Neu!
Neu! '86

THE REVIEW

In the mid-'80s, Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother find themselves asking: shall we do it again?

Yes, because the duo, characterized by a difficult coexistence (but love isn't perfect if there's no little drama), had left a mark from time to time even in the absence of a continuous collaboration back in the '70s.

This time things turn out to be even more complicated than usual, so much so that the recording sessions don't even see the light of day and are initially archived.

A few years later, Dinger would release them in Japan under the name "Neu! 4". Rother, however, upset for not being consulted, would have the edition pulled from the market.

After Dinger's death, Rother finally releases an edition in agreement with Dinger's widow. This is precisely "Neu! 86", characterized by a sequence of tracks, both in titles and order, quite different from "Neu! 4", which we would say aligns more with the melodic sensitivity of the only remaining Neu! member.

It must be said that even at their minimum, Neu! always manages to hit the mark. The first tracks of the album, "Danzig", "Crazy", "Drive", revive the unmistakable rhythm of Neu! (motorik) updated to the new decade, presenting a frivolity and a superficially sparkling tone all in the spirit of the '80s. But this, far from becoming a negative connotation, is brilliantly transfigured into a memorable musical representation of the spirit of the times.

As usual, Neu! aligns with that lineage of artists dedicated to relentless minimalism, from Bo Diddley to the early Velvet Underground. All phenomenal artists for those who appreciate the principle of economy, which consists of achieving the maximum result with the minimum of means, in accordance with the natural law - doesn't light travel the shortest path between two points?

"Drive", in particular, a piece with a contagious rhythm, is very reminiscent of Bo Diddley and his unbeatable live improvised jams.

The second part of the album reintroduces the same melodies already heard in the first tracks, with a different arrangement, tempo, and "feeling", a "trick" of necessity already seen in Neu! 2, known for having invented the concept of "remix".

In short, Neu! confirms itself as a group with unique sounds, and from time to time, it's good to return to these albums to drink from the source of the Muse.