begin to focus more on something closer to pop song structures with lyrics, at least on Side A. The fluid 3-track song suite of Trans Europe Express / Metal on Metal / Abzug on Side B is like a mini railway version of their masterpiece Autobahn, but with a much funkier beat. Quite a ride. This album is also a big step for them in becoming the robots they were destined to be in Showroom Dummies. And I must say I geek out every time when they name check their real life rendezvous with Bowie and Iggy on the title track. Absolutely historic. They were electronic music pioneers who were so far ahead of their time that they were essentially in a league of their own. You may not dig their schtick, hell, you may not even care for electronic music whatsoever, but, like it or not, these affectless Germans changed the sonic possibilities for music across multiple genres, some of which they nearly single handedly created. Hard to pick a favorite album by them but this just may be it for me.

Iconic. Most people are not aware of Kraftwerk and their ground-breaking electronic style that wasn't really done. The inhumanness goes so far it wraps around and becomes somehow human. Only song I'm not a fan of is "Showroom Dumimes". 4.5 to 5.

Beautiful sometimes uncomfortable listening. How can an album so subdued make me feel so anxious? The layered sounds, pioneering synth lines and monotone vocals of Trans-Europe Express are a master work. This is another album that is so influential I find it hard to imagine what it would have been like to be one of the artists inspired by it hearing it for the first time.

great stuff. continued listening to more albums.

Take a ride on the T.E.E. Express. It is retro, but also futuristic. It is idealistic but also kind of unsettling. It is a 10/10 but still not even my personal favorite Kraftwerk record. R.I.P. Florian Schneider

Lovely, dreamy electro pop. Minimalistic sounds but gorgeously layered. 5/5 stars

cool!

Phenomenal, still comes in just behind Autobahn for my favourite of theirs but it's close.

det er så godt det her

Good electronica

Stunning example of electronica. Completely game changing - who knew that Germans could be so cool ;)

Absolute classic

I tore thru this. I prefer Man-Machine but this album deserves 5 stars.

Really innovative and fun. It's repetitive, but there are variations throughout. My five year old developed a dance to Trans Europe Express while wearing sunglasses. 5/5.

This was an amazing trip.

Lo escuché un poco a las apuradas, pero es una banda que me gusta Como dijo Betz es un gusto adquirido. Ideal también para trabajar, me permite concentrarme. 5 efes

Otro disco que gasté. Hoy no estoy de humor para escucharlo. Me duele la cabeza y digamos que no colabora mucho a que se me pase. Gran disco igualmente. 9/10 ludomatics.

Escuchar Kraftwerk no es sentarse a escuchar musica como haces siempre. Tenés que posicionarte en los 70 y mirar hacia este lado del charco. TEE se hizo cuando acá se cantaba pata pata la escena de la musica nacional se preparaba para explotar. Es inocente, despojada de complejidad y terriblemente exacta. Te dicen Kraftwerk y escuchás como suena y decis "si, a esto me suena la palabra Kraftwerk". Si bien no es mi disco favorito de ellos (Computerwelt y Die Mensch-Maschine por si se lo preguntan), es un disco mega significativo. La tematica de la musica es sobre cosas que cuando mirás para atrás suenan re simples y basicas, pero cuando lo contextualizas, tematizaban con la vanguardia de lo que estaba sucediendo. El Tour de France, la radioactiviad, un tren que cruza todo europa, robotica, computacion... De ahi viene la inocencia con la que hicieron musica y la forma en la que suena. Hoy pasarían como ringtones polifonicos. Inventaron la musica electronica. Sin ésto, no hay Tiesto, no hay David Guetta, no hay nada. And that's something. ...Que increible que en los 70's estos tipos hablaban de un tren que iba a pasar por todo un continente y acá seguimos discutiendo si la emision genera inflacion.

Greatest electronic album ever

Brilluant

Gran álbum que puedo apreciar como frecuente escuchador de tecno y deep house. Aunque también he de reconocer que no me lo puedo tomar en serio, es como música-meme. Chistosito, sobre todo la canción inicial la súper veo en un meme de gatitos tocando el synth. Mood: los supersónicos atienden al concierto de robotina.

I mean, I don’t hate electronica, and this is pretty decent so far. I don’t consider myself the biggest electronica fan, but I found this fairly enjoyable. It was not a pain to listen to at all.

perfection

Diese Platte hat mich nicht gelangweilt. 4 Sterne.

Surprisingly, I actually liked this one - not sure why but I’m guessing it’s because of its influences on 80s new wave bands. I kept hearing themes that showed in later music.

I love it. TRANS EUROPA EXPRESS

really enjoyed the high points, the darker ones I didn't enjoy

I really enjoyed this album. Techno German late 70s, what is not to love! 7.75/10 Top song Franz Schubert

While I really appreciate the minimalism and the 8bit esthetic (though it wasn't called 8bit in 1977) I am a bit puzzled by the voices. Nevertheless a visionary album. And also trains are cool. Favorite Songs: Europe Endless ; Trans Europe Express

This is really a 3 but it earns an extra star for gaining my respect

Synth pop pioneers explore the future of music with their vision

I found this an interesting listen. Would have made an excellent deep study/focus soundtrack. Will revisit when the time is right.

Their music is sort of a...ugh...techno pop

A classic and always an enjoyable listen. They walked where a lot of my favourite music could run and i will always repect that. Its not somethimg i listen to regularly as i feel this was done better, later, bybother people ans its a bit sparse and basic for my tastes. 3.5 rounded up because they are culturally important

Kraftwerk is not a band I thought I would like to be honest. But it's albums like this that make me more than happy to be wrong. Not only is it chill, brilliant, and entrancing, it's very obviously way ahead of it's time. This is something I will definitely be coming back to.

Liked this.

Second album après 'Autobahn' que j'avais plutôt apprécié (noté 3/5). Ce nouvel album propose des morceaux plus courts (pas de morceau de 20 mn cette fois) et plus accrocheurs, plus mélodiques. Je trouve toujours dommage de ne pas avoir fait le choix de morceaux purement instrumentaux, le chant n'apporte pas grand chose. Mais globalement je trouve l'accompagnement plus réussi que dans le précédent. Il va rejoindre ma collection ! =>4/5

Extremely relaxing

Fun album. Something different and fresh for me

I really liked this album. I will for sure listen to more in the future.

By times somewhat stark and menacing, others joyous and playful. I've heard this is perfect accompaniment to long train rides through Europe. I'd buy that. Franz Schubert is a flat out gorgeous piece, and Endless Endless the perfect coda.

Excellent

Cool! First Kraftwerk album. I've heard the name of this band being passed around before, and I like the name of their Autobahn album - it's just a satisfying word to pronounce. Anyways, I don't know what genre these guys belong to and I'm kind of stumped as to what this album could be when going off of the cover. This kind of minimalist, symbol-heavy cover is something I traditionally associate with electronic music, but electronic seems a little early for the year of release. Granted, Neu were putting out albums with an electronic sound around the time of this album, so I think I might be onto something. An electronic album it is. Hmm, strange. This is one of those albums which sounds drastically better now that I'm playing it back on shuffle as I finish writing this review. At first, I wasn't moved by how primitive the synths sounded, how minimal the compositions were and how subdued the vocal style was, but it's clicking quite nicely now. The rigid, methodical structure of these songs is engrossing once you're able to get into their unique sense of rhythm and tempo. It all comes together like craftwork, if I'm allowed to get the saying completely wrong. The status of this album as an early electronic release makes it charming in its own distinctive way. I can't say I've heard an album with this kind of dark and strange, yet ultimately glamorous sound. The obtuse, funky synths which underscore this album are generally the highlight through their ability to pair with the equally abstract vocal melodies. The other, more flittering electronic sounds are also matched with this album quite well, making up the more glamorous and interesting aspects of the album. I'm not sure if I'm getting this mental image because of or despite the album cover, but if this album were a material it would be a sleek, cold, smooth, reflective, black metal surface. One of the better materials an album could be, if you asked me. Only deep and insightful criticisms are contained in my reviews. Book time. The album is "...a streamlined celebration of Europe's romantic past and shimmering future." Bowie was notably a fan of Kraftwerk, with the ambient stretch of "Heroes" being his tribute to the band. Kraftwerk reciprocated by namedropping both Bowie and Iggy Pop on the title track. That only appears to be on the English version of the song, however. The album was innovative and has been influential in post-punk. "Metal on Metal" has been influential in hip-hop, electronic and industrial music. Afrika Bambaataa sampled the album on his Planet Rock album. I don't need to check Wikipedia on this occasion. This album has been quite surprising in how far its influence has stretched. I cosign this inclusion.

Cold, robotic and expresionless.This have enough for communicate intense with minimum effort.

4⭐️/5 05.21.2026

It's a classic. For my money I think The Man-Machine is the better album but that is splitting hairs. This is the sound of the future from way back when. You can hear the DNA of Kraftwerk in a lot of music that came afterward. That has been covered extensively elsewhere and by greater authority than me, but all that you need to know is that you will be moving like a robot by the end of this record. Embrace the robot!

7/10 It bears repeating how influential and pioneering Kraftwerk’s music has been to vast amounts of music that followed them. Across their discography, they laid the groundwork for electronic dance music, hip-hop, synth-pop and more. Trans-Europe Express saw them introduce sequencers for the first time, freeing them from having to manually play each of their parts and allowing them to create more complex, metronomic and hypnotic patterns around which they could develop their sound. The fact that they had to have the sequencer they used for this record custom built shows how innovative and boundary pushing they were being with synthesised music. Of course, there was plenty of synth music before them, with Wendy Carlos’ work being of particular note, but Kraftwerk were really the first to lean so hard and intentionally into the deliberately electronic sounding and robotic side of the technology and push it towards mainstream audiences. This album is in places hypnotic, insistent, atmospheric and cinematic, and you can hear clear echoes of this work in the work of countless musicians that would follow, from Joy Division to Aphex Twin. The stark, foreboding vibe in various places is both oppressive and engaging and the hypnotic nature of the rhythmic elements (both tonal and percussive) suck you in and pull you along as you get lost in the shifting waves of synthesis. For an almost 50 year old electronic music album, there were relatively few times where it sounded particularly dated, which only emphasises the skills of the band, and the production was crisp and deep, really creating an engaging listening experience throughout. For me, I actually slightly prefer the work they produced on Man-Machine, the follow up to this record, which further refined their sequencer use and added a slightly more pop music twist to their sound. But this record has its own charms and, while I did find that there were certain bits that dragged on a little too much, I generally had an excellent time with it. Europe Endless - This is a slow burn, but the evolution of the various parts over time really work. They manage to somehow introduce just an edge of organic, human feel into the groove. I think some of it is down to how they’ve used accents within the arpeggiations and some of the synth parts that are performed rather than sequenced. It’s quite hypnotic and, as background music I was far less into this than when I actually gave it closer attention. It’s über German, but that works so well with the vibe of the piece that it only enhances it for me. You could complain that it’s a bit too long, but I think you might lose some of the hypnotic nature of it by trimming it down too much. The Hall Of Mirrors - The ascending synth tones in the intro here are great. When things progress, it’s so stark and darkly atmospheric. The chorus reminds me an awful lot of Joy Division, obviously far more synth focused, but the vibe and tone of it are very similar. Apparently Ian Curtis would always listen to this record before performing, so it was obviously a massive influence on them. This is so stretched out and sparse, but has more of that hypnotic insistency to it that it’s hard not to get sucked into the mechanically overbearing nature of the atmosphere. This is really good stuff. Showroom Dummies - I feel like this, as a more traditionally song structured piece, doesn’t quite deliver quite as well as they would on Man-Machine with more synth-pop efforts. It’s still decent, but it’s perhaps a touch too sparse to connect quite as well as that later work. When things roam a bit through the middle instrumental section, I get a bit more sucked into it, because there’s a bit more musical interest and development. The vocal parts just don’t quite connect as well and get a little repetitive without managing to deliver the same hypnotic control as the earlier tracks. Trans-Europe Express - This brings us back into that hypnotic, insistent, and engaging rhythmic vibe. The slow phase and delay on the drums is super tasty and the soundscaping of the different lines works really well to pull your depth of focus forward and backwards across the orchestration. The careful, restrained sequencing of it all is really well balanced and it still has a bit of a creepy vibe due to the choices of melody and the relative lack of significant harmonic content, except to really emphasise certain sections. Another solid track. Metal On Metal - This is more or less a further movement of the previous track. Again, there’s a touch of Joy Division about it and more than a hint of Einstürzende Neubauten too. It’s rhythmically cool and creates an incredibly engaging and threatening atmosphere, especially the final detuned chord sweep that takes us straight into… Abzug - The third movement of the piece. I like the ascending synth chords that they use, but this is very much a return to what we were getting on the track Trans-Europe Express, including a return to the vocals. When the build of the different parts happens later in the piece, there’s extra depth and atmosphere brought in and the slightly creepy, overbearing vibe returns. It’s pretty cool, but I do wonder if the general concept of this suite of tracks has been dragged on a tad too long, over the course of three tracks. Franz Schubert - The arpeggiated synth line here is really lovely. The slightly odd pulsing of the pads and melodies below gives this a warm and slightly crumbling tone that allows your attention to wander nicely across the work. The arpeggiated line gives everything a centre, while the other parts have a bit more of an unfocused, roaming quality. I think the amount of rhythm that’s present in this track despite the complete lack of drums is incredibly well done. Another excellent track. Endless Endless - And that track runs us nicely into a return to where we began. It’s more of a coda than a track in its own right, but it’s still good. It’s obviously intentional, but it does perfectly run back to the start and you could easily run this album on repeat without ever really noticing where it should start or end, which is a pretty fun way to construct an album.

If every song were like that first track it would be an easy 5 for me. They’re not, but they are still solid.

Been meaning to familiarize myself with Kraftwerk for a while. The first half was very spare and repetitive. Wasn’t sure I was going to like the album. Then the title track hit and for the rest of the album it sounded a lot more like what I expected, much more like the electronic music I’m familiar with.

Kraftwerk's bleeps, bloops, and robotic rhythms perfectly captures the sensation of riding a train. Incredibly consistent release from these electronic music pioneers.

++: Spiegelsaal, Schaufensterpuppen, Metall auf Metall, Abzug, Franz Schubert, Endlos Endlos +: Europa Endlos, Trans Europa Express 8,5/10

i boarded the T.E.E!! and it was quite a ride! only being familiar with electro music thru daft punk, this was an extremely different kind of listen -- kraftwerk were pioneers in the genre, and it's very easy to see why. even with the rather sparse production, the bleepy bloopy synths got stuck in my head right away! my only dislike is the lyrical side, a lot of repetitive lyrics and songs that stretched on for upwards of almost 10 minutes, which i guess this early kind of electro was best listened to at The Club (and probably while dancing and or on some kind of substance) still an extremely interesting peak into music history! i'm glad this came up on the generator, i probably would have never reached for it otherwise! highlights: trans-europe express, showroom dummies, europe endless

Good stuff by the Godfathers of Electronic music! 4.25/5

big fan of this. OGs of beep boop music