Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity

Kraftwerk built upon the international success of Autobahn by expanding their conceptual conceits to an album-length exploration of radio waves (and the band's other favorite wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum). Musically, the album represents a quantum leap of pop sensibility; though still distinctly a "prog" soundscape, its brilliant melodic hooks (best represented by the title track and "Airwaves") are organized in more traditional--read shorter--form. In tracks such as the minimalist audio-verite "News," Kraftwerk pay homage to another of their musical influences, the great modern composer/theorist Karlheinz Stockhausen. "Antenna" foreshadows the techno-gods they became, with its electronic washes and clever less-is-too-much lyrics, which read, in total: "I'm the antenna catching vibrations; you're the transmitter, give information!" Radio-Activity is an underrated masterpiece waiting to be rediscovered. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com essential recording

dull "music of der future"

There is something inherently prosaic in this dead dull "music of der future". Fortunately, man has still some sense of individualism, but barely, and Kraftwerk's fascist goal for music has not rendered vocals obsolete. Listening to this, it harkens back to the techno geek 1970's when Germans laden in neo-fascist uniforms with thin ties and a pound of grease on their hair, showed no emotion on stage, acting like machines. Most of them wore leather pants so tight that they froze while playing, hence the dumb and inarticulate Krautbot look. They copied architecture chic from the 1930's, added some 70's porn montage and called it "modern" 1970's and praised the revolution of robots and computers. Not only is that very idea horrifying, but it is also silly. "Kraftwerk" means "cheese plant" in German and they are very cheesy.

The CD is probably one of the most horrible things I've listened to. If you can get to the end of it, you'll find all sorts of unwanted electronic noise, Krautbot voice dubs, electro fuzz, beeps, computer konks, repugnant computer-generated vocals, static, repulsive synthesizers, and extremely unpleasant clamor that goes on forever, that you'll soon be reaching for a hammer to crush the CD. In my estimation, all crap. A few American bands at the time tried the stale trend with deadly results, Gary Numan The Pleasure Principle (1979), Styx Kilroy Was Here (1983) , both tossed their careers away because of it.

You'll be reminded of foolish telephone companies, lumbering computer screens, electronic wires, gay 70's discos, and moronic techno cabarets in smelly, dark German cellars. So, unless you're a nerd or have little taste in music, forget this stuff ever existed.
July 9, 2008

Great service from Amazon, here's review:

I ordered a CD update of old LP music from the 70's by the German guys, "Kraftwerk", (Radio Activity), Amazon got me my copy and the ones I had sent to my brothers in Michigan quick and in good condition! April 6, 2008

It is a pleasant wavelength

Kraftwerk's radio-activity, my first Kraftwerk album, is I guess one of their more underappreciated works.. Yet after hearing about the band and how great they were from friends for years it wasn't until I heard the song radio-activity in a couple of films by Fassbinder that I realized I should give their music a listen...
Radio-Activity is a great experiment in pop music and I find it to be among the most pleasant and thouroughly enjoyable experiences in 'electronic' music.. Clearly ahead of their time Kraftwerk seemed nevertheless to have a very classic understanding of how to contsruct a piece of music.. By the end of the electronic radio excursion we feel we have been to an interesting place that we would like to return to in the future... December 15, 2007

Good theme album, listen to it occationally.

Kraftwerk tries to build a theme or a musical journey (if you may) into their CDs. Here, in radio activity, they try again. The music is very unique and original. Yet I cannot give it a 5-star because of my personal taste for more upbeat music from them. If you listen to the samplers that Amazon puts on the website, you will see that the music is not for dancing and not upbeat. There is some trance mood, but this ablum is very electronic "background" music. Not sure if you too can listen to the songs every day, and continue to get a "jolt" from it, like THE MIX.

Try THE MIX first. Then, work your way back to this CD, after getting the classic AUTOBAHN cd. I got hooked on the AUTOBAHN as the premiere journey CD.
September 26, 2007

A great album of progressive electronica

Kraftwerk's 1975 album Radio-Activity (this is the English language version), is apparently a concept album exploring the theme of radio communication. Interestingly, there is a staccato Morse code sound on the album that reminded me somewhat of the introduction to Astronomy Domine (Pink Floyd, 1967). Given the huge influence of 1960's Pink Floyd on the German electronic scene, this really does not come as a surprise. In general, this is a great Kraftwerk album and is a bit gloomier sounding than their famous Autobahn album (1974).

The lineup on Radio Activity included Ralf Hütter (vocals, electronic sound, drums, synthesizers, voice); Florian Schneider (vocals, electronic sound, drums, synthesizers, voice); Karl Bartos (electronic percussion); and Wolfgang Flür (electronic percussion). Although the liner notes do not say anything about instrumentation I was able to dig up the following "internet factoids" regarding equipment use on the album: (1) Ralf Hütter sings through a Roland RE-201 Space Echo on the song Antenna; (2) a military speech synthesizer, based on creating phonemes, was used on Radioland; and (3) In addition to the usual keyboard instruments (e.g. minimoog; ARP Odyssey; EMS Synthi A; and Farfisa electronic piano on "Transistor"), the Vako Orchestron (not a mellotron) was used to provide the warm choir sounds. For those of you that are curious (like me), the Orchestron was an analogue sampling instrument that used optical disks (rather than tapes) to store the sounds of real voices and orchestral instruments (e.g. choir, string and organ sounds). Initially Kraftwerk owned a single-manual Orchestron, but later, they used one with two keyboards which was used until the first half of the 1981 tour at which time it was replaced by the Polymoog (polyphonic) synthesizer. Other pieces of equipment used on Radio Activity included a vocoder, Farfisa Rhythm Unit 10, and even an oscilloscope. In contrast with Autobahn, the group did not use acoustic instruments (flute, violin or guitars) on this album.

The 12 tracks on the album are arranged in a suite of sorts that lasts for approximately 37'55", with the individual tracks ranging in length from 0'15" to 6'44. The music on Radio Activity is a bit more hypnotic, brooding and sullen than Autobahn, and yet is also more "mechanical" sounding than albums released by their peers including electronica giant Tangerine Dream at the time. Although the Orchestron contributes a very soft and spacey feel to the pieces with a luxurious cushion of "mellotron-like" choir sections, the thumping electronic percussion and "computerized" vocals lend a somewhat rigid feel to the music - yet not distractingly so. It actually makes for a nice contrast. Although I have described this music as brooding and sullen, there are a few cheery melodies and unaltered vocals that brighten the grey soundscape somewhat.

All in all, this is a great Kraftwerk album that is very enjoyable. Highly recommended to all electronica fans along with Autobahn (1974). April 3, 2007

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