The Mix (Kraftwerk album)

Last updated

The Mix
The Mix.jpg
Studio album by
Kraftwerk
Released11 June 1991 (1991-06-11)
RecordedApril 1991
Studio Kling Klang (Düsseldorf, Germany)
Genre
Length65:15
Label
Producer Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider
Kraftwerk chronology
Electric Café
(1986)		The Mix
(1991)		 Klang Box
(1997)
2009 Edition
Kraftwerk the mix 2009.jpg
2009 remastered edition cover

The Mix is the tenth studio album by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released on 11 June 1991 by Kling Klang and EMI in Europe and by Elektra Records in North America. It has entirely re-arranged and re-recorded versions of a selection of songs which had originally appeared on Kraftwerk's albums Autobahn (1974) to Electric Café (1986). Some of the songs, such as "The Robots" and "Radioactivity", have new additional melodies and/or lyrics.

Contents

Background

In 1990, Kraftwerk had made a return to the stage, following a nine-year break from touring.[ citation needed ] Ralf Hütter said in interviews that he regarded The Mix as a type of "live" album, as it captured the results of the band's continual digital improvisations in their Kling Klang studio.[ citation needed ] The versions of songs on The Mix subsequently became staples of the band's live set. [1]

Karl Bartos said in a 1998 interview with Sound on Sound that the original idea for The Mix was to release a "best of" compilation, a suggestion from Bob Kratzner at the band's U.S. record label, Elektra Records. The idea, said Bartos, "..didn't really appeal to [Ralf], so he came up with the idea of making a remix record. He was really thinking ahead, but I think if you made the original record, you shouldn't do the remix yourself. Somebody else should have done it." [2] In a 1991 interview with Melody Maker , Hütter said, "Kraftwerk is always a work-in-progress. We have no five-year plan. It's all about what's happening in the music, the zeitfenster at the time. So our Mix album is about these times, the remixing, cutting up and regeneration of old tracks." [3] During this period, the band was converting the Kling Klang studio to digital, transferring its sound library from 24-track analogue tape to disc, which factored into the album's creation. [4] This conversion project proved to be an ongoing task, as new upgrades and equipment were continually made available in the years following the album project.[ citation needed ]

Bartos said that he was responsible for "all of the programming" on the record but went uncredited. The prolonged production period for the album led band members Wolfgang Flür and, later, Bartos to leave the group, before its release. [2] They were replaced by Fritz Hilpert and Fernando Abrantes. [3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Almost Cool9/10 [6]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [7]
Drowned in Sound 5/10 [4]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Music & Media (favorable) [10]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Select Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [12]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]

The Village Voice's Robert Christgau praised the album at the time, calling it a "best-of with the bass boosted". [7]

In retrospective reviews, All Music's Alex Henderson observed that "Dance clubs had long been a key part of Kraftwerk's following, and the dance club was the obvious target of The Mix – a collection of highly enjoyable, often clever remixes", adding that it was a "welcome addition to the Kraftwerk catalog". [5] Tom Ewing of Pitchfork cited the new versions of "Autobahn" and "Radioactivity" as highlights, adding that, "unlike most mix albums of the period this one had a purpose: these more physical and propulsive versions have fed into Kraftwerk's live set ever since". [1] David Kavanagh of Uncut called it "a surprisingly addictive re-imagining of 11 classic tracks in a dancefloor context". [13] While Andrew Harrison of Select awarded the album five stars out of five, his opinion was that "Hütter and Schneider threw themselves into techno as if they'd invented it (which they had), but updating Kraftwerk was always rather pointless, as their music has never dated at all". [12] Chris Power of Drowned in Sound called it the band's "most idiosyncratic release", observing, "At its lowest ebb, crushingly, The Mix deals in an excruciating neutering of its source material ... its other sins being ones of redundancy rather than active damage." However, he singled out elements of "Autobahn" as what the album "could have been if Kraftwerk had elected to really work these tracks over in a radical way, rather than essentially updating them to dance music's early-Nineties industry standard". [4]

The Mix was placed first in The Wire 's year-end poll for 1991, the first time that the magazine — previously known for its focus on jazz — had an all-genre category. [14]

Re-release

A newly remastered edition of the album was released by EMI Records, Mute Records and Astralwerks Records on CD, digital download and heavyweight vinyl in October–November 2009. Because of licensing restrictions imposed by Warner Music Group, this version has only been made available in the US and Canada as a part of The Catalogue box set. [15]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Robots" ("Die Roboter")
8:56
2."Computer Love" ("Computerliebe")
6:35
3."Pocket Calculator" ("Taschenrechner")
  • Hütter
  • Bartos
  • Schult
4:32
4."Dentaku" (Japanese: "Calculator")
  • Hütter
  • Bartos
  • Schult
3:27
5."Autobahn"
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Schult
9:27
6."Radioactivity" ("Radioaktivität")
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Schult
6:53
7."Trans-Europe Express" ("Trans Europa Express")
  • Hütter
  • Schult
3:20
8."Abzug"
  • Hütter
2:18
9."Metal on Metal" ("Metall auf Metall")
  • Hütter
4:58
10."Home Computer" ("Heimcomputer")
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Bartos
8:02
11."Music Non Stop" ("Musik Non-Stop")
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Bartos
6:38
Total length:65:15

Personnel

The original 1991 liner notes credit Hütter, Schneider and Hilpert simply with "Music Data Mix", while the 2009 remaster release gives more detailed credits for Hütter and Schneider. Abrantes, while uncredited in the liner notes, appeared in the artwork and other promotional material. Several other individuals are credited with "hardware" and "software", by last name only.

The 2009 remaster credits provide the following information:

Kraftwerk

Additional musician

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1991)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA Charts) [16] 132
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [17] 12
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [18] 83
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [19] 7
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [20] 33
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [21] 20
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [22] 27
UK Albums (OCC) [23] 15

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [24] Silver60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Images

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kraftwerk</span> German electronic music band

Kraftwerk is a German electronic band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the genre. The group began as part of West Germany's experimental krautrock scene in the early 1970s before fully embracing electronic instrumentation, including synthesizers, drum machines, and vocoders. Wolfgang Flür joined the band in 1974 and Karl Bartos in 1975, expanding the band to a quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kling Klang Studio</span> German recording studio; private music studio of the band Kraftwerk

Kling Klang is the private music studio of the band Kraftwerk. The name is taken from the first song on the Kraftwerk 2 album. The studio was originally located at Mintropstraße 16 in Düsseldorf, Germany, adjacent to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, but in mid-2009 moved to Meerbusch-Osterath, around 10 kilometers west of Düsseldorf. The band also operate a record label named Kling Klang, which they use to release their music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralf Hütter</span> German musician and composer (born 1946)

Ralf Hütter is a German musician and composer best known as the lead singer and keyboardist of Kraftwerk, which he founded with Florian Schneider in 1969. On 12 May 2021, Kraftwerk was announced as one of the inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

<i>Autobahn</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Kraftwerk

Autobahn is the fourth studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk, released in November 1974 by Philips Records. The album marked several personnel changes in the band, which was initially a duo consisting of Florian Schneider and Ralf Hütter; later, the group added Klaus Röder on guitar and flute, and Wolfgang Flür on percussion. The album also completed the group's transition from the experimental krautrock style of their earlier work to an electronic pop sound consisting mostly of synthesizers and drum machines. Recording started at the group's own Kling Klang facility, but was predominantly made at Conny Plank's studio. Autobahn also includes lyrics and a new look for the group that was suggested by Emil Schult, an associate of Schneider and Hütter.

<i>Trans-Europe Express</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Kraftwerk

Trans-Europe Express is the sixth studio album by German band Kraftwerk. Recorded in 1976 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the album was released in March 1977 on Kling Klang Records. It saw the group refine their melodic electronic style, with a focus on sequenced rhythms, minimalism, and occasionally manipulated vocals. The themes include celebrations of the titular European railway service and Europe as a whole, and meditations on the disparities between reality and appearance.

<i>Tour de France Soundtracks</i> 2003 studio album by Kraftwerk

Tour de France Soundtracks is the eleventh and most recent studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was first released on 4 August 2003, through Kling Klang and EMI in Europe and Astralwerks in North America. The album was recorded for the 100th anniversary of the first Tour de France bicycle race, although it missed its intended release date for the actual tour. It includes a new recording of their 1983 song of the same name, the cover artwork of both releases being nearly identical. The announcement of the release caused much anticipation, as it had been 17 years since the group had put out a full album of new studio material. It is also the last studio album to feature Florian Schneider before his departure from the band in 2008 and his death on 21 April 2020.

<i>Ralf und Florian</i> 1973 studio album by Kraftwerk

Ralf und Florian is the third studio album by the German electronic band Kraftwerk. It was released in October 1973 on Philips. It saw the group moving toward their signature electronic sound. It was 160# on the US Top 200 Albums Chart in 1975.

<i>Radio-Activity</i> 1975 studio album by Kraftwerk

Radio-Activity is the fifth studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk, released in October 1975. The band's first entirely electronic album is also a concept album organized around the themes of radioactive decay and radio communication. All releases of the album were bilingual, with lyrics in both English and German. The album was accompanied by single release of the title track, which was successful in France and Belgium.

<i>The Man-Machine</i> 1978 studio album by Kraftwerk

The Man-Machine is the seventh studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released on May 1978 by Kling Klang in Germany and by Capitol Records elsewhere. A further refinement of their mechanical style, the album saw the group incorporate more danceable rhythms. The album has a satirical bent to it. It is thought to address a wide-range of themes from the Cold War, Germany's fascination with manufacturing, and humankind's increasingly symbiotic relationship with machines. It includes the singles "The Model" and "The Robots".

<i>Computer World</i> 1981 studio album by Kraftwerk

Computer World is the eighth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released on 11 May 1981.

<i>Electric Café</i> 1986 studio album by Kraftwerk

Electric Café is the ninth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released on 10 November 1986. The initial 1986 release came in versions sung in English and German, as well as a limited Edición Española release, featuring versions of "Techno Pop" and "Sex Object" with only Spanish lyrics. It was the first Kraftwerk LP to be created using predominantly digital musical instruments, although the finished product was still recorded onto analog master tapes.

<i>The Catalogue</i> 2009 box set by Kraftwerk

The Catalogue is a box set consisting of the eight albums by German electronic music band Kraftwerk that were released from 1974 to 2003. All albums are digitally remastered, with most of the cover art redesigned, including rare photographs in the liner notes that were not part of each album's original release.

<i>Minimum-Maximum</i> 2005 live album by Kraftwerk

Minimum-Maximum is the first official live album release by Kraftwerk, released in June 2005, almost 35 years after the group gave its first live performance. The album features two CDs of tracks recorded on the group's world tour during 2004, including concerts in Warsaw, Ljubljana, Moscow, Berlin, London, Budapest, Tallinn, Riga, Tokyo, and San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Bartos</span> German musician and composer

Karl Bartos is a German musician and composer known for his contributions to the electronic band Kraftwerk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tour de France (song)</span>

"Tour de France" is a song by German electronic band Kraftwerk. It was first issued in early August 1983, peaking at number 22 in the United Kingdom singles chart on 6 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fritz Hilpert</span> Musical artist

Friedrich "Fritz" Hilpert is a German musician who is best known for his work as a member of the electropop group Kraftwerk.

<i>Exceller 8</i> 1975 compilation album by Kraftwerk

Exceller 8 is the title of a 1975 compilation album of music by Kraftwerk. It was released by the Vertigo label in order to capitalize on both the summer chart success of the single "Autobahn" and the imminent release of the next Kraftwerk album Radio-Activity. By this time, Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider had set up their own record and publishing company, Kling Klang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernando Abrantes</span> German-Portuguese producer and musician

Fernando Fromm-Abrantes is a German-Portuguese producer and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Telephone Call</span> 1987 single by Kraftwerk

"The Telephone Call" is a song by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released in 1987 as the second and final single from their ninth studio album, Electric Café (1986). The single was their second number-one on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and stayed two weeks at the number-one spot. It is the only Kraftwerk song to feature Karl Bartos on vocals. The versions from the single were remixed by François Kevorkian.

<i>3-D The Catalogue</i> 2017 live album by Kraftwerk

3-D The Catalogue is the second official live album and most recent release by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released on 26 May 2017 and was released on several formats, including a four-disc Blu-ray box set, an eight-disc CD box set and a nine-disc vinyl box set. It consists of live versions of every studio album Kraftwerk song from Autobahn (1974) to Tour de France Soundtracks (2003). The performances were recorded between April 2012 and October 2016 at venues around the world. The album was nominated for Best Surround Sound Album and won Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, marking the band's first Grammy win.

References

  1. 1 2 Ewing, Tom (1 December 2009). "Kraftwerk: The Catalogue Album Review". Pitchfork . Condé Nast.
  2. 1 2 3 Miller, Jonathan (March 1998). "KARL BARTOS: Elektric Music and Kraftwerk". Sound on Sound .
  3. 1 2 Stubbs, David (20 July 1991). "Kraftwerk - Robopop". Melody Maker . pp. 40–41.
  4. 1 2 3 Power, Chris (15 October 2009). "Kraftwerk – The Mix: Remastered". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  5. 1 2 Henderson, Alex (2011). "The Mix – Kraftwerk". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "Kraftwerk – The Mix". Almost Cool. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  7. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (2011). "CG: Kraftwerk" . Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  8. ↑ Sweeting, Adam (14 April 1995). "CDs of the week: Kraftwerk reissues". The Guardian . London. ISSN   0261-3077.
  9. ↑ Snow, Mat (November 2009). "Gut Vibrations". Mojo. London: Bauer Media Group (192): 110. ISSN   1351-0193.
  10. ↑ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . 27 July 1991. p. 11. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "Review". Q. May 1995. p. 123. 4 Stars (Excellent): "... a revised history of the band, throbbingly danceable and one of the best party records of the past decade ..."
  12. 1 2 "New Old Albums". Select . Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  13. 1 2 Cavanagh, David. "Uncut Reviews: Kraftwerk – Reissues". Uncut . Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  14. ↑ "The Critics' Choice 1991" . The Wire. No. 94/95. London. January 1992. pp. 56–57 – via Exact Editions.(subscription required)
  15. ↑ "Der Katalog (The Catalogue) remasters release info". Astralwerks Records. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  16. ↑ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 5 August 1991" . Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kraftwerk – Tour de France Soundtracks" (in German). Hung Medien.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kraftwerk – Tour de France Soundtracks" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  19. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  20. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2020. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
  21. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Kraftwerk – Tour de France Soundtracks". Hung Medien.
  22. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kraftwerk – Tour de France Soundtracks". Hung Medien.
  23. ↑ June 1991/7502/ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ↑ "British album certifications – Kraftwerk – The Mix". British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type The Mix in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.