Malesch cover

Malesch

Released

I’d had this album for years before I knew it was part of whatever krautrock and kosmische are. I got it in the early Eighties from a beat-digging friend, someone who was activated long before sampling kicked in. This quartet, with Chris Franke later of Tangerine Dream, have a sick backbeat and dial in their cosmic trails and flash burns carefully. Maybe their role as house band for the Zodiac club made them careful about freaking people out. Their overall momentum is pretty heavy, much less folky and delicate than some of their peers. “Ala Tul” is straight up DJ Shadow stuff.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Recommended by

Suggestions
Bullshit 3 ¼ cover

Bullshit 3 ¼

Danny Ben-Israel
Pataphisical Freak Out MU!! cover

Pataphisical Freak Out MU!!

Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
Ash Ra Tempel cover

Ash Ra Tempel

Ash Ra Tempel
Journey cover

Journey

Kingdom Come
Interventions cover

Interventions

Horse Lords