1981’s “Computer World” was something of a departure in sound for Kraftwerk, and at the same time it wasn’t. What I mean is Kraftewerk were still the robotic, computerised, strictly electronic combo of “Trans-Europe Express” and “The Man-Machine” but the technology of electronic instruments, of synthesizers and drum machines and sequencers, must have taken a huge leap forward between 1978 and 1981 because you can hear it on “Computer World”. Whereas the previous albums had a feeling about them that the musicians were wrestling with technology and making it do things it wasn’t designed to do, here the technology has caught up with the musicians ambition and everything seems easier to do.

The album is about the rise of computers and the, somewhat outlandish in 1981, idea that they would eventually be a part of all our every day lives (how’s that working out for you ?), Kraftwerk as predictors of the future. “Computer World’, “Computer Love”, “Home Computer”, “It’s More Fun To Compute” the titles tell you where we are at here.

My personal favourite again shows Kraftwek’s sense of humour. “Numbers” has a lyric that is simply them counting in German, French, Italian and Japanese. The lyric is simplicity itself, numbers, but aren’t computers simplicity when you get down to the basics ? Binary code, zeros and ones, numbers, but humans have more of them. Now that’s funny.

We already know that “Computer Love” was released as a single and it’s B-side. “The Model” eventually took it to #1 in the UK. The other single from this album was “Pocket Calculator” which was also recorded with lyrics in German ("Taschenrechner"), French ("Mini Calculateur"), Japanese ("Dentaku"), and Italian ("Mini Calcolatore”).

“Computer World” is a great sounding, very clean, electronic dance record. Kraftwerk’s influence on recorded music since the mid 70’s, be it electronic, Hip Hop or “dance” music is vast.

Numbers - https://youtu.be/tBTL2Porphg?si=p1_0NPYpDjCoCgBb

The German music that I listen to most is that of Kraftwerk and Rammstein. One viewed as a cold, robotic, emotionless ensemble, the other as making brash, loud, hellscapes of sound from some Thunderdome style fiery, dystopian future. I find both to be making music with a wicked sense of humour.

C’mon…d’ya think Rammstein aren’t sitting around thinking up the most ridiculous things they can do with fire (flame throwing guitars, face masks and Angels wings, cooking the keyboard player in a huge pot FFS) and having a good laugh about it ? Likewise you don’t think Kraftwerk weren’t wetting themselves about the idea of sending some showroom dummies out to sing “We Are The Robots” while they sat backstage and we paid to watch it ? Those pesky Germans do like a laugh after all.

“The Man-Machine” (or “Die Mensch-Maschine” as they were now releasing German and English versions of their records) refines the sound developed on “Trans-Europe Express” and makes it more robotic yet more danceable at the same time. It is home to their best known song, “The Model” (“Das Model”). Although this album was released in 1978, in 1981 to promote the album “Computer World” (“Computerwelt”, you can thank us for the German lesson later) “The Model” was released as the B-side of the single “Computer Love” and that reached #36 in the UK chart. Later that year it was re-promoted in a new picture sleeve (red instead of the original releases yellow) with “The Model” designated as the A-side (although as EMI used leftover copies of the original release, they just changed the picture sleeves, the label still had “The Model” as the B-side) and it went to #1 in February 1982.

“The Robots” sets the scene for what is to come. It’s one of Kraftwerk’s signature songs. The vocals are very affected to give a robotic feel that the music completely supports. That sense of humour is there in the lyrics too

“We're functioning automatic

And we are dancing mechanic

We are the robots”

Now if you don’t think that’s funny, well…there’s a section spoken in Russian and the slogan “We are the robots” is repeated over and over, giving a feeling that maybe the robots aren’t so clever after all, or are they ?

“Spacelab” and “Metropolis” are two (almost) instrumentals. “Spacelab” very much has the feel of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” about it, although with less soul and more robot but just as much dancefloor about it. Like “Spacelab”, “Metropolis” only lyrics is the title repeated.

“Neon Lights” is about as close to a ballad as Kraftwerk are likely to get and the title track brings things to a close with another of those almost instrumentals based a simple repeating figure and the ominous lyric

“Man Machine, pseudo human being

Man Machine, super human being”

This album was recorded and released in 1978. It sounds fantastic, way ahead of its time production wise. I’d wager every synth-popper of the 80’s knows it intimately and most certainly owes Kraftwerk a huge debt for giving them a career.

The Robots - https://youtu.be/SaoBbCC66I4?si=2USCw2vffi7iTYEJ

The French music critic Paul Alessandrini was drawn to Cologne because of the work of composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. Düsseldorf being close to Cologne, he also interacted with Kraftwerk who were in the process of developing a more sequenced electronic sound due to the availability of more sophisticated sequencing equipment. Alessandrini told Ralph Hütter and Florian Schneider that "the kind of music you do is like an electronic blues, railway stations and trains are very important in that universe, you should do a song about the Trans Europe Express”. They took up this idea. Kraftwerk’s famed Kling Klang Studio was at this time in Mintropstraße in Düsseldorf, next to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station. Hütter and Schneider would go from the studio to stand beneath the railway arches and listen to the sound the trains made. They found that the rhythm of the trains was not suitable to dance to, so they changed it slightly and the idea for “Trans-Europe Express” was born.

“Trans-Europe Express”s best known moment would likely be the single “Showroom Dummies” but its best would be the title track and the opening “Europe Endless”, adding up to a synthetic train journey across Europe in around 17 minutes.

This albums influence spreads far and wide. After meeting with Kraftwerk and having his name used in the lyrics (“From station to station, Back to Düsseldorf City, Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie”) Bowie wrote the song “V-2 Schneider” in tribute to Florian for his album “Heroes”. At Ian Curtis’ insistence Joy Division would play “Trans-Europe Express” over the PA before they took the stage. Afrika Bambaata famously used part of “Trans-Europe Express” on his seminal Hip Hop release “Planet Rock”. Madonna sampled sections of “Metal On Metal” for her “Drowned World” tour. Siouxsie & the Banshees' covered "The Hall of Mirrors" on the “Through the Looking Glass” album and there are many more instances.

In 1977 this was music from the future, the very definition of the Futurism I’ve talked about previously. 

Trans-Europe Express - https://youtu.be/i_85fUIRlmU?si=n19zJ03DdrFNVcGW