Klaus Schulze
Moondawn

Moondawn by Klaus Schulze is a historic album and a perfect example of his classic mid-'70s style. The album was recorded in Frankfurt on a 16-track recorder instead of the 2-track used previously. Additionally, for the occasion, the great drummer Harald Grosskopf makes his appearance, known for having played with Wallenstein, Ash Ra, and Cosmic Jokers, and highly esteemed by Schulze. Meanwhile, Schulze had also purchased the Big Moog from Florian Fricke as the leader of Popol Vuh had long renounced electronic music. Moondawn is divided into two compositions very different from each other but that represent standards of the Berlin school. “Floating” is, in its own way, a paradigmatic track of the German master. At the beginning, we can hear the recorded prayer of a Muslim accompanied by electronic environments. Then the sequencer becomes the absolute protagonist with its metronomic pulsations. The melody is irresistible and is accompanied by electronic effects and timbral variations. Probably it's here where Schulze reaches his formal perfection although I remain more attached to albums like Irrlicht, Cyborg, and Blackdance. It's here that his “picture music” finds a crystalline purity and a sound cleanliness that borders on perfection. And how can we forget the contribution of Harald Grosskopf who gives his percussive touch to the ensemble, perfectly following the sequencer? The following “Mindphaser” is a track with two faces. The beginning is calm and meditative and immerses us in a dreamlike atmosphere. The relaxing sound of the waves gently cradles us, followed by the sounds of synths while only the noise of a thunder hints at a possible threat. The effect is cathartic, and one feels like never detaching from this magical sonic alchemy. You remain in deep meditation until the second part when the sound of the organ makes its appearance and the rhythms suddenly become frantic. From here on, the music becomes an impressive delirium of sounds reminiscent of progressive rock and the more experimental Pink Floyd but with even greater power. The sounds of the Big Moog are prominently featured, accompanied by the rhythms of Harald Grosskopf. Truly a great track. Moondawn, released in 1976, is probably his most accessible album up to that point, but it remains a great album that sold well and was very successful in France.