Cosmic Dreams at Play - Stoned Circus radio show - Free

their own studio in the little village Forst, Niedersachsen. Their successive albums were all
recorded there and/or at Conny Plank's studio. Occasionally they performed live at art galleries
and museums.
In May 1973 Cluster met Michael Rother (from Neu) and together they evolved into the trio
Harmonia. Between June and November 1973 they recorded Musik von Harmonia. It seems
likely that Rother taught Cluster a lesson or two about using monotonous, repetitive rhythm
loops, like the first Neu album. The tracks "Watussi" and "Sonnenschein" were most
characteristic in this sense. However, Harmonia were quite different from Neu, as they used
electronic percussion and rich keyboard textures of synthesizers and piano. "Dine" and
"Veterano" were more up-beat examples of electronic rock (almost predating the Ashra sound),
where Rother picked up his guitar. Other parts of this very versatile album were more ethereal
and cosmic ("Sehr Kosmisch") or experimental ("Ohrwurm").
Moebius and Roedelius recorded the third Cluster album Zuckerzeit in Autumn 1974 with Rother
co-producing. This was a milestone in the history of electronic music, and probably Cluster's
most influential album. In contrast to the urbane and cold electronic music (although sometimes
romantic in its own way) of Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream this was a rural, vivacious and often
humorous use of synthesizers. What a musical change this was from the Cluster II album! This
was the first album to display their individual talents: Moebius' passion for strange sounds and
quirky rhythms (later explored to full effect on his solo albums and collaborations with Plank')
and Roedelius' charming, tuneful little ditties. With Rother (and special guest Mani Neumeier of
Guru Guru) the second Harmonia album De Luxe was recorded in the Summer of 1975. The title
track featured some nonsensical lyrics. The music was surprisingly light, far less experimental
than the first Harmonia album. One is left with the feeling that the musicians did this more or
less as a holiday project.
In 1976 Rother started his successful solo career (enjoying instant chart success with the album
and single Flammende Herzen), while Cluster recorded their fourth album Sowieso, developing
the style of Zuckerzeit furthers seven sweet drops of witty sequencer music, all wrapped in light
and pretty colour tones like some aural sweets! 1976 was also the year Cluster did their first
collaboration with Brian Eno. This well respected Englishman had always admired their music
very much, and met them for the first time backstage in Hamburg in 1974.
COBRAA
Personnel:
• KLAUS SEBASTIAN v, g
• ROLF SONDERMANN v, b, flt
• FRIEDEL AHRENS kb
• WOLFGANG HAUSMANN g, v
• BERND KLIEMT d, perc, v
ALBUM:
same (EMI 1C062-29507) 1974
A little known group. Their album consisted of 10 mainstream rock numbers, only occasionally
getting vaguely progressive. A band to leave to rest in peace! Harvest collectors may buy the
album as a curiosity as it was originally intended for release on the Harvest label.