The first collaboration between the prolific avant-garde German duo and the synthesist and future U2 producer bore tasty musical fruit. Meshing Cluster's affinity for loops and repetition and Eno's penchant for processing ... more »sounds, the trio proves that ambient music does not merely consist of drawn-out drones and insipid keyboard tapestries. Certainly many of these nine tracks play off of sustained sounds and atmospheres, but their shorter running times make them more digestible, as does their variety of moods and textures. Highlights include the angelic atmosphere of "Für Luise," the classically inspired piano interlude "Mit Samaen," and the Indian-influenced "One," a trippy progenitor of ethnoambient music, ripe with sitar drones, guitar noises, and exotic percussion that features contributions from Okko Becker and Asmus Tietchens. The group also usurps their spaced-out predilections with the off-kilter "Selange"--a cyclical piece for keyboards and drum machine with a tricky rhythm change to discombobulate its otherwise smooth flow--and the upbeat Western gallop of "Die Bunge." Cluster & Eno is a worthy model for the eclectic possibilities of electronic music. --Bryan Reesman« less
The first collaboration between the prolific avant-garde German duo and the synthesist and future U2 producer bore tasty musical fruit. Meshing Cluster's affinity for loops and repetition and Eno's penchant for processing sounds, the trio proves that ambient music does not merely consist of drawn-out drones and insipid keyboard tapestries. Certainly many of these nine tracks play off of sustained sounds and atmospheres, but their shorter running times make them more digestible, as does their variety of moods and textures. Highlights include the angelic atmosphere of "Für Luise," the classically inspired piano interlude "Mit Samaen," and the Indian-influenced "One," a trippy progenitor of ethnoambient music, ripe with sitar drones, guitar noises, and exotic percussion that features contributions from Okko Becker and Asmus Tietchens. The group also usurps their spaced-out predilections with the off-kilter "Selange"--a cyclical piece for keyboards and drum machine with a tricky rhythm change to discombobulate its otherwise smooth flow--and the upbeat Western gallop of "Die Bunge." Cluster & Eno is a worthy model for the eclectic possibilities of electronic music. --Bryan Reesman
"Cluster live and work in Berlin. They like Eno, and Eno likes them. They call him up and say "come to Berlin and We'll make a record". Eno's friend David Bowie calls, says "I'm depressed." Eno says, "Come to Berlin, we're making records. oh and hey, bring Fripp along." Bowie and Fripp show up with Iggy Pop - he came along because He's a big fan of Fripp (believe it or not!).And that's the story of how "The Berlin Albums" came to bieng. They are: "Cluster and Eno" and "After the Heat" by C&E, "Low" and "Heroes" by Bowie, and "Before and after Science" by Eno. Such an amazing quintet of albums was never before or since put together and released all in the space of one year. To get the full effect, you really have to listen to all five at the same time in one of those five-tray "random play" CD players.But on to the review. "C&E" is probably the darkest and most unsettling of the five, featuring instruments such as Theremin, Fretless Bass, Assorted Percussion (of the pots-and-pans variety), Sitar, Piano Trio, and the ubiqtuous Synthesisizer. In fact, Eno's little VCS3 dominates the record, but in many places it takes the role it did with Roxy Music, merely treating the other instruments.Like I said Before, you have to but all five. the "Berlin Group" creates a complete musical micro-universe within themselves."
1/2 Of...
DAC Crowell | 01/28/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This release is an interesting affair. Cluster shifted gears a few times in the mid-70s, arriving at a very atmospheric, stripped-down approach to electronic music with "Sowiesoso" and their collaborations with Michael Rother as Harmonia. And as such, it's only logical that Brian Eno, the godfather of ambient music, would collaborate with them. The results are documented here and in a bookend work, "After the Heat", as well as a few tracks on Eno's "Before and After Science", and the results are stark, beautiful, and amazing. In a few places, things get a little tedious, but this really doesn't detract all that much from the goings-on here. Docked one star because, honestly, this should be in the same package with its tandem release "After the Heat" to get the real feel of the pairing. A critical release."
Essential
Sean M. Kelly | Portland, Oregon United States | 09/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's odd, but if you look at the careers of Eno and the German synth duo Cluster (Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Deiter Moebius), the parallel each other quite a bit. Eno started out in Roxy Music, the experimental rock outfit; Cluster started as Kluster, an anarchic trio (3rd member being its founder-Conrad Schnitzler, arch experimentalist formally of the "Electronic Meditation" era Tangerine Dream) whose experiments were so severe and heady that they would send shivers down the spine of a deaf person.Both Eno and Cluster would settle into grooves (Cluster, in fact, were profoundly influenced by Eno, as their later efforts would prove- even in 1996, when I saw them and interviewed them 3 times on their only US tour, they both told me that Eno was critical in their development as musicians), and then find each other.The 2 lps they did together are landmarks for both Eno and for German synth music. This lp has the occasional moment or 2 of tedium in it, but overall, the results are glorious- just listen to the wonderful "Steinsame" for the lp's crowning moment.An amazing collaboration and essential listening for any fan of synth music, no less Eno or Cluster fans."
Quite good
Lovblad | Geneva, Switzerland | 04/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like eno and cluster you must have this. It is nothing unexpected but quite good indeed"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
