A more relaxed symphonic album Kraftwerk album, than something like Man Machine. It’s easy to think it sounds too cheesy and early eighties before you think this all happened before any of the chewy eighties albums like Electric Dreams were even a sparkle in there creators eyes.
There is talk that their chief songwriters met with David Bowie and Iggy Pop in the midst of their Berlin period. Apparently they had an influence, sounds like the usual German electronica to me.
Released
1977
Lyrics
There are lyrics but they are minimal and in no way overpowering.
Mood
Anything by Kraftwerk is going to have that minimalist feel poeple have come to expect from Kraftwerk. It’s a light feeling with pace.
Good to work to
Definitely an album to write to. The pace isn’t too fast or overwhelming. And because the music doesn’t impose itself it pulls you along and gives you something extraif you’re pumping stuff out.
Like
Kraftwerk is like Kraftwerk. Other electronic music is great, but Kraftwerk are the godfathers.
The Artist/s
Kraftwerk are one of the most influential electronic bands in the world. Kraftwerk mean power station in german.
The Kraftwerk lineup on Trans Europe Express were
Ralf Hutter – album concept cover, keyboard, synthesiser, vocoder, voice etc
Florian Schneider – album concept, electronics, synthesiser, vocoder
Karl Bartos – electronic drums
Wolfgang Flur – electronic percussion
Other works
There is a whole back catalogue of Kraftwerk albums that you can go for. Whether it’s my favourite Kraftwerk album Man Machine, or any of the others should keep you happy if you like Trans Europe Express.
There is a whole cannon of electronic classic albums. I think they are some of the most consistently great electronic albums to work to whether you fancy something like Chemical Brothers, the more chilled out sounds of Lemon Jelly, or something link LC soundsystem.
Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this anywhere obviously on iTunes, but on vinyl this is one of the albums that is always in print.
The Verdict – Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
Do it fool.