In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Kraftwerk album “Autobahn”, Swedish minimal electro-pop ensemble Elektroklänge has released its latest EP, “Auf der schönen grauen Autobahn” today on Bandcamp and all other platforms. This release concludes their trilogy honoring Kraftwerk’s pioneering influence on electronic music.

Preceded by the “Abfahrt” EP and the full-length album “Motorik”, this three-track EP includes a radio edit of the title track and an expansive 22-minute “umleitung mix”, which offers listeners a dynamic journey through evolving melodies and rhythms, paying homage to Kraftwerk while introducing new elements. Additionally, the minimalist piano demo “Glitzerstrahl” (“wohltemperierte klavier mix”) provides an insight into Elektroklänge’s creative process.

About the Kraftwerk album “Autobahn”

Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”, released November 1st 1974, marked a pivotal moment in electronic music, introducing a minimalist aesthetic and innovative use of synthesizers. The album’s title track, a 22-minute exploration of the German highway system, became emblematic of the band’s forward-thinking approach and has influenced countless artists in the electronic genre.

Produced by Kraftwerk’s founders, Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, alongside engineer Conny Plank, “Autobahn” also marked their shift towards self-production and studio control. The album cover, designed by Emil Schult, who would become a longtime collaborator, featured a stylized highway scene, encapsulating the futuristic, minimalist aesthetic of the album.

The genesis of “Autobahn” began in the early 1970s, with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider’s vision to capture the experience of driving on Germany’s highways through electronic music. Both musicians were drawn to the minimalist landscapes of repetitive sounds, influenced by early electronic experimentation, including the work of Karlheinz Stockhausen and the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley and Steve Reich. By 1973, they had begun developing the concept of “Autobahn,” not merely as a song but as an auditory journey that would mimic the sensations of motion, rhythm, and space found in a car ride.

Schneider and Hütter started experimenting with various synthesizers and audio devices, including the Minimoog, EMS Synthi AKS, and custom-built vocoders to give the album its signature sound. These innovations allowed them to break away from conventional instrumentation, which they felt limited their creative ambitions. They also collaborated with Conny Plank as mentioned above, a sound engineer known for his pioneering work with electronic and experimental artists. His expertise in audio manipulation helped bring their ideas to life.

The concept was also heavily influenced by the cultural context of 1970s West Germany, where the Autobahn highway system symbolized postwar modernization and mobility. For the band, the autobahn represented the modern German identity, and they saw it as an icon of progress and movement. Rather than creating a traditional song, they wanted the music to evoke the hypnotic, meditative experience of long-distance travel, capturing both the solitude and the exhilaration of the open road.

To round out this sound, they brought in artist Emil Schult to co-write lyrics and develop visuals for the album, solidifying the Autobahn concept as a cohesive audio-visual experience. Schult’s input helped transform the music into a holistic work of art, with lyrics that were sparse and repetitive, much like road signage, and album artwork that emphasized sleek, streamlined aesthetics.

The rest is as we say history.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Guilherme Pacheco) On April 21, Wim Mertens Music (WMM) and PIAS will release “Voice of the Living”, a new composition by Belgian composer Wim Mertens, commissioned as part of the centenary commemorations of the Great War (1914-1918). The premiere took place on October 28, 2014, at St. Martin’s Cathedral in Ypres, a city deeply affected by the conflict. Ypres is also the city where Side-Line’s office is now housed. At Mertens’ request, the performance was dedicated to Ypres’ residents.

In “Voice of the Living,” Mertens delves into the harrowing experiences of the ordinary soldier during the Great War. The work’s structure is influenced by the four traditional elements—earth, water, air, and fire—which represent various wartime situations. Mertens’ opus pays homage to the memories and experiences of all soldiers and victims of war. However, it is only in the musical performance that “Voice of the Living” becomes an ultimate tribute to all victims.

Ypres was the centre of intense fighting throughout the war and has since become a symbol of the devastation and loss caused by the conflict. By dedicating the performance to the residents of Ypres, Mertens acknowledges the city’s historical significance and honours the sacrifices made by its people.

The single “On the zephyrous peak” is available now.

About Wim Mertens

Wim Mertens is a Flemish Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist.

In 1978, the composer began working as a producer at a major Belgian broadcasting corporation, now known as Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep. During this time, he produced concerts featuring renowned composers and musicians and hosted a radio program. He also collaborated with Gust De Meyer on the experimental album ” For Amusement Only”.

By the early 1980s, the composer became widely recognized, particularly for his pieces “Struggle for Pleasure” and “Maximizing the Audience”. The latter composition was created for a play that premiered in 1984 in Venice, Italy.

To date, the composer has released over 60 albums, primarily through Les Disques du Crépuscule from 1980 until 2004. In addition to his own work, he produced and consulted for the label on various releases, including those by contemporary composers such as Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, and Glenn Branca. He also curated a series of releases for a Crépuscule imprint that featured classical and contemporary jazz works.

In August 2007, the composer signed a contract with a major record label, which subsequently re-released his entire catalog starting in January 2008. The label also released his new works, including a 9-track album in September 2007 that featured an all-female orchestra consisting of 17 musicians. This was not the first collaboration between the composer and the label, as they had previously released the soundtrack to the film “Molokai: The Story of Father Damien” in 1999.

In addition to his extensive work in music, the composer is the author of a book examining the American school of repetitive music and the work of LaMonte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass.

Wim Mertens on Tour

• 22.05.23Zaragoza, Teatro Principal (SP)
• 23.05.23Madrid, Teatro La Latina(SP)
• 24.01.24 Stadsschouwburg, Brugge (BE)
• 24.02.24 CCha, Hasselt (BE)
• 25.02.24 Don Bosco kerk, Torhout (BE)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Yann Tiersen has shared remixes by Alessandro Cortini and The Field and updated his European tour plans for 2021, ahead of a special Record Store Day release of the “Lagniappe Session” he originally recorded for Aquarium Drunkard – out on Saturday 24 October.

“Portrait Remixed” sees Alessandro Cortini take on “Prad” (featuring Stephen O’Malley) while The Field gives “Diouz an Noz” the remix treatment. The original versions of both tracks are taken from Tiersen’s latest album, “Portrait” (out now on Mute), a collection of 25 newly recorded tracks from throughout his career.

Tiersen’s “Lagniappe Session” will be released on vinyl for Record Store Day on Saturday 24 October. Originally recorded for Aquarium Drunkard, the 12” features recordings of a Steve Reich piece, a classic Françoise Hardy song and a track by country gospel artist E.C. Ball, all recorded in his recently built analogue studio, The Eskal, on a remote Breton island.

Below are the two remixes.

Tour 2021

Below are the rescheduled tourdates for 2021 including a few new dates as you will notice.

• 16 July – Barcelona, Jardin des Pedralbes SP
• 17 July – Valencia, Auditori de Burjassot SP
• 19 July – Madrid, Botanico SP
• 21 July – Lisbon, EDP Cooljazz festival PT
• 23 July – San Sebastian, Jazzaldia SP
• 6 Oct – Rouen, Le Theatre des Arts FR
• 7 Oct – Roubaix, Le Colisee FR
• 8 Oct – Strasbourg, La Laiterie FR
• 9 Oct – Dijon, La Vapeur FR
• 10 Oct – Clermont Ferrand, Cooperative de Mai FR
• 12 Oct – Montpellier, Le Corum FR
• 13 Oct – Biarritz, La Gare du Midi FR
• 14 Oct – Toulouse, Le Bikini FR
• 15 Oct – Bordeaux, Krakatoa FR
• 16 Oct – La Rochelle, La Sirene FR
• 20 Oct – Luxembourg, Den Atelier LU
• 21 Oct – Vendome, Minotaure (Rockomotives festival) FR

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Last year we went watching Wim Mertens live at work during which he presented some of his newest work taken from his musi-fiction triptych “Cran aux Oeufs” (2015-2016), which by then only covered 1 album (out of 3). With “Dust of Truths” Wim Mertens now presents the final part out in the next weeks.

For those unfamiliar with this genius minimal music artist, know that the first part, “Charaktersketch”, was situated in central Europe Brussels anno 2015. In it the composer questions the position of culture in a larger world context.

The second part, “What are we, locks, to do?” for piano and voice is inspired by the Alexandrian Library in Egypt (300 B.C.). Central figures are the poet Callimachus and Queen Berenice II. Mertens music reads here as a commentary on the golden age of Ptolemaic Egypt.

For the final part, “Dust of Truths”, Wim Mertens refers to the naval Battle of Actium, which happened in Preveza, Greece in 31 B.C. Opponents here were the (future) Emperor August who defeated the Egyptian warships of Cleopatra. Mertens considers this battle rather as a civil war dispute within the Roman Empire then a explicit conflict between Rome and Egypt.

Wim Mertens is a Flemish Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist. In the early years of his career he was a producer at the then BRT (Belgian Radio and Television, now called Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep) for which he produced concerts by Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Meredith Monk, Urban Sax and others. He also hosted a program called Funky Town together with Gust De Meyer (with whom he recorded the experimental album “For Amusement Only”).

Mertens has released more than 60 albums to date, the majority of which were issued by Les Disques du Crépuscule from 1980 until 2004. Mertens also produced a number of Crépuscule releases and consulted with the label on its choice of works by contemporary composers such as Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, and Glenn Branca. In August 2007 Mertens signed a contract with EMI Classics (now Warner Classics) for his entire catalog. The label re-released his entire back-catalog beginning in January 2008.

To give you an idea of what this musician has produced, also check this live album from 1994:

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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