Amon Düül II
Tanz Der Lemminge

THE REVIEW

[...] For me this band hit its peak with its second album Yeti but "Tanz Der Lemminge", originally released as a double vinyl set in 1971, is also a worthy record especially if your taste extends more to snappy little melodies, the odd bit of spaced-out eccentricity and more experimental atmospheric activity, and away from extended guitars-n-drums improvised freak-outs.[...]

Jennifer Hor, TSP ( The Sound Projector ), "Krautrock Kompendium"

[...]

[...] Quintessence of visions, symbols dissolved in lakes of sounds, the roar of life, cosmic gnomes, and aromas of refined cultures in an effervescent symbiosis of characters and meanings. [...]*    

"Tanz Der Lemminge" (1971), the third and final part of an unrivaled "triptych" (with "Phallus Dei" and "Yeti"), is an inexhaustible source of ideas and innovations, contaminations, a milestone of rock overall.

Having abandoned the purely "folk" grandiosity of the previous albums, Amon Düül II concentrate their focus on a diverse sound with "violently" electronic, spatial, and astral manners while never completely abandoning their peculiar ethnic base. (Indicative in this sense is the large use of percussions, bongos, sitar, and violin).

"Tanz Der Lemminge", a symbol of the artistic and compositional palingenesis of the Amon Düül II.

The sonic blend is devastating, orgiastic, ecstatic, characterized by massive psychedelia, significantly expanded tracks (even three suites), improvisation, granite-like electric guitar riffs ( à là Ash Ra Tempel ) in constant dialogue with relentless percussions giving a decidedly exotic aftertaste. The auditory experimentation (and especially percussionary), here, reaches paroxysmal levels; the distinctly progressive designation is also of great charm (rapid tempo changes, breaks, fragmentations, long compositions, ubiquitous keyboards) which makes the work even more multicolored and varied, never banal or pedantic compared to the two previous albums.

"Chamsin Soundtrack (The Marilyn Monroe Memorial Church)", "pregnant" with sound experimentations, "acid-lysergic" moods as well as impetuous guitar effusions and feral vocalizations seemingly devoid of sense, is the brilliant "prototype" of the aforementioned sound evolution of Amon Düül II, and remains one of the best compositions within the album itself.

But "Tanz der Lemminge" holds many other surprises.

Delicate atmospheres with a bucolic flavor, skillfully adorned by the warm, enveloping sound of bongos, tambourines, and acoustic guitar ("Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies") break, as foamy waves against worn and sharp rocks, against vigorous electro-acoustic compositions (with abundantly "affected" electric guitar) enhanced by intoxicating, sinuous violin phrases or "spiced-up" sitar interjections ("Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child/Landing").

Although shorter, the last two compositions ("Chewing Gum Telegram "and "Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight") are not devoid of appeal, also steeped in great instrumental tension, dark organ "carpets," and more or less veiled references to the band's characteristic folk style (heartbreaking in this sense is the perfect interplay between violin, flute, and percussion in "Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight").

"Tanz der Lemminge", Amon Düül II, it was the year 1971.

Masterpiece.

[...] Not the rock audience but the stereo headphones of a solitary marijuana smoker.*

*: Both quotations from A. Aprile/L. Majer ("The European Progressive Rock Music").