Reviews (page 4 of 14)
One of my all time favorites.
Du du du du
TITÁNICO, GIGANTE, TRASCENDETAL, FUTURISTA.
Really unique and cool use of synthesizers for it's age
amazing
Surprisingly good. I’m a new fan!
4.5
Classic album that flows seamlessly. Robots love it!
I've listened to both the English and the German versions of "The Man-Machine", so I get the full experience. The German version is slightly better: "Die Roboter" sounds more natural than "The Robots". My favourite track from "The Man-Machine" is "The Model", one of the tracks that got me into Kraftwerk. None of the songs were duds on either version of the album. What a great start to the week, 4 stars for "The Man-Machine".
(Strong 7/10) If you're a fan of video game soundtracks and/or Toby Fox's music I think you'll find a lot to like about this. Given it's rather primitive approach to synthpop, it's surprisingly immersive. Every track has this stiff and robotic feel to it at times, but depending on the setting the tracks can also feel incredibly futuristic and lush. My biggest gripe with the overall presentation is the vocals. I would almost rather not have them at all if I am being honest. It doesn't help that I had to listen to the english version because I couldn't do the German one on streaming for some reason. Apart from "The Model" all the lyrics do is state the name of the track very robotically, in a way that's kind of silly and takes me out of the music. If it was in German for me I do not think I would mind it as much, but eh it's something I could've done without to be frank. Even still, this album and their many other records are all incredibly influential for a reason, pioneering the first steps into electronic music and it's eventual fusion into pop. Daft Punk wouldn't exist if it weren't for Kraftwerk and I definitely think classic game soundtracks for the Nintendo and Sega for instance wouldn't be what they are if it weren't for albums like this. Worth checking out!
An album 15+ years before its time.
# Playlist Track - The Model # Notes - Pretty good album. It still sounds like the future, 48 years after it was launched. - I do feel like 'Spacelab' and 'Metropolis' miss the mark a bit, so taking one star out. - Love how catchy the solo at the end of 'The Model' is.
Enjoyed it far more than I was expecting.. even with The Model on it which I find really tedious
Really dug this. Love the synthy vibes. It’s short and sweet.
An album I imagine it’s impossible for me to appreciate how completely new this sounded for people in the 70s. Kraftwerk have a slightly indescribable charm to them that I’ve always loved. Although I do prefer trans Europe express, this is an all time electronic classic and if you said it was the greatest electronic ever it’d be hard to argue against
Interestingly enough, no instruments are present on this album. This whole album is computer code controlling sound waves. Very interesting and surprisingly palpable for the early era of Synthesizer music. The "Man Machine" is actually the name of their synthesizer which gives deeper meaning to the album. Here's an 8/10 because I actually got lost in some of the songs. Good stuff.
Way better than that one with the train on it
Крутой электронный альбом, я так понимаю немецкая классика так что мне зашло. Концепция слияния роботов и людей для 1978 года являлась чемто очень новым, так что альбом крутейший. Зашли Metropolis и конечно The Model, как на Английском так и немецком якзыках.
Imagine grooves so straight they actually have real groove. It’s an odd experience as it seems at first so robotic and unflowing but it’s not at all. An odd genius.
These German guys fuckn slap
A big thank you is needed to Kraftwerk, as they were one of the pioneering forces of the over-arching genre of electronic music. Depeche Mode, Joy Division, David Bowie, and Daft Punk all have admitted to taking inspiration from their work. Hypnotic drumbeats and synths make this an extremely easy album to listen to and appreciate. The only thing that could possibly be said to go against this record, is simply that their previous one (Trans-Europe Express) is often considered to be better. Favorite Song: Neon Lights Score: 88/100
I have grown to really like Kraftwerk from the other albums that have come up from them on this list. So I'm pretty pumped for today. I generally don't like electronica, so I don't have the language to talk about it the way I would other genres, but they really are just great music. The only thing that they're really not that great at is singing, which is a bit funny partially because that's a pretty important thing to me when I'm listening to music, especially new music. There's a simplicity to their music, I think. Which is something I really like about it. It seems really easy to just overload electronica music with more and more sounds that one might think all individually sound good, but very quickly the song will get overwhelming. I never feel that way about any Kraftwerk song that I've ever heard. Additionally, they are very slow to develop their songs. So you hear a line a couple of times, get familiar with it, and then they add one more layer to it, and it makes it feel so much more impactful than if they just threw everything at you in quick succession. Favorite Song (s): Metropolis
RoBoT 🤖 👾 🤖
Banger!
Great stuff.
so it turns out germans can be a little fun! theres something so earnest about wanting to make a new style of music but also wanting people to like it too. its fun robot music. i dont think its my personal taste, but i get it
Once I've been to Kraftwerk concert,as theybwere opening for Radiohead and I found it quite boring.Howevee now I cam see why they are so popular that even Radiohead eere influenced. . This album is quite fun, an eletronic and quite accessible album in which the synths speak itself and groove is undeniable.l, butbI have to agree that the robot voices alin the first song can be quite annoying. . I had to listen to it twice and it's quite a solid album.My 21 years old self would be appalled. 4/5
Amazing that this album came out in 1978. This band/album are clearly an inspiration for all post-punk synth bands. DePeche Mode, Howard Jones, Devo, etc... Bono lists Neon Lights in his "60 Songs That Saved My Life" playlist. They all owe their legacy to Kraftwerk. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs The Model Neon Lights
They were befor their time with this album.....an influence for many artists and bands after this....first really serious electronic artists....today the tracks are a little bit to simple and to long for easy listening....but still innovative....
Some of the best popular music produced by robots from the future, though as a millennial I am obligated to prefer their direct descendants, Daft Punk, overall. This is the 30th album I have listened to for this project and I believe it is the first duplicate artist; I prefer this to the other Kraftwerk album I've heard, Trans Europe Express. The crystalline synths, motorik or or motorik-esque drums, occasional vocals that inevitably feel like backup to the synth lines, and generally classical sensibility lead to an album that feels carefully considered and spotlessly clean. Looking back with all the context of how crazy electronic music would eventually get, it can feel a touch bloodless, but it is a great listen and not just something to throw on dutifully in light of its tremendous influence.
This pop electronica shows the dominance of Kraftwerk as pioneers of the sound of pop music to come.
- the best way I can describe this music is "Daft Punk's grandpa" - something I'm trying to keep in mind while listening is that all these textures and synth voices weren't just something people were selecting out of hundreds in a drop-down list in a computer program like Garageband, which slaps you in the face with a million different-sounding choices and options -- there was real sine-wave adjustments, knob-twisting, signal warping, and lots of electromagnetic (I think) stuff going on that band members were likely actively manipulating in search of the right sound - someone just decided one day to make music out of the side effects of computer bits and bytes interacting with each other (maybe ~10-15 years before this album came out, likely even earlier; I should brush up on my techno/electropop history), and I think that's pretty cool. I'm certain there's an alternate universe where those sounds were never used creatively to make music, and trying to imagine what music as a whole would have become without any electronic influence is very difficult - and with that said, it makes sense why some of these tracks seem like they go on far longer than they should. if this was a brand-new genre today with sounds some people hadn't really heard before (like it was in the late 70s, with mostly four-piece rock groups dominating the scene) with relatively new technologies like drum machines, I'd for sure be dragging out the things I made - most of the songs have the traits of early videogame soundtracks (a sawtooth lead with a repetitive riff and a few simple chords, like in "The Model"), which is another thing -- were videogame music composers working with the same limitations this group had with the technology at the time and just happened to create similar-sounding music, or were they deliberately using groups like Kraftwerk as inspiration? - the singer's unmodified voice sounds kind of out of place among the shimmery synths in tracks like "Neon Lights," although there's something kind of earnest and hopeful about his voice being the only organic sound in the mix (and not entirely being in tune). I really like the effects in the final track, though -- the song is fairly minimal for what you'd normally think of for electronic music
An enjoyable listen! The synths and robot-ness created an interesting soundscape and I would probably listen to this again. Crazy that they did this in the 70s.
not my favorite kraftwerks but still hard to bash the most important and influential band in electronics
First listen. This was fun. There were some bangers, and some ok tracks. On the surface, these songs feel simple. They seem to have a hidden depth to them that is hard to describe.
MASTERS.
Kraftwerk always sound years ahead of their time, and this was no exception. Enjoyed it, and at 36 minutes didn't outstay its welcome.
Isn't it crazy that every Kraftwerk album I've heard for this project has just been better and better than the last? Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, this is definitely the best of the 3 Kraftwerk albums on this list. Autobahn was a solid time, Trans-Europe Express was pretty cool, and The Man-Machine here is really great. The sound is pretty similar to Trans-Europe Express, but there's a newly found poppiness to the album that makes this album not just a trailblazer for electronic music, but for synth-pop as well. It's pretty fun. The synths sound nice and they work well with the songs. The album only has 6 songs, but they're all pretty good. "The Model" is definitely the best. I really like that one. The lyrical themes are neat. The Man-Machine primarily focuses on technology and how humans interact with it. Given the Cold War tensions of the time, this makes a lot of sense to cover, but it's not like the album's dated or anything. It's aged quite gracefully, in my opinion. These songs and sounds still feel fresh even in 2026. It really goes to show just how ahead of their time Kraftwerk were in the 70s. The music can be a little samey at times, but for the most part, The Man-Machine is a really engaging album that has stood the test of time very well. It's a classic for a reason, and I can't argue against its legacy, even if it fell just below the top score for me. High 4/5.
Synths slap a little harder than on Autobahn,still not completely into what they are throwing down though, but did like the more expansive Neon Lights enough to edge this to a 4.
Deceptively simple, outrageously dated, thoroughly enjoyable. Got me listening to flight of the conchords again 😂 “Binary solo!”
Really enjoyed this
For some reason, even though I hate electronic, Kraftwerk is generally quite enjoyable to me. I liked their other album on here better, but this one is a 4/5.
amazing vibe!
This was a vibe, I shamelessly enjoyed it
Man pink foot in the slammer anchor pinched with skin of ghosts in his chest and chest and his chest. He was a little bit of an idiot you know what I mean by what I mean is that you have to have a lot more than one of those two and you can have one of those and then you have to have two of those and you can just have one of those things that you can have two of these things and then you can just get the other two and I.
О! Це послухаю з радістю. Мені подобається. The Robots хітовий трек, дуже класний. The Model теж знайомий мені трек, і теж крутий!
知ってるやつが初めて来た 1978年にこんなことしてんのがすごいと思った あっさい感想しかないけど新しさというかこの年代のアルバムとは思えない。 今のテクノの人は流石にこのアルバムから始まったんだろうなって感じ、まず声をロボットみたいにしようとはならないし普通 その人たちのアルバムでも一際輝いてると思った なんで古臭くならないんだろう、不思議です
Enjoyable. Hard to say where the dividing line is between electronic music like this where I wouldn’t mind it showing up whenever, and other electronic music like that boring Pet Shop Boys album the list served up that I barely got through.
Good, though a bit samey after a bit.
I just listened to this a couple weeks ago. I relistened. It’s good, but not their best.
really interesting will definitely be listening to this again
I didn't think I would like this as much as I did. It's very good background music.
Clean and classic, a little slow, but I might throw it on every now and then.
Despite how much I love Trans Europe Express, this was the first time I have listened to this record in full. This listen just confirms that I love Kraftwerk's pioneering sound, despite not being a huge fan of electronic music in general. Nothing on here that stands out as bad, though I do prefer the aforementioned Trans Europe, so 4 stars it is.
Classic proto-electronic at its most minimalistic. Cerebral and intricate.
It was great to run to, I loved the vibe
Short and oh so sweet. Really enjoyed listening to this. It is an utterly revolutionary sound - for its day and for contemporary ears. Whilst I know Kraftwerk fairly well, I had never dedicated time to listen to this whole album - so glad I have now.
Wow! Finally a German electronica album that doesn’t make me want to pull my ears off.
Kraftwerk always seemed like a group that I should be into more than I have been. I'm a big fan of some of the British synthpop groups of the 80s like Depeche Mode, Erasure, New Order, etc. Listening to this feels like a proto version of those bands. I'm hearing heavy influence in the use of synths to create layers of texture much like synth pop artists would to an even greater degree later. Metropolis shows this particularly well along with The Model. While I enjoyed this, it does get very repetitive, and the texturing while effective is still relatively sparse. I imagine this is a limitation of the technology.
This is a very cool, influential electronic piece that I’m sure was incredibly important for the increased use of synthesizers in music. It’s metallic, out of this world, and beautiful in both some of it’s boldest and softest moments. It can be a bit straightforward and repetitive but there is some beauty in the simplicity and much of it is as a result of a phenomenon we’ve seen before, that it led to the music that would eventually make it sound a bit outdated and therefore can’t entirely be blamed for said shortcomings. I find it hard to deny it’s executed to a high degree, however, and it certainly makes me want to explore the genre further. It’s mix of boundary-pushing experimentation and accessible grooves made this a winner, to my surprise. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Neon Lights, The Robots, The Man Machine
Knew I would rate this a 4 after about 10-15 minutes. I've long been a fan of Daft Punk and I am gussing (zero research) that this band was a predecessor. I will return to this.
So prescient about the current state of the world what with artificial intelligence and other such issues. Also I just love it for some reason.
Contemporary.
I loved this. A wonderful morning commute what fun!
give a german a synthesiser and more likely than not I'm going to love it. so many cool little sounds here!! great work and have a lot to be thankful to them for. I listened to the german version because I assume that came before the English lyrics? probably did not matter much because I don't think the words are the most important part
First time listening to Kraftwerk. You can see why they’re so influential. Fun and moody at the same time - a great combination.
Robots Rock 🤘 beep beep
This is obviously a classic, an album to hear before i die and something that laid a foundation stone for a lot of the music i now love. Its simplicity of tune coupled with its complexity of sound is brilliant. But i do think the stuff that it paved the way for significantly outstrips this and i dont expect to come back to this.
I gotta always respect Kraftwerk, they are literally the fore fathers for everything I love about electronic music. This is so simple yet so beautiful, and probably 10x harder to make in 1978 then it would be now. Incredible.
did not expect The Model to pop up in the middle of this, but yes of course!
Yeah. I think I am in the mainstream here. This is probably my favorite Kraftwerk album. Though I will always have a soft spot for Autobahn. 4 Boolean: True
I really enjoyed this, it bleeped and blipped melodically through my ears, and all of the songs were great. I was racking my brain why the model sounded so familiar and then I remembered that Ride covered it for the NME Ruby Trax compilation. Standout Song, The Model. 3.5 stars
very enjoyable
Syyslevy
good for reading, im sure it felt groundbreaking when it came out but now is not as interesting considering modern perspectives
They are the robots
#378 This is my 2nd Kraftwerk album in the last few weeks - I had Autobahn previously but I preferred this album much more, helped by the familiarity of The Model but the whole album was engaging. I probably take this for granted a little bit because of the impact it has made and how familiar this sort of sound now is but it must have been quite something at the time. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): The Model; Neon Lights Rating: 8/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Know of Kraftwerk, heard a few songs in passing but never listened to a full album. This was wonderful, it sounds almost like prog-electronic rock. The synthetic instrumentation does not detract from the passion and warmth of the tracks and the melodies underlying the electronic vocals are divine.
а нашо популяризувати не НІМЕФЬКИЙ ВАРІАНТ ЦЕ ВЗАГАЛІ ОК???? це прікольні звуки ставлю 4
Repetitive, but good anyways.
Best songs imo is metropolis and neon lights. Low 4/5!
Great Album so interesting to see the early use of synthesizers and learn about the history of the band and them trying to reform culture in Germany post Naziism
Liked that more than I thought I would. Very spaceage and strange. Not quite background music, but so unique I have to give it credit Favorite Songs: Spacelab, Metropolis
JA. you could say that it is... outdated, i guess. it could be both dated and not dated at the same time, which is an interesting thing to say. the slow mechanical sound of kraftwerk is gonna turn somebody off and i guess it indeed turned me off. 4/5 for the robots and the model.
I probably couldn't distinguish well between this and other electronica albums, but it was a really good mix between the amount of time spent just grooving to beats and the amount of lyrics mixed in. The songs were unique from one another, they kept it short and sweet. I like!
I am perfectly happy with whatever on God's Green Earth they are doing here.
Never heard of album or band. I don’t like more mondern electronics so low expectations. With that being said, sick beat on the robots. Wow. This is a daft punk song made 20 years before daft punk. Spacelab is pretty sweet too. I very much so appreciate how it’s not the same 16 bars on loop, many varying layer throughout. Nice opening to metropolis into a classic 80s montage sound. Another cool song. Cool production again on the model but not the most substance to the lyrics. I like the keys a lot. Really nice strings on Neon lights. The rest of the production is very 80 s. Just keeps going, and honestly gets better as it goes. Did not want that song to end. Last song is a Jay z sample. What a production. Doesn’t need the vocals but still good. Overall this was a really cool album that blew away expectations. Like I said before it’s daft punk before daft punk. Would recommend. 3.6/5 stars.
Kraftwerk is at the very top of the list when thinking about groups that pioneered a new sound. There was nobody like them when they were making music, but even still nothing really compares. This album transcends time and genre. It's fun but also has a lot to say. Top Songs: The Robots, Spacelab, The Model
I'm 1000% willing to bet that when JG Quintel was talking to his music supervisors for Regular Show, he directly referenced this album. Same for any GTA V music supervisor asking what their "Heist Music" ought to sound like. I wont try to get into history as that is way out of my ball knowledge, but if I had to take an educated guess (and based on the ethos of this being one of the "1001 most influential albums" in music), this was likely a MASSIVE turning point of an album for the music industry. Who knows if it was actually that influential at the time of release, but it is clear that these presumably German dudes were tinkering with what was going to be the complete future of sound. Late stage disco was the thing of the 70's, and I imagine that synths and drum machines were starting to rear their heads at this period. These two were artists using brushes completely new and foreign to them. Saw wave synths. Artificial drums. Fun and funky beat patterns. and most of all, ALMOST NO VOCALS. This album is the exploration of "machine", as it was introduced to "man" in its mystique, modern representation in the 70's and 80's. This album is a piece that (now according to the wiki page that I read) represents a maturity of electronic music. One of my favorite other reviews from this site: Music made by men pretending to be robots for people who are pretending not to be robots.
great album. didn't enjoy it quite as much as autobahn but still the atmosphere is phenomenal
Ouvir Kraftwerk é sempre uma ótima experiência e The Man-Machine remete em uma sensação de estar ouvindo uma trilha sonora de um sci-fi da época The Robots - 85 Spacelab - 80 Metropolis - 80 The Model - 85 Neon Lights - 80 The Man-Machine - 75 Media: 80.8
4,1/5 (but the german version)
😃
Not a fan of electronic music, but this was quite good. Really enjoyed Spacelab (and remember when it was supposed to crash to earth), and I liked the title track. This was electronic music with personality.
A genuine 70s electronic classic. I’ll be honest, this is one of the few early synth records I genuinely enjoy. There are so many that just sound annoying or primitive.
Ya me lo enseñó Júlia, pero confirmo que está bien guapo y que no esperaba que estos frikis me gustasen
8.5/10
Really cool. Had on in the shop I work at and thought about a lot of things while it played. The passing of time, the transition to modernity, the replacement of classical music. Seminal
A German proto blue man group? Nice
- Had never heard of Kraftwerk, so pretty cool to realize that they are essentially the Daft Punk beta. We are not to 80s OG vaporwave yet, but the seeds are definitely being planted. - Enjoy "Spacelab" and "Metropolis" the most, but impressed with the diversity of sound here; "Neon Lights" is an entirely different sentimental vibe. - Like the instrumental bits more than the accented vocals, but they are somewhat charming in how barebones they are.
Bleepin good
the model wersja rammstein nednak mi sie bardizej podoba jakos to electro sroednio ale dam 4 za to ze mieli oryginal twj piosenki chociaz wolalabym juz tego albumu nie sluchac ponownie
I'd say that this is the best one of the Kraftwerk albums on the book. It's a solid album, but it’s now confirmed that this experiment has not turned me into a huge Kraftwerk fan.
The Man Machine conveys the cold, angular futurism of the 70s so well. It feels really monolithic but somehow isn’t unhuman. The general vibe and the really exposed analogue synths reminds me of landing in a foreign airport. My favorite parts of the album are the really atmospheric sweeping sections. There, I feel like you can really hear the raw and experimental nature of Kraftwerk’s synths, and the really unified songs they still manage to produce. The Orchestron playing optical disks is such a cool sound. Its lofi character is a really good counterpoint to the syntheticness rest of the album! Favorite songs: Spacelab, Metropolis, Neon Lights
The Robots - 4/5 Spacelab - 4/5 Metropolis - 4/5 The Model - 4.5/5 Neon Lights - 4.5/5 The Man Machine - 4/5 Imagine hearing this kind of the music in the 70's and hearing nothing else like it. This makes me feel like I'm talking a walk through EPCOT on opening day with their multitudes of bleeps and bloops. Amazing that nearing all big synthpop and electronic music can be traced back to these guys. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: The Model, Neon Lights
Finally, a song about my love for neon lights.
YES!!!!!! shoutouts Edgaram Šadrim
Good chill album
Love it!
This was straight fire. 4.5/5
Bops
06/06/2026 For what it is... and for the era it was... we cannot deny how ahead of the time it was... and for that, I reward it highly. Spotify listeners: 1.1 million
Both retro and futuristic in the best ways, listened to both German and English versions. Highlights-Spacelab, The Model, and Neon Lights
Never listened. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - One of the Kraftwerk albums I never got around to. The Robots sounds so futuristic even today, it's an incredible opener. Spacelab continues in a really cool sound. I can't believe this is my first time giving this album a full listen. Excellent stuff.
We don’t need AI, we just need Germans pretending to be robots
Fun! I enjoyed it. Music from the future back in the past.
Learning about how influential this band is you can’t help but be impressed too by how good it sounds so early. Will it go back to it a bunch, prob not…are these oddly still enjoyable? Yes
kids funky, bit different
I can hear Daft Punk from afar. 1. The Model 2. Spacelab
adorei esse gênero é como se eu tivesse dentro de um computador
Immaculate aura
I didn't expect to like this. But I did enjoy it. It gets a little repetitive. But overall pretty good.
A little too out there for a 5 but still a fun album
This was beeping and booping. I liked it.
This kind of music usually isn't what I listen to but these guys are an exception. Definitely a free cursor to New Way in the other synth based music.
Honestly kinda a silly bit of fluff techno
If I’m ever assigned a secret mission, this album will be the soundtrack. The laser sounds got cheesy but for the 70’s this album is rad.
Foundations of something great
Feels a little prototypical, but definitely like a precursor to a lot of future music I enjoy.
Extremely easy to listen to. Discovered a new track I like from them in Spacelab.
Perfect working music. Puts me in a trance with minimal but catchy tunes.
Always good to hear a little from one of the Pioneers of Electronic Music
Electronic essential. The synthwork here is incredible. Still sounds futuristic to this day. I can't believe they made this in 1978.
(89/100)
felt like watching a soviet movie, full of desires for future
Very nice, relaxed electronic techno album
To my ears, this curiosity reflects some Eno, Pink Floyd, and electro-disco that came before it, and leads to Debo, Flaming Lips, and MGMT after it. Def a worthwhile musical path, but the robo voices and other dated/ campy production things leave it feeling a bit too Buck Rogers SciFi schmaltz. 3.5 stars
Nauran WHAT IS THIS yllättävän hyvää musaa matikast kärsimiseen
The whole album is a good combination of sound, but it's just not for my taste.
Decent
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Fun, danceable, and with a sound that feels a decades ahead of its time
Very influential but the other Krautrockers were more so. Kraftwerk led us young kids to them.
Kraftwerk are such a key seminal group. Their work in the 70s laid so much groundwork for so much music. No just the synth pop of the 80s but hip-hop, dance music and all music that now just had the understanding that electronic devices can make art. This album is much more pop oriented and allowed the accessibilty to synth pop. But earlier records are much more powerful now
Outstanding album. My favorite from Kraftwerk.
Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic music, a genre that I absolutely love. This album is supberb, blending the repetitive nature of the genre with grander, atmospheric melodies that captivate the listener.
On paper this one should sound super dated. But it doesn’t; it sounds super good. I wasn’t a huge fan of Trans Europe Express which I got a few days before this one, but The Man Machine was awesome! Pretty cool
Not one of my favourites, but still very good.
They are kind of addictive, I enjoyed this more than I thought
Good shit. Listened to it before but you can hear how much it influenced all the 80s stuff.
Incredible sound. Somehow, almost 50 years after its release, it still sounds like it's from the future. My one complaint is that some of the songs are a bit long.
This has to be like the origins of EDM and Nightcore
SIE EST EIN MODEL UND SIE SIEHT GUT AUS
This album was fun, and a great example of Kraftwerk’s wacky synth music strengths. It’s clearly influential as I can think of several bands that reference tracks on it directly or indirectly. Was it repetitive? Sure. Kind of silly? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes! I’m glad it’s short at 36 minutes as longer may have been overkill. As an aside - I love LCD Soundsystem, so this album was fun for me. LCD’s “Get Innocuous” is basically “The Robots.” According to the interwebs it’s not a sample, just heavily influenced.
Superb !
There is something so fascinating about Kraftwerk. As a band, they’re pretty inscrutable. Who are those guys? The music production is clearly ahead of its time. The songs themselves are at once innovative and simple. Es lebe Kraftwerk.
I think it probably fades so far into the background that it only really deserves a 3. But nostalgia and just how catchy The Model is means I'm happy to give it a 4.
I'm familiar with Kraftwerk in the general sense, as in I knew about their influence and their innovation, and even enjoy some of their most well-known tracks like Autobahn and We Are The Robots, but I never gave them a full album listen. I expected it to be pretty dry and repetitive... and it is... but honestly I liked it better than I expected. A lot of the B sides and lesser known work is frankly much more enjoyable and melodically interesting beyond just the technical aspects. Fun album!
Some of these tracks have become really corny over the decades, but this album represents necessary work to bring electronics out of labs and musique concrete studios and into pop music. The cool songs are very cool, and the longevity by way of sampling is testament to what these guys accomplished.
ta bueno
This album is incredibly ahead of its time. The synth use combined with the great artistic choice of panning go incredibly throughout the whole record. A lot of the songs go on for way too long however, and even though the length of the album isn't that long, I quickly felt pretty bored of the looping keys. Great ideas, but I just wish they were executed more fully. As the songs drone on, they begin to feel empty. Nevertheless, this record is super groovy, and if you're looking for something to dance a bit to and enjoy the futuristic sounds that the 70s somehow achieved, this is a wonderful listen for the most part.
Pas aussi bien que Trans Europe Express mais quand même ils sortent du lot sur l'électro de l'époque
Ok I get it. I see why Kraftwerk is such a big deal. To have music that sounds like Daft Punk in 1978 is kind of unbelievable. Talk about sounds that people had never heard before, not to mention it’s really good. I can see how this would have inspired countless electronic musicians that came after it.
Nice, Trans Europe Express was one of the first new-albums-I-liked from this project. This is similar, although about robots instead of trains. The compelling thing about robots is, they don't have any agency (bad) but they also don't feel any pain (good), so whatever robot metaphors you get are very mixed in valence. It's Kraft-werking for me. Something interesting about this album is that it was released in both English (the language of the masses, I guess) and German (because they're (West) German). Not so unusual - I know a lot of Latin Pop Stars (TM) like Shakira and Enrique also had English/Spanish versions, and t.A.T.u. of course did Russian/English. But in those cases, I prefered the non-English version because it is the original! (Going the opposite direction happens less often - Avril Lavigne's 'Girlfriend' (which had releases in 8 different languages) completely turned me around on Avril Lavigne!) So even though this is listed as The Man Machine and not Die Mensch-Maschine, I listened to both versions just in case the German one was better. (The upside of a Friday album.) Conclusion: it was a little better, but they're actually... extremely similar! Highlights: 'Spacelab', 'Neon Lights', 'Das Modell', 'Neonlicht'
I really like the synth they used in this album. I will definitely listen again, but there were some times where it was just a little too repetitive that I’m not quite sure I can give it a 5, but it is very close in my opinion.
I was outside doing yard work so I listened to it twice. Didn't feel the need to change it to something else. Would listen to it again.
Honestly... It surprised me. (5/1001) at the first song, i'm sorry but i couldn't help but think like "wth is this yoinky sploinky ass song?", but after continuing with the album anyways, i realized that this was WAAAY too ahead of it's time even I thought this was something you would hear in a club somewhere in teh Futurama universe, but to think that this was made in '78... i don't know how people would've reacted at hearing this album around that time, really not only that, but i can clearly see how this might've influenced HEAVILY in the electronic music industry, though the only names I can name are Daft Punk, Aphex Twin... and damn, even Kanye in 808s & Heartbreak it isn't something i'd listen to every day, but it really has been a trippy experience, in a good way of course.
Un álbum muy interesante teniendo en cuenta el momento en el que fue hecho. Lo disfruté a pesar de que puede llegar a ser difícil de escuchar. Me parece interesante como empieza con una canción que se llama the Robots y termina con the Man Machine
The robots en la electrónica = el génesis en la biblia. Me gusta mucho, cuando salió seguramente fue una bomba para el mundo 4.1
3.8 Cada canción se pone mejor
No había tenido la oportunidad de escuchar a los pioneros de a musica electrónica y fue interesante hacer un viaje en el tiempo
Good but some songs are not really my taste.
Step off, Daft Punk. Kraftwerk are the real robots! 4
That this came out in 1978 (a year before I was born) is something. Listen to it with ears from that era. People had to be confused, interested, apalled or so many other things and that’s what great albums do. Extremely influential to what would come in the 80s.
I liked this one. The first one on the track The Robots sounded very silly which made me immediately want to share this album with Grace. Later on in the track there were more sad beats that were mixed with happy beats I think this was able to work because the songs where actually very simple and had few lyrics. I did some research on this album and found that it was created to be the composer’s ideal music which was without emotion or message. I did not like this because I think that this is the opposite of what music is supposed to be but I also find it ironic because I was easily able to pick out emotions in his music.
pretend its a 4.5 rating lol. very impressive how did they do this
Damn. I actually really liked this. I need to listen to more.
The music feels very modern with its synth style. You have to get used to the German accent though.
I really like this. You can tell that this was super influential in electronic music. I did think it got quite repetitive but I think this genre has been rinsed making it feel repetitive. So it’s not Kraft work more the influence they had, which I guess is impressive in itself
Always enjoyed Kraftwerk, this one I know some of them but not the record as a whole. Always pleasantly surprised at the level emotion there, that isn't always apparent to begin with.
Fun and silly
So hard. Doesn’t sound like 78. Rare music that I believe will sound relevant forever. No wonder it’s so influential.
I really like this album. It paved the way for future electronic albums and still holds up nearly 50 years later. 8/10
Visionär, tolles Album.
This isn't man vs machine, this is man and machine working together seamlessly. Oh and it's awesome. Favorite track: The Model
Classic is often over used, but this is a Classic Album among the few classics of all time.
Great album, Kraftwerk does Kraftwerky things that they know how to do so well.
I have come to a deeper appreciation of Kraftwerk over recent years through my daughter. The deal with them has always been on their embrace of technology, but she grew up in an age where that's the norm. She finds a relatble anxiety and warmth in them that I get as well. That said, this is probably my least favorite of their records. Still good, but a little too on the nose. Not sure why so many people have covered "The Model" when they have better songs. Computer World is the Kraftwerk album you need.
This isn't overtly annoying like I find most electronic music to be, its actually good background music.
Pinta q flipas Representacion musical de como la sociedad hubiese avanzado si no existiese el genshin impact
Can't help what your preferences are, this definitely aligns with me. Old school synth pop dance music with admittedly not a lot of variation through out but never wore out its welcome on my end. Heavy theme of robotics and industrial noises which probably inspired a lot that was to come in the 90's and 2000's with Daft Punk as a big one. Will not have any issue going back to this album and happy to know the bands name now.
so so so good
This is a fascinating album that definitely belongs on this list. Even though synth and electro is not my regular cup of tea, the arrangements and sounds on this album show true genius and everyone should definitely expose themselves to Kraftwerk before they leave this earth. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised and entertained. Almost an auditory acid trip.
Excellent. Primitive given that it came only a few years before the synthpop movement, but pristine and lush in its own way
I know nothing about these guys, I have no expectations for how this will sound, I have no idea what i'm about to get into 1. The Robots - I like the production, it's fun and cool. This feels like something that would be in Phineas and Ferb. A little bit too long overall 2. Spacelab - Oh, I really like the intro of this one. I wish there was more to it lyrically, but I do love the sound of this one. 3. Metropolis - This one sounds really cool too. 4. The Model - I like the sound, but lyrically meh it's fine. 5. Neon Lights - Oh, this is really pretty! Even tho it's repetitive, something I typically don't vibe with, I actually really like this one. 6. The Man Machine - This one is also cool, but not my favorite Hmmm how to rate this one? I actually vibed with this pretty well, but I don't think it's something I'd throw on often at all. I love the sounds/production, lyrically it mostly felt lacking to me, but it's cool seeing early Electronica. Idk why I've vibed with this more than other Electronic albums on this list so far? I think, I gonna give this like a 3.75/5 or 4/5. It was pretty fun and interesting. It felt very spacey in a way I enjoyed.
Listening to this album made me feel smarter.
It creates a special atmosphere, hipnotizing. Iove the calm tempo. I love when an album tells a story, and this one does that. They managed to create a characteristic sound through a sort of repetition that never gets old, and you can feel the creativity put into each song. Some highlights for me are Spacelab, Neon Lights, and The Man Machine. Also, I noticed some similarities to Daft Punk and Japan.
YEAHHHHHHH CULTURAL BANGER i obvs like the german version better
I channeled my inner robot and grooved on this album. this is basically the 1970s progenitor of Daft Punk, and I'm here for it
I dig it. Maybe not a regular in my rotation, but it's impossible to deny Kraftwerk's influence on electronic and hop music. 3.5/5 rounded to 4.
Spent the entire day going back and forth on whether or not this was a 3 or a 4. I definitely love it, and would absolutely go back to it, but comparing it to the other Electronica albums I've rated so far, I think a 3 is fine for this. I'm sure that when it came out, it must have sounded like the future. It actually reminds me a lot of some bands I listen to today. This is yet another fundamental Electronica that I'm sure was directly influenced by virtually everything that came after it. To that degree, it's also extremely easy to listen to. I didn't think I was going to manage to have just this on for the whole day, as it's pretty short for an Electronica album. Usually they're like an hour long, but this one is only 6 songs, and 36 minutes long. Of course this is freaking German as well. The funniest part about this album is that even with the voice modulators, you can frame 1 instantly tell the singer is German. It gets a pass for being basic, but I don't know whether to let that dictate my rating of the album or not. Yes, it's repetitive, yes it's samey, but it's never boring and for coming out in 1978 it's pretty incredible. Then again, look at some of the other albums that came out that year. I don't know, I do love this, but I think it's a 3. A very, very high 3. Like a 3.95/5, but I don't round up. I've been very consistent with that. Favorite song on this one is the intro, "The Robots". Sounded vaguely familiar to me, regardless of whether or not I've heard it before. It's just such a good start, and tells you exactly what to expect from this album. I would not skip a single song on this album and also loved the biggest hit "The Model" as well. Hilariously enough, as of a few years ago, Kraftwerk is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so they're actually more important of a band than most people will realize. For just a bunch of German goobers making beep boop sounds, it's phenomenally impressive it still sounds so damn good today. This is the 1st of 3 Kraftwerk albums I have rolled for this project, as well as the last chronologically, so I'm very interested to hear what they sounded like before this. Considering how much higher this is rated than the other 2, if this is them at their best, I kind of want to give it a 4, and expect what came before it to be a 3. Otherwise all 3 albums are likely to get a 3 from me. Even after talking myself through it and writing this review, I still don't know if this is really a 3 or a 4. Good job with this one though. It's simple and repetitive by today's standards but it still absolutely slaps, and I love it for that. Fine, it's a 4. I've decided.
Wow. Unexpected nostalgia hit. I was never that in to Kraftwerk, but I absolutely know The Robots and The Model. I remember the friend who played them for me. I remember my mind getting blown. Still can't believe this album is from 1978.
The spotify link goes to the english version. I suggest going on Spotify and look for "Die Mensch∙Maschine" for the german version.
I can enjoy and appreciate Kraftwerk but I can't quite love them - I've even seen them live at Manchester's cycle... thing. This is brilliant though, and more human than other Kraftwerk albums. Spacelab is something I've come back to a few times for the lovely motifs.
perfect length album for this but also i was SO confused that spotify only had the english version. I never realised they recorded the whole thing in two languages. i’ve never heard the model in english before and it was slightly off-putting but still solid.
Whenever I put kraftwerk on I assume it's gonna just sound really dated and somehow it never does. The synth sounds they recorded sound glorious and they have a real charm to them. "The robots" felt a little on the nose, but beyond that this is a great collection of tracks, it's not too long (which I imagine might get a bit tedious). Great stuff.
The year is 2126 and this is your robotic personal assistant's favorite album. The Man Machine really comes off as something that should be from far out into the future, except it was released in 1978. That's pretty mind-boggling to me. Not sure what other groups were making music like this in the late 70's, but this had to be considered pretty ground-breaking at the time.
Kraftwerk is great for a lot of reasons and are probably one of the hidden architects of modern music. I like some of their earlier stuff as opposed to their full blown electric sound, but it's all catchy. The idea of growing up in postwar Germany is a bit of a trip. Your parents and all of their friends were probably Nazis and nobody really seemed interesting in unpacking that. Instead, you and some of your boys get together with some other bands, create a whole scene, and make some of the most mind blowing albums for the next 10 years or so. German ingenuity channeled for good and not evil!
I can throw The Man Machine on basically whenever and always have a good time. One of the most revolutionary bands of the era, no small task.
Im a robot
Without this we don’t have daft punk. Without daft punk we don’t have the rumor that Kanye West would stop watching porn in the studio while they were making the song Stronger.
Iconic sound.
Second Kraftwerk album this week? What interesting timing, almost as if robots and computers got involved (yes, lame German style joke, you must laugh!). This is a very clean and crisp album for an early electronic album and there's no doubt that they are amazing synthesizer players, and it is better than the last one you tried to convince me that it needs to be on this list (it doesn't). But ya, this is 3.5 or 4 star material as an average listening goes. It's just so German.
Es Masterpiece und e Masterpiece band! scho es bizli veraltet aber so wegwiisend für elektronischi Musig dasi mindestens 4 Robodance geh mun
Banger
Kinda cool how modern it sounds when it was all hand made by a person. Like.... they were WAY ahead of their time. Very cool album, higher score for impact. Plus it's short and sweet
Wie sind deutsche Roboter
Good stuff! ★★★★
I thought going in it would probably be a 3. I know they influenced a ton but I was surprised how well the album flowed. Bumped it up to a 4
The robots The man machine Neon lights
Another band from the list that I have a sort of outsized impression of their importance in music history, but haven't actually sat and listened to much. Really enjoyed this and see so many seeds of the modern synth-pop/synthwave that I love. Honestly way more poppy and melodic than I expected, with a few individual synth lines I recognized. Kraftwerk's whole aesthetic was just cool as well, the album cover, the way they dressed, the sort of futuristic vibes they were able to conjure - I think of them as krautrock but this is honestly pretty far removed from that sound. The remastered version just sounds good from a production standpoint as well. I think the bookend tracks of the album are the best, but surprisingly I hadn't heard "The Model" despite being the "hit" on this album. Overall really enjoyed this one.
Not a fun listen the whole way through but its undoubtedly iconic
I’m a big fan of Kraftwerk, Autobahn is an incredible album. This was interesting but not as good, but I would 100% revisit!
Like being in a video game. Good ambient music to get some work done to.
3/6/26. First time diving into Kraftwerk. Lucky to have a couple listens over the weekend and it's hard to deny the influence this music has had on later artists, notably Daft Punk for me. Very cool soundscapes driven by synths and couldn't pick up on the lyrics as much.
4/5. One of those albums that jusy sounds like the future. Listening to it I can hear how it influenced so many groups that I love from Daft Punk to LCD Soundsystem to Stereolab and so on. It fuses together krautrock and synthesizers to create an album that is just hypnotizing, I felt like I was in a groovy trance the whole way through. Also “Metropolis”, “the model” and “neon lights” is an especially great three track run.
Sounds surprisingly modern. But it didn’t stick with me in any big way. It was enjoyable! 7/10 Quite Likeable
7 / 10 - Sehr cleane Synth Sounds - poppig und tanzbar - künstliche/robotische Musik, die dennoch sehr menschlich wirkt Favs: - The Robots - Metropolis
Such a fun album
i would give it a 3.5
Gotta respect my elders, who graciously allowed my robot duo to take their gimmick
Vanguardia de la electrónica. Hoy lo escuchás y se siente pedorro, pero MIL NUEVE SETENTA Y OCHO. Una locura. Y venían de discos anteriores ya. Salía el punk, salía el post punk y los Kraftwerk en esta. 8/10
While not being specifically my taste their very clear influence on electronic music cannot be understated. Kraftwerk and specifically this album being cited as major inspiration and influence for New Order, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and countless others speaks volumes.
alien ahh beats
Listened to this one on a plane, felt fitting or maybe I'm just stupid idk. Either way as far as early electronic stuff goes not too shabby. 4/5
A pretty ground-breaking band with real cultural significance, Kraftwerk were early pioneers of the electronic music that is now commonplace. I explored their discography years ago and I think The Man-Machine would rank as their best work. Now a classic, I can only imagine how futuristic and forward looking this album must have sounded to new ears in 1978. All that being said, it is now a pretty simplistic and naïve application of synthesised electronic music and modern electronic artists simply have far more sounds and layers in their arsenal. This album isn't something that would be in my regular rotation but it's a great museum piece from the first band to show that electronic music could make it in the mainstream. It's a 3* on personal taste, pushed over the line by its cultural influence.
A great album
Landmark stuff. Couple of weaker songs in the first half, but ‘The Model’ is exquisite.
Another one which is about 9/10. I'm being more brutal from now on. Great album, but how can it be 5 stars when there are a couple of Kraftwerk albums which are definitely better?
Almost impossible to review tbh
Neon Lights is a real vibe.
What a great electronic album that sounds like it could have been made today. I imagine these songs are sampled.
One of those sort of Ur bands that start stuff. Love all early electronic stuff.
A classic. I gave it 4 because I thought it fades a bit in the second half. I’ll listen again and perhaps that will grow on me.
Not a big stand out to me but I enjoyed it
I have listened to this three times in a row. I know it is restarting, yet I won’t stop it. What a great album. I guess I need to start listening to Kraftwerk. Probably should listen to Autobaun next.
The Robots The Model Neon Lights The Man Machine
I think we lose sight of how revolutionary this is because we live in the future it imagined. The sounds that are part of every day life were not when this was recorded and what we also lose sight of is how soulful this is, and whilst it’s not as good as autobahn having had the privilege of hearing many of these songs live it’s still a hugely impressive piece of work
Simple but really enjoyable, charming and while I dont give points for this. Impressive for its time.
I had been pretty lukewarm on their debut album, but by this point they've really come into their own. The vibes are immaculate, I've listened to this a few times today and it's the kind you listen to the whole way through rather than pick songs from.
Felt like I was listening to a new Tron soundtrack, it's amazing. Can't believe this came out in the 70's, they were so far ahead of the game.
Pretty awesome to get to listen to an album and see the massive influence it had decades later
Fair
8/10 Favorite: The Model
This is a really fun album. The Robots is genuinely one of the most feel good songs ever. 8/10
Very good, very nice. Felt a bit repetitive in some places but that's ok, I enjoyed it overall. Beep boop.
A groundbreaking album, more important for when it was released than how it sounds today
8/10 The first thing that stood out to me about this record was how much of a fluid groove they managed to build, despite the metronomic and sequenced nature of so many of the sounds. Somehow, while creating machine music, they gave their robots a soul. It’s the layering a blending of different elements that really gives this album life. While there are some elements that could be a little on the repetitive side, they play so much with sequence length across different synth lines that it rarely becomes too static or dull to the ear. The synth sounds that they use add a decent amount of depth to the production and there are some absolutely gorgeous warm, creamy patches in play here that bathe you in a satisfying wash of sound. The composition is also great, with them building some really interesting harmonic beds, while also delivering some memorable and catchy melodic hooks. The drift into pop music territory in places, and into atmospheric ambience in others, which is a great skill for an album that manages to maintain such a coherent voice. It’s also ridiculously far ahead of its time. It’s a 48 year old album that sounds like it could have been released today, and there are clear examples of production and composition that would inspire artists and whole genres in the decades that followed. The one track that didn’t quite connect with me was Neon Lights, which felt a bit too basic, thin and underdeveloped, which was a shame, especially as it covers a quarter of the record. That’s the only thing keeping this from a 9/10, to be honest, as otherwise, this was a really fantastic listening experience that I’ll definitely adding to the regular rotation. The Robots - The sound design here is so good. Some of the synth patches and tones are great; crisp, clear and punchy. It’s a buttery smooth sound that manages to impart a really solid groove despite being so metronomic. There are some really great combinations of melodic and harmonic sequences and tonal modulations that make it feel really alive while never drifting from the robotic theme. It feels incredibly ahead of its time too. Spacelab - The juxtaposition of the urgent beat and arpeggiated synth against the drifting, dreamy lead is excellent. The filter-swept Moog tone is so beefy. There’s some interesting use of layering and the way they pull and push different elements in and out of the mix adds a rolling, adapting feel to the composition. It perhaps gets a tiny bit lost with some of the flutey synth patches that flow around each other, but it’s a minor point. Metropolis - This feels like driving through a neon-lit city at night. Again, the persistence of the beat and arpeggiated synth give this so much drive, but they’re really careful to use sounds with a slower attack against that to not make it overwhelming. They use a range of frequencies at different points to develop tonal differences over the course of the track, which is an interesting approach. Although there’s obviously a lot of sequencing work going on, they manage to use extended sequences to ensure that the track as whole never gets locked in too much of a short loop, even if some components do. It’s really clever stuff, especially with the limited technology they were working with. The Model - This is the closest we’ve come to a traditional song really. Some of the synth lines are so hooky, which is great and it’s definitely a pop song, even if it is a bit of a weird one! I’m not generally a massive fan of having a prominent instrumental part that plays the same line as the lead vocal, but at least it gets a break to do that nice arpeggiated pattern when the vocal isn’t present. As with The Robots, there’s a great groove to this, despite the metronomic nature of it. And, as with the rest of the album, the synth patches are so well matched and create a really warm tonality. Neon Lights - There’s some more nice sound design on here, but it does become a little plodding. Unlike some of the earlier tracks, there’s not as much depth in the synth layering to make this feel as fluid and broad. It all just feels a little bit too rhythmically static and repetitive, which is a shame. It’s not really bad, it’s just a little on the dull side and a bit meandering, lacking in the scope of the rest of the album. It does throw in some developments across its almost 9 minute runtime, but they’re so stretched out and even when it does develop, it feels a bit thin by comparison to the other tracks. And it’s too long. The Man-Machine - And we’re back on it again now. That atmosphere and layering brings so much more depth and there’s a pulsing groove to the rhythmic elements that creates a superb depth to the sound. You can hear how much influence Kraftwerk would have on so many electronically focused types of music that would follow, from house to hip-hop, just from this one track. It’s pretty wild for an album created in West Germany in 1978. The sound design and atmosphere to this is solid and engaging, even if the music depth isn’t quite as pleasing as the first four tracks.
I thought it was going to be a drag, but it was actually good. It's perhaps a 3.5 but I'm feeling generous and it's short enough to add it to the replay list.
Pretty amazing synth work for late 70s.
I've known about Kraftwerk for a long time (I think I remember JB - John Buchanan - who led a band at Notre Dame when we were there, and later played with the Soul Searchers and Chuck Brown in DC, saying, maybe in the later 80s, that Kraftwerk were cool) but, for whatever reason, haven't paid them a lot of attention, or been particularly drawn to them. I think they probably had an influence on many kinds of music, like, House, techno, and hip-hop. I do own 1 Kraftwerk CD (Trans-Euro Express), but am not familiar with this one. I did recognize "Neon Lights," though, because it was covered by a Georgia alternative band from the 80s that I like, Love Tractor (I think it was a minor hit for them). I would probably rate this one about the same as The Cars album (and, I'm guessing, a lot of the 1001 albums, lol), as a solid B+, which I guess will translate to 4 stars.
Electronic music is one of my worst rated genres in this project, but this isn't the same boring and soulless dance beats repeated ad nauseum. Kraftwerk are the godfathers of all electronic music and somehow they managed to infuse so much warmth and emotion into their music. I also have to respect the skill it would have taken to orchestrate, perform, and record this music using the tools available to them at the time.
I love them so much.
This is exactly the sort of weird early techno synth-pop that I want the Germans to be making. The fact that half the lyrics are just repeating the title of the song over and over again would not work in most genres, but on this record it’s perfect. I can’t overstate how much I enjoy the bizarreness of this album. It’s just fun. At 36 minutes long it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome either. I’m not sure I have anything else to say about this one, but that’s not a bad thing. 4*
When I think krautrock I think Kraftwerk, and when I think Kraftwerk I am having a good time. This isn’t my favorite album of theirs, but it’s still a really good one. It’s loopy ride of boops and blips that makes you feel like you’re stuck inside one of those computers the size of an oven with a black and green screen… but maybe you don’t want to go home.
Me ha encantado el álbum. La única pega que le encuentro es que la letra es sosa y el ritmo repetitivo.
That was bloody great. Never really gone in on Kraftwerk before, but I really enjoyed this album. Would definitely return and am keen to explore more.
Dope
Enjoyed the first half more but still a great album. Ahead of its time.
This one surprised me!
Flows well, a great classic.
The rolling ‘r’ in ‘robots’ on the first track was almost enough to make me press stop and hurl it out of the window but once that track was out of the way, I could relax and enjoy the rest of the album. Growing up in the 80s, I’ve always had a soft spot for electronic music, especially the synth pop of the early 80s. Kraftwerk’s influence is extraordinary and they still sound incredibly fresh today. This isn’t music I will sit down and listen to intently, but, without wishing to label it as ‘background music’, it’s good company.
Modern music is just all bloop bloop bleep bleep
It’s hard to believe this came out in 1978. So much of this feels like a precursor to the 80’s New Wave sound. I guess that’s because it was. SpaceLab immediately shoots up to be one of my favorite tracks. It doesn’t all work but most of it does. 4 out of 5.
Ураа, что-то кроме рока, так ещё и электроника. Передается все отмосфера. ДА ЛАДНО ЕЩЕ И ЕЛЕКТРОННЫЙ ГОЛОС. Тревожное ощущение, мировой калабс, антиутопия. Ужасает, но мне это нравится, хорошая музыка 4 из 5 не прям вааау, но очень добротно. Однозначно ознакомлюсь с другими альбомами группы
I liked this more than I expected.
I listened to the remastered version, so not sure if this is relevant to the original, but I love the sounds in the album, everything is very crisp, in its place, not overloaded with layers. It was for me, as someone familiar with how symths work, purse sonic enjoyment. What didn't fully land for me is the musicality: Most songs were kind of banal and basic from a musical perspective, with a few outliers (the robot, the model, the man machine). I also thought the vocals (in the English version at least) were kind of too on the nose and not well mixed with the rest of the instrumentation. Overall, I enjoyed my first Kraftwerk experience, but it's not music I'd be putting on regularly: It's more of a sound experience than a music experience.
Eh, expected more from the godfathers of electronic. Then again, likely mindblowing at the time it came out, so that has to be respected.
Siis elektronisen musiikin pioneereja. En tiiä millon tätä kuuntelisin, mutta yksikin kuuntelu oli todella jees.
сначала не зашел альбом, да и вообще стиль музыки этой группы, потом вслушался - и нашел в этом что-то уникальное; в отличие от хип-хопа, ритм песен здесь постепенно развивается, не самые лучшие, но порой интересные тексты
They made music like robots, now the robots have caught up.
YEEEEEEESSSSS
Skal høres på tysk, natürlich. Enestående.
I can tell that this must have been revolutionary in its day but electronic music and the technology behind it have come so far that I just don't think this holds up as well anymore. At the same time, it is still very cold, distant, and metallic, and it conveys its message very well. I wish I was around to hear this album when it came out.
I see why LCD was excited about Kaftwerk. This was a fun album
If Autobahn was Kraftwerk finding their sound and Trans-Europe Express was them perfecting it, then The Man-Machine is them synthesising (no pun intended) it down into a manageable pop format. This album probably features Kraftwerk’s most recognisable and catchy songs, The Model and The Robots, which both remain as fantastic and pioneering as ever. Much of the rest of the album, like Spacelab and Metropolis, focuses more on texture than melody and the more rhythmic focus of previous albums like TEE. An essential album from Kraftwerk and also in understanding the evolution of electronic music.
Great album, found a few influences of different bands I really like!
would love to see this used in a movie. The Model was my favorite on the album.
Far and away the best of the 3 Kraftwerk albums fed to us. I wonder if I would have given it a 5 had it not been for the negative expectations from the lackluster prior 2?
Cool, experimental, and so weird it's fun. New-wave before new-wave. Reminds me of 70's sci-fi movies. Fun album, only 6 songs total. "Neon Lights" is a really beautiful listen.
что-то на машинном, много разных непонятных звуков, чистое начало электро и синтезированных звуков, прелесть даже голос обработан под синтезированный "я твой слуга, я твой работник" dvd игры, приставки, уносит в транс neon lights
I felt like I was in a late 70s/early 80s technothriller/sci-fi movie, but in a good way.
I know the band, respect their legacy and the path they carved along with their influence but not sure we needed a 2nd album from them on the T1001. Listener counts are solid with "The Robots" clocking in at over 18M and "The Model" at over 75M. It obviously has a following. I feel like they created the soundscape from which other bands, like Devo or Depeche Mode, polished and made more listener friendly and radio ready. Their groundbreaking use of layered keyboards is so influential. "Robots" is a bit corny for me, but "Spacelab" is a really pretty song (minus the unnecessary robot chorus). "The Model" must have been a blueprint for a ton of songs that followed (early INXS, Human League, Planet P, The Fixx, etc). "Neon Lights" is just so familiar, like I've known it for years. The influence they have can be heard for decades after the release of this album. I can't knock a single song, they're all enjoyable and quality tracks. After listening to it in its entirety I understand why it's on this list. 4 stars, mostly for the influence I hear, rounding up from 3.5.
I didn’t think I’d like this as much as I did. In fact, I liked the plain beep-boop songs even more than the songs with lyrics. Okayyyy.
For me, this is where Kraftwerk were coming down from the peak they had reached with Trans Europe Express. It's still very, very good, but the extra use of vocals and pop sensibilities prevent me from judging it as a five star album. Model is a love/ hate thing for me. I vaguely remember this being a thing (I was under ten when this was a hit), but I also remember detesting it at the time. Even now it grates a little, although I feel I've grown to appreciate it more than I did at the time. There's still plenty of angular, robotic, atmospheric electronic music, preceding Gary Numan and other artists who took the baton and ran with it into full synth-pop music. Four stars.
BRO WHAT IS THIS YOINKY SHPLOINKY SOUND HELL YEAHHHHH
Despite not being the biggest fan of electronic music, especially as of late, I find The Man-Machine, as well as a handful of other Kraftwerk albums very enjoyable. Kraftwerk's classic 70's synth-y sound definitely may not be for all, but I greatly enjoy it and its simplicity. The one aspect that really just doesn't click with me is the robot theming of "The Robots". While I find it fascinating that they went all-out in going with the whole robot theme, I just don't really care for this track, despite it being decently popular. However, I really enjoy "Neon Lights" and its relaxing, optimistic sound akin to some of their tracks off of their previous album, Trans-Europe Express. Favorite Song: "Neon Lights"
Els papis de Daft Punk. Contenta perquè no sabia per on començar amb ells. Muak
Influential, and certainly innovative. What could now be done in seconds by actual machines probably was quite complex and mind blowing for men to create robotic sounds in the 70s. Which means it’s likely lost some of its wow factor in 2026. There are more than decent tunes and melody behind the bleeps and such. And don’t think it would work so well without the German accent, and didn’t loose anything from the native language version. But it isn’t just a historical novelty, think it holds up and though came into this expecting to give damning praise I actually enjoyed a lot more than expected. Das model is an excellent electronica pop song, neon lights is exquisite. 4 Star
Excellent, lays the groundwork for everything that follows in electronic music