Album review: Karl Bartos, Off the Record (Bureau B)

 

Andy Gill
Friday 15 March 2013 16:00 EDT
Comments
Karl Bartos, Off the Record (Bureau B)
Karl Bartos, Off the Record (Bureau B)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Partly built from fragments of an “acoustic diary” jotted down during Karl Bartos's Kraftwerk years, Off the Record contains few surprises, with several tracks pleasantly echoing his time as co-composer of some of the group's most glorious pieces.

The alienation anthem “Without a Trace of Emotion” stalks like “The Model”, and the electronic tonalities of tracks like “Nachtfahrt” and “International Velvet” have the sublime texture of classic Kraftwerk, while elsewhere the lyrical themes and iconography of “Atomium” and “Musica Ex Machina” share the essential characteristics of technological celebration and European poise. Best of all is “The Tuning of the World”, a humanist hymn to the music of the spheres.

Download: The Tuning of the World; International Velvet; Without a Trace of Emotion

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in