Reviews (page 12 of 15)
Boop beep bop boop beep. I crave ze boop bop beep.
Dun dun dun dun, classic.
How are there 3 Kraftwerk albums on this list!? Dreadful… it is sonically interesting though, in a hypnotic way
Un clásico.
did not understand really
An album that has aged in the worst way possible. Everything from the production to vocal effects of this album are very much stuck firmly in the 70’s and in a way that has not achieved the timeless sound of several other vintage albums. Listening to this music seems like listening to the draft of a collection of 70’s computers sound effects. I’ve been told I have to appreciate this album ‘for what it is’ which is not something I expect to have to do from a list of only 1001 albums everybody should hear before they die. I see how production-heads and vintage video game nerds would be all over this track but in my opinion it has not held up at all.
I never got super into Kraftwerk. Something about it doesn’t groove enough for me. Doesn’t catch me. Doesn’t make me feel anything. That said, this is very well done, iconic, and important. So, 3.5 - 4
I dont really like it too much, but its not all that bad and has a mild appeal. A 2.5 getting a 3.
Very unexpected and a little odd. Reminds me a ton of Daft Punk
Entertaining background music, but not my style.
Bouncy, and had me dancing in the shower. Can feel how Kraftwerk influenced so many bands, from Daft Punk to the DJ circuit. Not too much to say, just a solid dance album. Standouts: Metropolis, Neon Lights, The Man Machine
5/5 on influence but not one I'd put on often. May be influenced by me being tired when I listened to it
Electronichy beats, some robot-ey vocals. Pretty uninteresting
mechanical and repetitive. good for pushing through some boring bookkeeping work. Not really my cup of tea. It felt like work listening to this.
This is pretty good
I wasn't sure how this would go at first. But I loved it.
#35. Dial-up modem music made by robots, for robots. 4/5: fantastic Song added to playlist: The Robots I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
My first exposure to Kraftwerk was the video for The Robots where they looked like mannequins and moved like very crudely designed machines. There was something kind of otherworldly about them. There was an uncanncy valley quality to them. This was in the late 90s and by then, countless artists that I loved had been inspired by them. Despite that, I felt like I had never really seen or heard anything quite like them. Later, I'd come to realize their place in krautrock and everything that came after them. 'The Man Machine' may be their best album. The music is at once more refined and more spacious, almost completely abstracting out anything human at all, aside from the content of the lyrics. Even today, the music feels strange, unique and hypnotic.
Hate Brit and jazzy metal Krautrock- but this was listenable background.
Music entanglement for the mind. Great compositions that catches your attention and lets you drift of along with the music. Solid 4.
Listened to half of the album- not my jam but I can see how people like it. By the mid mark though kinda all flowed together and it felt like one LOOOONNNGGG song.
Sounded like a proto-Daft Punk
synth
Decent
Top notch bleep bloop
I understand why this is so influential, and I respect the work, but it's not for me.
Historically, this is pretty cool. By today's standards, the music is... good, but I cannot imagine what people thought listening to this almost 50 years ago.
Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
Interesting electronic music, I did really like it 4 stars
beep boop beep
The Robots- 6/10 😵💫🤖 They are the robots Spacelab- 6/10 it is a space lab Metropolis- 5 you could never guess the lyrics The Model- 6 Neon Lights- 7 The Man Machine-5
Fun
- finally something weird - instrumental, techno, robotic music, even machines singing - this is kinda trash though - some of the production isn’t bad but it’s goofy - better when he doesn’t “sing”…
Nice but not as good as I imagined it would be.
Electronic music found its roots in Germany. By the time the late 20th century arrived, the push for more of it had made its way to the United States and Japan. But in regards to the electronic movement of the 70's and well into the 90's, there is probably none a finer group to have emerged from that scene than Kraftwerk. Most of the electronic music you listen to today can probably be traced back to this record in some way. This is just as essential of a listen as Selected Ambient Works 85-92, Autechre [LP5], and Feed Me Weird Things are. It's cool, chilling, and rhythmically hypnotic. Lyrics are sparse, which leaves only the synths themselves for you to attach yourself to. It's simple, and simultaneously dense once you begin to peel back the layers. There is also a sense of danceability to these tracks. Neonlicht, for example, instantly clicks, and is addictively fun and colorful. The drum beats are snappy and tight. Really this album has as many synth leads, pads, and arps as one could ask for. It is an excellently constructed and put together piece of electronic music, that would go on to push the boundaries of this kind of sound in more traditional and mainstream rock and pop based music. Rating: 8/10
Beep bop Im a machine.
The album had me feeling like I too was a robot in a cyberpunk dystopian environment. Seems like an album with a lot of utility. I mean I feel like I could jam to it while doing chores, while gaming, studying, or just put on some headphones and let my imagination run wild. I dig it.
Really like "Spacelab" and "The Model." Sounds great, trailblazing. I was excited to listen to this one.
I'll take others' word for it that it's seminal and influential for a lot of things I've enjoyed since it was released, but no thank you never again
meh
A minute in, I was thinking THIS IS AWESOME!!! I felt like such a dipshit not having heard it before and wondered why didn’t anybody tell me? But the album overall got pretty boring pretty fast. It’s kind of ironic because seems like they were both opening the door to and critiquing the kind of mechanized media word we live in now that could make it possible for an album like this to be boring. Seems like it would have been super fun back in the day! Also, four stars is the minimum because any one song is fun to listen to on its own plus it seems like they should get an A for effort given they were blazing a trail and all that entails.
I thoroughly did not enjoy listening to this album. Most of the tracks felt corny AF and just overall not a fun experience to listen to. – HOWEVER I do appreciate why Kraftwerk was so influential and groundbreaking at the time, so this critique is solely subjective, nearly 50 years after the album came out. I still stand by the statement that these tracks do not hold up against the test of time.
Okayish weird industrial
i can like and appreciate some techno but this just did not do anything for me
I tried to enjoy this, but the repetition is just more than I can take.
El classico
Influential but hard to listen to all the way through
Need to be in the mood
Electronic Soundtrackish
I understand the disruptive impact this had when it first came out, but sadly it doesn't work on me
Very cool. Retro futuristic. Will listen again. Three Stars.
i'm never gonna listen to german elctro music man
I only know of Kraftwerk from Big Black's cover of The Model and wasn't expecting to like this album as much as I did. The depth and complexities of sound hidden in the repetitive electronic beats is impressive.
Convenceram-me a escutar mais música eletrônica ao construir as obras sonoras ao trabalhar efeitos sintéticos no desenvolvimento de melodias pulsantes.
Not my style.
Prefer the droning, not the lyrics. Good as background music for a workday, but I don't think I could actively sit down and listen to this as an album experience.
I listened to this while I was cleaning the kitchen and it was perfect background music, tickled the right spots in my ADHD brain to keep me focused. Very cool to see what has and hasn't changed in the genre for the proceeding decades.
so many beeps and boops I'm not happy about it
I wonder if these guys inspired Daft Punk. It's a little simplistic and repetitive. Again, what's with all these songs that are so long? Despite being named Spacelab I'm almost getting fantasy-electronica vibes. I kinda like this one, reminds me of the Veggietales theme? (probably still too long though) I'm surprised it took 3 songs before I started getting Tron vibes. lol, 2 minutes in and we start getting lyrics. I think this might be 3 stars if the songs were shorter, as it is too repetitive and long.
Some of these songs were just too long. They felt repetitive, and while I know the technology was groundbreaking at the time, overly simplistic. I liked the rolled r's on "robots" though haha
i appreciate kraftwerk crawling so the rest of us could eventually run, but this does feel a liiiiitle bit like listening to someone play hot cross buns. great music to zone out to, probably wouldn't listen through again, but i do harbor a soft spot for the model in the same way i have soft spots for all the classic songs my dad would play for me growing up
these songs do go on a bit, 5 mins feels longer than 5 mins
synthesizers go brrrrrrrr my internet glitching out while streaming really added to this experience how can you dislike something that opens with rolling the r in rrrrrobot anyway I don't think I've ever sat and listened to an entire Kraftwerk album, and don't think they benefit from that approach, which is fine 4.5
Would not have known they were saying Metropolis if it wasn’t literally the song title Typically I’d go for electronic music with more going on and also with more lyrcis but I liked the album
So revolutionary... ahead of their time. Mad respect.
Good
Not bad, not really my style anymore but I can see why it was added. It did pass the time quite well
I'd imagine this is one of the first albums Daft Punk heard. While there isn't a ton of "meat" to this album, I did like it for background music.
Really funky and different. Lots of influence for the current Retrowave themes. Not a fan of the vocal clips/additions. Fav tracks: The Model, Metropolis
Favourite songs: The Robots, The Model, Spacelab, Metropolis Least favourite songs: Neon Lights 4/5
Música electrónica con sintetizadores muy repetitiva. Un tostón. Un 2.
Vinilo por The Model.
Chillig
Terrible
3.9 amazing it came out in 78
A compeletely groundbreaking album from Kraftwerk that still sounds futuristic even after 45 years. Amazing. I can't even imagine how it sounded back in 1978 when it was released. I have it on CD, the German version, so I've just listened to that one. The most famous song is "The Model/Das Model", but my favourite is "Neon Lights/Neonlicht". It had a huge impact on the music later so it's an album that deserves a 5 no doubt.
Not super impressed with the album, it was pretty bland
That was all right. Didn't really like the opener, but something about the clean tones and sparsity worked for me by the end. Might put it on in the background. Can't quite give it a 4 so...
Great!
A pioneering electropop album that's still very listenable today and almost new sounding. More accessible than many of Kraftwerk's works, with stuff to bop along too. Outstanding tracks are The Robots and The Model, both feel like they belong to a larger concept work. In the main actually an enjoyable poppy listen rather than the bleeps and pops of some of the other Kraftwork stuff.
Hit and miss for me. I quite like some of the songs, but a lot of them felt a bit "parody" - the kind of songs that a parody of a late 70s German techno-pop band might produce.
Foundational. Pivitol. Revolutionary. Influential. Clinical & hyper-futuristic rendition of machines' impact on man through a Fritz Lang lens presaging Ray Kurzweil's vision of the singularity. You can see why John Foxx took these ideas and ran with them. Bathe in it with headphones.
Fun
Underwhelming compared to what I was expecting.
Not feeling it. I see what it's doing but it's not good active listening music, and it's not good background music either. Literally bleeps and bloops
Interesting album, if a bit repetitive. Thanks for synthpop, Kraftwerk.
Reminded me of a scoring for night rider or a futuristic LA detective noir. Good background music for video games
legendary
Sounds like a sci-fi movie soundtrack. Ahead of its time in style, probably surprised a lot of listeners in ‘78.
Interesting Daft Punk vibes, but less fun. More robotic
Cool to hear some pioneering electronic music. Crazy that was born in the 70’s!
Solid early electronic music. One or two stand out songs
Not my cup of tea at all
Very good, bits of final fantasy x and vangelis' blade runner but with a beat. Listened again immediately to 2009 remaster which sounded better but maybe just poor quality first time.
I didn't think I've ever listened to this album in it's entirety. I had computer world on cubby and listened to that frequently. I knew all the songs individually but never as a cohesive whole.
Not bad but repetitive
Enjoyed the experimental aspects of the album. Could be more musical in nature, but amazing synth sounds.
SYNOPSIS: Genuinely very hard to listen to. Feels like a very poor mashup of techno and rock in a way? I don't understand as it still doesn't sound good even if you take it as techno or rock on their own. TOP TRACKS: None, all bad FINAL RATING: 1/10
Robot city be praised
Meio mecânico Interessante
after 2 one-star reviews, will the 3rd kraftwerk album change my mind? no
Rrrobaht
Not a huge fan of this ambient type but this was ok!
A nice small album, quite enjoyable and would listen again.
Pretty annoying
Previously listened to: Autobahn (1/5) I don't remember much about the previous album of theirs, but I think I liked this one better. It must have sounded pretty futuristic for 1978, but listening today, it sounds very dated. Again, some of it sounds like a cheesy sci-fi movie soundtrack. One track, I think Metropolis reminded me of the intro of an early 1980s pro wrestling TV show. Songs are repetitive though. Repeating "We are the robots" 30+ times? Yeah, we get it.
The origins of electronic, owe a lot to this sound. Catchy I like it
cool bleeps and bloops clearly super influential BUT kinda cold and soulless and lacking groove. Music for robots
Every song is good and has a different feel to it, overall great early synth-pop album Best songs: The Model, Neon Lights
Extra star for the very nice Neon Lights
Definitely not my kind of music. I can see the appeal, especially in 1978. Must have been a real trip to listen to back in the day. My personal taste says 2/5 stars, but giving it 3 because of the technical achievement it must have been.
thanks I hate it
I know and love this album very well. One of their best albums. It includes the gorgeous “
Funnest electronic album on here so far
they... are the robots we... are the robots i... am a robot
Meh
Still feels like a fresh and innovative album. The mechanical feeling invokes the mechanical and sterile feel of society. We are the robotsss
Wow, things happens and some sweet sounds.
Elektronisk Sväng
Snilld, eintóm snilld. Elska allt við þetta.
Interesting Album not something I crave to listen to repeatedly but I like how committed it is to a musical concept and trying to really tap into modern themes, embracing them in a way that feels simultaneously loving and ironic.
Kraftwerk really isn’t my jam, shitey bleeps and bloops
I get it. We wouldn't have any electronic genres were it not for the pioneering 'werk' of Kraftwerk. That being said, this record sounds like a drunk man from Deutschland doing karaoke over the music from Double Dragon. Two stars for legacy alone and nothing more.
In 1978, in my school Gym/Dance class they used to play Kraftwerk for us to compose dances to. I didn’t realise how progressive this was at the time. But the rigid structure absolutely lends itself to anybody trying to choreograph movement. Even uncoordinated, 11-year-olds. The Model still holds up as evidenced by its use as background music on countless TV show montages. Distinctive and original and in some ways timeless.
I don’t like Kraftwerk.
I was expecting to find this difficult/impossible to listen to, and while this isn't music that appeals to me, I was finding things to like about the clinical made-in-a-lab vibe of the opening tracks. Then the lyrics and vocals came in and it almost seemed to be parody. "The Model," specifically, was inadvertently funny. At the same time, I was struck by what seemed to be genuine attempt at something... AI before AI? But, where I groove on Laurie Anderson's clear goal of sarcasm, irony, and wordplay in what might be regarded a similar genre, I was never certain if this was for fun or for real. (Their being German, I'm leaning toward the latter). So, what did I think of it? I'm glad it's over and I didn't totally dislike it?
I don't know. I never connected with this band. There's so little going on in these songs for me to get caught up in them. I prefer Young Marble Giants. Also three Kraftwerk albums seems excessive.
While listening I couldn't help think that Kraftwerk inspired Mike Myers' Sprockets skit. Sometimes real German Kultur und Musik come off as such parody and I love it even more. This is the case for Kraftwerk. It's more than a 3 but 4 feels like I'm totally being swayed b/c I'm a Deutschophile.
Lot’s of robot voice
I've heard chunks of this record over the years and have always been impressed, with an astrix. And reading the reviews you see it all over the place. This record is mind bogglingly ahead of its time and would have been insane to hear in 1979. And it's also awesome that we've come so far that here in 2023, it's normal for modular synths to be in mainstream music. But it doesn't hold up. While this record 100% should be on this list, it's now a VERY important footnote in musical history. It's a first. An impressive one. But it doesn't hold up to today. And that's okay! I loved hearing it all the way through.
It’s really probably a 3 and I don’t like the arguing “but it’s so important to stuff that happened later,” but it’s so important to stuff that happened later.
Such an amazing classic album that's really fun and inventive. So many genres were influenced by Kraftwerk.
Sick beats!
Verdens beste album?
It took til the second listen to notice the release year. That's wild that this album is old enough to have hip problems. It sounds a little aged but damn, they rocked it here.
Years ahead of it’s time
Kommen sie bitte und listen to Kraftwerk
Did not know that LCD Soundsystem had ripped off The Robots for Get Innocuous. Super clean and sparse dance electronic. Vocal track makes me think of Flight of the Concords and I love it. I will say that knowing how Get Innocuous used the sound its hard not to want to hear that song. The production on this album is very clean. Crisp notes out of the synths that make for some sci-fi core vibes. The Model is kind of cringy and reminds me of the Thomas Dolby song "She Blinded Me With Science." I like this album a lot more than the first Kraftwek album that came up on this list. Still not on a short list of albums I'd like to listen to again, but I appreciate some aspects. 3 / 5
Track 1: What the fuck am I listening to. 2 mins in and I'm concerned about the next 4 mins. It still going... Track 2: More sounds Track 3: Sounds with some words Track 4: More words, I like this song Track 5: Losing interest Track 6: No comment
WE ARE DA RrrOBOTS! Great beginning and middle of an album, but it kind of trailed off toward the end. I was bumping to this one with some energy all the way through!
Kraftwerk is great such a change of pace! I am now a robot apparently. Spacelab sounds like I'm either entering or exiting a k-hole Great album to have on which you don't really have to pay too much attention but can still really enjoy the trippy beats
Weee are the ROBOTS. This is a jam. More jams that sound like video game soundtracks from the 80's! The Model rules. Definitely one of the songs I was excited to hear them play live. This album is just so crisp and perfect for background music. KRAFTPUNK
Kraftwerk- I like the synth sounds and how minimal the beats and tunes are but tunes should be shorter. Whole album could’ve been 15-20minutes long. The songs where the vocals “sing” an actual verse kind of ruins it. Man Machine was cool 2.5
I’m sure this album is somehow important in the right context, but I really didn’t enjoy it. 1.5
Extra star for making me giggle every time they said “ we are the robots”
Very dated.
Damn good electronic album most of the album is wonderful I especially like Das Model and Neonlicht. 4 stars
Good enough album from some of the pioneers of electronic music. Good to put in the background.
Gut als Hintergrundmusik, sonst aber lame. Wohl eher kraftloswerk xD
Kopfhörermusik, IMO komische Auswahl, Techno Pop und electric Cafe sind die besseren Alben Neonlicht große Entdeckung
Not really for me, though I respect it's nearly 50 years old now and The Model is class and it's short.
Technically I'm sure very impressive at the time, but feels a bit dated now in places (the vocals are definitely a bit clunky, and The Model is a bit too straight down the line in terms of the beat) - but much of the rest has held up really well. 3/5 again.
Excellent album from Kraftwerk and probably the one I know the best. I took the time and listened to both the English and German version. It's very simplistic but as it's from 1978 it's also very impressive. Kraftwerk really are pioneers when it comes to electronic music. Listening to Daft Punk after this is an experience and just shows how much the genre has evolved. Not something I listen to often but I sure enjoy it.
It’s ok, a little outdated but I can tell that it was groundbreaking at the time Fav song: the man-machine
BEST SONGS: - The Robots - The Model - Neon Lights
Actually pretty good, still, after all these years and many new ways artists have found to make electronic music.
I quite like the electric music genre and enjoyed a few of these songs. But some of the songs are more repetitive, I liked them better when there were either less lyrics so the focus was more on the music or when the lyrics were more varied. Overall, it was a nice change to what I usually listen to.
I liked this more than I thought I would. Songs are twice the length of a standard song, and I kind of phased in and out during each song. Perfect listen after a long day of work, as background music, or for those just instrumental moods (some words but barely noticeable)
I appreciate it walked so daft punk could run, but the tracks were mostly grinds.
This left me completely cold. It was so clinical and robotic, which is obviously the point, but not why I listen to music for the most part. I think they've been copied and iterated on so much that they sound really dated and cheesy now which surprised me. Thought I'd have liked this much more but thought it was a bit crap
Meh 🫤
I don’t see the appeal
love it. the model is the best track
I was somewhat into this one.
Wow! First song had the same rhythm as Get Innocuous by LCD Soundsystem. Imitation is a form of flattery right? I might have liked this a bit more than autobahn. Bring on more kraftwerk
This is much better than the Autobahn album - there's a few real songs here that are decent (The Robots, The Man Machine) but there are still a few tracks that don't really go anywhere.
I get it you like to pretend to be robots. This album was probably composed wearing cardboard boxes and dryer vents
The Robot and The Model are Alfa. Others are okay. Repetitive and too long. Enjoyed it more than I hated it.
good length spacelab
Meh mostly boring 2.5
Hated every second.
I felt like someone came up to me and handed me their mix tape they made in a garage. I feel like I would be listening to this band in some seedy underground club. Honestly I dig the appeal of the band and based on the year they made this album, they were definitely setting up a movement and not just another one following the movement. They were building their own scene. The album though was just a little silly lyrical wise and was more a BGM to my day than a listen on it's own.
Classic. Perfect late night road trip music
Feels like watching an old sci fi movie. Meh.
electric fun
Revolutionary and iconic music!
Lyrics on par with the writing skills of a 10 year old, music sounds like a bunch of loops on garage band and it was unimaginably boring, I can't tell you what to do but I recommend you don't waste your time I don't listen to it.
It's fine, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it again.
The robots learn to dance. A little warmer than their previous work.
Icy, electronic pioneers,
Was very cool but I didn't find a favorite.
More interesting than I suspected. I have never had much time for Kraftwerk. I saw them play live at Latitude years ago but it felt to me like a novelty act. Revisiting this album was good for me though. Richer and more layered than I’d remembered. Still repetitive.
A siolid 3 A bit weird but definitely cool definitely hear the influence on Daft Punk's Homewerk
overall rating: 7/10 favourite song: spacelab ( 8/10 ) runner up favourite: metropolis ( 8/10 ) least favourite: the robots ( 3/10 ) album cover: 3/10 vocals: electronic voice 4/10 normal voice 6/10 instrumentals: 8/10 would i recommend ? : only if i really knew someone would like it other: the genre is dance and electronic so i have high hopes. the vocals aren’t my absolute favourite (especially the electronic voice ) , but the instrumentals are awesome.
I'll be the first to admit that electronic music is not my thing. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this album, and will be exploring the genre more
Ik weet niet wat het is met Kraftwerk, dat dit nou de zeldzame elektronische muziek is die ik wél goed vind. Misschien doordat ik me bewust ben van hun pionierswerk, puur het feit dat dit jaren '70 is, is gewoon mindblowing. Dat iets als Autobahn 7 jaar na Sgt Peppers kwam. Dit album is ook gewoon weer erg goed. Veel bleepjes en bloopjes, maar ook gewoon heldere structuur en duidelijke muziek, en daardoor aanstekelijk.
never really been one for electronic music but even i gotta give it up for the boys
Die Mensch-Maschine. This was the formal move from strictly electronic music to synthpop. Although the hooks were rudimentary and the production still electronic-focused, The Man Machine would give way for a genre that would dominate the 80's as we know it. Sleek synths, programmed drums, soaring pads. Kraftwerk gave them the building blocks for synthpop. All they did was shove out a few tunes in German. A fair amount of the albums feels kind of mechanical and calculated, very serious in a German way. The exception to this would have to be Neonlicht, which has a sort of dreamy, nostalgic sound to it. This is the track with perhaps the most emotion. The rest of the album is still groundbreaking and amazing work, it just lacks a bit of the emotion that the genre would develop on it's own.
Great album, though some.of the songs go on just a bit longer than they really need to.
The influence Kraftwerk had on electronic music as a whole is undeniable and you can hear it in all the songs, but sadly for me personally, the tracks are just a little bit to long and after the first few minutes, they just drag on and on, making me feel bored. Still have to give them credit for what they achieved.
Hittiä hitin perään! Kovaa kamaa. Ekalla kuuntelulla mietin, että onko osa biiseistä liian venytettyjä ja toistaa itseään - tokalla kuuntelulla diggasin täysii. Näköjään kakkosraidasta pöllitty kohta ff vii scoreen.
Mä en voi ikinä uskoa, että tää levy on tullut vuonna 1978! Ajatonta ja hykerryttävää.
Syntikat + Saksalainen pragmatismi = THE MAN MACHINE
Cat: probably pretty groundbreaking in 1978. It’s synth pop and can get repetitive but what they’ve done is actually pretty cool even today. The vocals/lyrics are kinda tough. The music is dancey and got a good groove. AJ: 🤖🌎 the “music” is ok but robovox is not for me. synth poop.
You can hear the influence almost immediately on bands like Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem. I'm pretty sure I was too harsh on this group the last time we had one of their albums. They were immensely important in the electronic landscape, I just want the music to be a bit more interesting on a surface level.
My appreciation for these robot revolutionaries has deepened with each record this list has gifted me (three now), and I still might be underrating how important they were/are.
I like it, its sort of odd and reminds me of a factory level in a gameboy advance game, but occasionally a German dude is singing lightly over it.
So this one is a bit off for me. I like it but I'm I think I might like Trans- Europe Express more. This is Trim. It's has nothing more than you need but I might need just a touch more. Like 1 more song. Very classic very kraft. Some good vocals here and there. Good beep. Good boop. 3*
This album boldly asks “what if Daft Punk were terrible?” I know it’s much older than most of its genre and probably deserves some credit, but I don’t want to give it.
Me in junior high playing my digital piano with the 2-4 notes I added. “The Model” would’ve been one of my better pieces
I’d never heard of Kraftwerk until this listen, and while techno is not my style, I was pleasantly surprised by the agreeability of all six tracks. Throughout “The Robots” I felt like a microscopic sea creature was trying to get the Krabby Patty secret recipe outta me. Ravioli, ravioli, give me the formu-oli! The beginning of “Spacelab” almost sounds like the intro to the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle,” but the song eventually settles into more of a Space Invaders feel. “Neon Lights” could be background music in a coffee shop where all the baristas are mid-thirties dudes named Bartholomew with beards reminiscent of the Gilded Age presidents, or could be music to fall asleep to. “The Model” gives us a glimpse into what New Order would sound like if they hailed from Central Europe. In fact, once the album wrapped up and Spotify started shuffling recommended songs, “Blue Monday” came first. I can’t say I’ll go out of my way to listen to more Kraftwerk, but none of the tracks are overbearing and I can see how this would be good background music to focus to. I’ll give ‘em a few points for that.
I've been home all week with COVID and maybe that's why I'm interested in this album. I'm not a huge electronica guy but the sounds and music of this album are scratching a part of a brain I didn't know had an itch.
Lekker retro en een bijzondere luisterervaring, maar echt mooie muziek vind ik het niet.. Eigenlijk 2,5*
Absolutely incredible album.
I really have no reason to like the bleep and boops that were all over this album, but I did. I have a weird fetish for electronica and synth-pop. Kraftwerk is a band I have never heard (other than a few songs) and I am going to need to investigate them more.
actually quite good
Interesting, enjoyed. Crazy to think this came out in '78. 3/5
This has some good stuff. It sounds dated but not dated for 1978. I'm sure the fellow grey haired folk will understand what I mean.
I once had a friend who was in the habit of rolling his eyes and announcing, whenever he heard electronic dance music in a club or at a party “it’s just Kraftwerk”. It’s easy to hear the influence that this had on the new wave and synth pop bands that followed, as well as House Music a decade later. Man Machine is more melodic, more dance floor oriented and less mechanical than their earlier releases, and thankfully, it’s bereft of songs over 22 minutes long, though Neon Lights runs on a bit.
This is possibly one of the most influential and iconic electronic albums ever released. Interestingly Wiki mentions that it didn't do well when it was originally released in 1978 (yes 45 yrs ago!) but four years later it peaked at No. 8 and was certified Gold on the British charts, testament that it was a few years ahead of the curve. Everyone knows The Model and The Robots, but the other less well known and more melodic tracks: Spacelab, Neon Lights, The Man Machine and Metropolis are also damned fine songs. In Metropolis you can clearly hear the influence that it had on Giorgio Moroder who in turn was the Godfather of dance music (and dare I say it... disco). These mensches also influenced House, New Wave, Electro-pop and then eventually hip hop. At only 36 minutes long this iconic album has no filler, all killer so it fulfills my requirement for 5 stars.
Mais um álbum que não faz sentido estar nesta lista
Beep boop robot music
Liked it more than the other Kraftwerk album
Interesting - some good songs but a bit dated.
4(-)
Fantastic album and an incredible marvel of technology for the time. Every note including the drums is all synths and without listening really carefully you would never pick it up. One of the most important albums ever made.
Edit: Downgrading this because it's one of my earliest albums, and I was being overly generous. It's not the worst thing, but Autobahn is way better, and I only felt like giving that a 3. I really hated the first song on this album, but it definitely picks up after that. I’d have to be in the right mood to listen to this again, but I’m glad I listened to this at least once. “Spacelab” is probably my favorite song on the album.
This is a significant improvement over the other Kraftwerk album on this list. These songs are both listenable and discernible from one another. There are actually some interesting parts here. My main criticism is that, although, for example, “The Robots” is a fun tune, 6 minutes of it is too much. It’s still a boring album, but it sounded alright. 2/5
Ok they're one of my favourite bands so this is going to be easy. I think that some people forget how influencial they were back in '78 but they started doing this in the late 60's (although the sound was very sparce and industrial back then). My favourite albums were before this too- Radioactivity and Autobahn. This is more polished and clinical. It's just so relaxing and mesmeric- takes me to another world. My favourite track on this is Neon Lights. Timeless and iconic.
Not necessarily something I would listen to again, but I'm glad I listened to it, I will have 'we are the robots' chanting in my head for eons.
no.
1/5
Awesome!
Mefa
Is it the restraint? Is it the goofiness? Do I just miss simple synths? I don't know what it is, but I thoroughly enjoyed this.
One of my favourite albums. Quite wonderful how these lads made electronics sound so warm. 'Neon Lights' is positively cozy! Very few, more traditional, albums have as much heart as this lovely slice of Teutonic robotica.
This one felt pretty close to perfect in its execution of intent. The whole thing sounds incredible over headphones, it’s short, “Neon Lights” is the shit, and I like their version of the future circa 1978 more than the one we’re currently living in. I want a robot, dammit, and I want it to sound like Kraftwerk.
1/5
Não faz meu estilo
Perfection. Encapsulating a time, place and style with immaculate precision. Great listening from start to finish, not a second too short, not a second too long - wonderful!
Genius in German rock. Highlight: The Model.
Loved it! The had only previously heard of this band from the Foo Fighters documentary “Back & Forth”.
Uno de los discos pilares de una de las bandas más influenciables de todos los tiempos. Excelente.
Nao lembro mais mas foi mais legal do que eu pensava
Gutes, eingängiges Kraftwerk Album.
Pretty terrible, especially compared to the standard of today's electronic music
Wunderbar
I thought this would be worse! For some reason I expected something more industrial. Not bad at all!
Forgot how stunning this is. It’s nigh on flawless with elegant, danceable arrangements that sound deceptively simple, but are actually quite complex rhythmically. Clean and minimalistic but never sterile, with that beautiful, aching, melodic quality ever-present, ‘Man Machine’ is the sound of music made by robots with a soul.
Ricky ticky tocky
Better than I expected, but not something I would ever play much. Favorite song: the robots
Yah, der Kraftwerk!!
Loads of people love them, I appreciate their contribution but I'll gladly skip every track in their material.
Unsurprisingly, it sounds a bit dated now but was so far ahead of its time and still sounds good to me.
Found it slo, long and repetitive
Enjoyed it more than I expected to. Classic robot future music.
Affirmative
I’ve never really listened to these guys. But I’m digging this. Nice, chill electronic stuff. Great for working.
The last Kraftwerk album left me kinda scratching my head and thinking that it was probably only included for historical reasons. This one on the other hand totally jived with and I really enjoyed it! Just the right amount of retro-futurism and synths
Simple but beautiful
Noch einmal, Danke!
Amazing electronic music album that influenced countless others after it. It has a cold dystopian feel to it, but at the same time more poppy songs like Das Modell convey a lighter atmosphere. Both the English and German versions are awesome. Together with Computerwelt this is the peak of Kraftwerk. Highlights: Die Roboter, Metropolis, Das Modell, Neonlicht
2/5. I get the sentiment behind it because it’s not as unique as their earlier work, or even in general. It’s background music that annoys sometimes. There are some chill beats but I’d choose a song and then move on: The Robots, Spacelab.
5.0 + Probably the most accessible, song-oriented and danceable of Kraftwerk's albums I've heard. Also happens to be my favorite. All of the songs on here are great, especially "Neon Lights." I love the Soviet imagery and the sheer variety of synthesized sounds without sounding crowded. Amazing how fresh this sounds even to this day.
Vinilo por The Model.
Good
Already know I love this one
First imperssion: Hey, it's kinda like Daft Punk... Second impression: ...and kinda like Jean Michel Jarre... Third impression: ...actually it's not like Daft Punk or JM Jarre... Final impression: ...but it has a certain vibe, that I can't really assign to anything, and there is plenty of fearless discoveries...
Was a fun listen through the first time but lost most of its charm as I went back through some of them. Any of them with lyrics are dumb as hell and would’ve been better as a completely instrumental album. Metropolis reminds me a 90s video game soundtrack a little bit and I think this whole album would’ve made a decent soundtrack if they went completely instrumental. They needed a better songwriter/composer to make all of these cool sounding ideas into good songs. Also neon lights started off so well and was totally ruined by the vocals. “Sad!” -Bryce 👍: metropolis
okay so first listen at 9am...def not the vibe. the repetitive techno and electronic beeps are giving me a headache. I can def spot some parts that I will like as the day goes on. Some catchy hooks and clever lyrical storytelling. The fact that it came out in 1978 is also pretty cool. ok maybe not opening track lost its charm pretty quick... kinda gives uncut gems vibes with the whole super atmospheric techno that makes me stressed out vibe Overall, some catchy sounds, but the repetitive lyrics and sometimes annoying melodies made this an overall rough listen. SAD!
This is not my genre whatsoever, but I’ve got to respect what these guys seemed to have done for electronic music. Also, the album kind of goes hard. It was a fun listen the first time around and the second time I kind of let it surround me. Will I ever listen again? Not sure. But I’m glad I’ve heard it. Best: space lab, metropolis MMM: MEEEEETROOOOOPOLISS
This was a very interesting album. I grew up in the 2000's so when I think of electronic music I immediately think of genres like EDM and Dubstep but this was surprisingly minimalist. I really enjoyed the stripped down production and think that it really made this album feel unlike others. It wasn't mind blowing but it was interesting and different and I appreciate that. I liked all the songs except the last one. I really liked "Neon Lights" and "Metropolis". Overall I would give this album an 8/10. Good but not great. The highlights I mentioned above are definitely worth listening to.
Sweet early electronic stuff, could hear the influence they had on Daft Punk.
I'm not on-board with their weird shit.
I don’t think I gained anything from this but all in all it was just a humorous album. The aggressively German singing was amusing and not terrible.
This one hits me so much deeper than Trans-Europe Express. Not really sure why, it's still hilariously dorky ("we are the rrrrrrobots!") and electronic repetitiveness but I feel like this has more subtle hooks. I feel like I'm watching Doctor Who in 1979 all over again and that freaking rocks. Better actual song composition combined with an almost otherworldly sound - the various synth patches/sounds all work so well together... Not gonna think too much harder about it but this one is a nerdy keeper for me. 7/10 4 stars
I've been meaning to sit down and listen to some Kraftwerk for a while but not got around to that until now. This is an amazing record - I simply cannot imagine how it must have felt hearing this upon its release in 1978. Maybe like alien robots landed in West Germany and delivered this upon the Earth? I can't say, this album released the year my mum was born. I think it's impressive to hear this some 45 years later, with the knowledge that so much modern music was influenced by the work of this band. And yet, this still sounds modern and futuristic today. Some of the synths are arguably a bit dated by today's standards of course, but it blows my mind that this sound was even achievable in 1978! Very listenable, very danceable, and absolutely timeless. I've been looking for some Kraftwerk to add to my vinyl collection for a while now, and I think I'm just going to try harder to find it now. Favourite: Robots
meh
Classic
Was waiting for it to finish from the first track
If one can get beyond the cliched-sounding “Robots” -- which feels like a joke, thanks to SNL's famous Sprockets skit -- there are intriguing moments here, both on their own terms and relative to the poisoned chalice of the dreaded influence. “Neon Lights” is lovely. But here again the datedeness of the synths undercuts the impact (is that a Casio? an Atari?). One's time commitment to minimalism would be more rewardingly spent with Steve Reich or Terry Riley. If it's pop music, just how avant garde or aesthetically enriching can it be?
Kraftwerk make me laugh. I think because I'd have actually liked them at the time, but listening to them 50 years down the line they've aged terribly. Cutting edge electronica music in the day that was shortly made obsolete by the hardware and software available. I feel like it belongs in a museum or something, which is most likely the reason it's on this list. Looking back without nostalgia though it's generally poor. Spacelab the only half decent track. The opener is diabolical. The singer sounds petrified and lacking self confidence when he's going for actual rather than computerised vocals. Not worth a 1*, but not a million miles off.
If someone sent this to me and told me that this was a video game soundtrack, I'd believe them. Five stars.
Thanks, I hate it.
transcendent energy king!
Like most other Kraftwerk albums, this is a set of good, competently structured songs, but most of them file more like sketches than complete works.
Loved this
No comment necessary.
Pioneers of Electronica granted but a tad bit pretentious! A few more listens will probably grab me but not convinced yet, however The Model is a great track!
Couldn’t even finish it. Not a fan of Electronic music, and this was so boring.
Interesting music, I get a dystopian feel from it but still enjoyable
I'm sure it was groundbreaking, but it hasn't aged well. Just sounds like a german preteen's attempt to learn a DAW in 2023.
The model, the robots
Innovative but really everything leads up to the model and then goes downhill.
I just realized how lucky I’ve been with electronic albums in my first 100. We’ve had MHTRTC, SILY, Blue Lines (granted, arguably not electronic), Cross, and now this. Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic, and this is a great work - all the songs are just so enjoyable. ‘The Model’ has great lyrics along with these enjoyable melodies, which makes it possibly the best song here. Albums like these make Kraftwerk in my top 2 electronic groups on this list who are robots. (Just try to guess the second one).
Wow, 1977? Electronica has been terrible for decades
Reminiscent of the old-school electronic sound
Ok this is actually kind of a banger
Meh, not really my style. It reminded me of when Ross gets his keyboard back in Friends. 3/10.
Good vibe but a bit repetitive and not much for me to get attached to.
Es como un Daftpunk del 78'. Está muy bueno, muy electrónica también con tintes 80s. Está para volver a escucharlo.
vi-a-ze-robatz-piu-piu-piu-piu
Funky robots. There's not really much I can add that hasn't been said before. Kraftwerk is pretty ubiquitous in music nerd circles at this point. Favorite tracks: "Spacelab", "Neon Lights"
It's a tech-no from me
Good classic techno
A model of sonic steadiness.
Setting the stage for 80s techno and, eventually, EDM, The Man-Machine is a tour de force in electronic music. More pop and dance-oriented than many of their previous albums, they set the pattern for club music with drum machines, sequencers, and voice synthesizers.
This might be Kraftwerk’s best album and it is certainly a foundational electro pop album. This is one of those albums that was so ahead of its time that it’s difficult to imagine it being released in 1978. Its rhythms are mechanical yet there is a sense of levity and fearlessness that makes this album still feel deeply human.
These guys were pretty groundbreaking. I enjoyed some bits more than others.
Too mechanical for me.