Ash Ra Tempel

As a fan of both early Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, this is a CD I've wanted for a long time. However, the price has been scary! This reissue then brings things down to the level of mere mortals, and finally I can own the two Ash Ra Tempel CD's that feature Schulze.Of course these are early days, and we're talking Schulze the drummer here. Like the TD albums of the time, this is essentially acid rock with wild guitar work and crashing percussion. Basically if you like your TD Atem, Alpha Centuri and Zeit then you'll like this.There's not much else to say really. I don't know if these sound better than the original versions. There is some hiss at the start of the album, but certainly nothing to worry about. It son disappears behind the wall of sound anyway. If I had to complain about something it would be the booklet. From what I can make out all the original artwork from the earlier releases is here, but that's not saying much. It would have been nice to have a brief article setting the context of the recording, or just recollections from one, some, or all the participants. However there's none of that - just the graphics and that's it.I suspected this was be a digipack - but it's not, it ships in the usual jewel case.That's about it. If you've stumbled upon this release then you probably know something about the band. I think this is very good album and I'm pleased to finally own it. Be sure to check out the other Ash Ra Tempel releases, I'm waiting for the delivery of the other release with Schulze as I write this....

This is fantastic!!! Great improvised music , I would reccomend this album if you like Tangerine Dreams 'Stratosphere, ' or Hawkwind 'In Search of Space. ' Really pulsating, driving and atmospheric. this CD is a classic.

The greatest two track album instrumental album ever a total cosmic freak out...the musicianship is nothing short of incredible..l’d give 10 stars if l could.

You will have got this CD because a) you had the LP and can't believe it's on an affordable CD, or b) came because of Conny Plank. Well, this, in the literal sense , isn't krautrock. If you like Cluster, Kraftwerk and the electronic side of German progressive music then this isn't for you. It carries more in common with Hawkwind, Hillage or Gong, and is really fairly run if the mill space rock.Side 1 is a noisy freak out, and side 2 is a meditative piece.It's not bad. Just not very I interesting. But that's just my opinion!

All good, thanks!

A dark ,ominous atmosphere.Klaus Schulze hammering away on drums. The band is young , intense and utterly committed. Is this how West Berlin felt back in the early 70s? Probably...these guys wanted tablets the wall away with delirious noise. Highly highly recommended.

One of the most luminous and glittering jewels in the krautrock crown. Wildly supernatural playing that exceeds any UK or US attempts from the same era. The music is on another, much higher plane then all other 70s 'progressive' bands. When I think of the UK equivalents (there really aren't any, but still) like the ludicrously engorged folk idioms of Genesis, the flatulent symphonies of Pink Floyd, the incontinent drivel of Yes or the hilariously inept classical pretensions of ELP it amazes me me that these lame UK bands are held in high esteem whilst Ash Ra Tempel languish in comparative obscurity - it's one of life's enduring mysteries. Anyway, whether you favour high-energy MC5-style burnouts or contemplative and elevated theta third-eye meditations then this is the cd for you.

The great Pharaoh Unas is buried within his Pyramid. The clear light beams magnificently from the eternal stars into the eyes of his sleeping sarcophagos. His soul gently disengages from his body and enters a new world of fantastical imaginings. He is soon absorbed into a cool ocean of harmony where his soul is caressed by merciful light. The relentless pulse of infinite time begins, first slow and gentle but gradually building into a whirling crescendo of aural vibration as the pounding drums of Klaus Schulze are joined by the berserker bass of Hartmut Enke and the lightning guitar of Manuel Gottsching. The celestial chords of a ferocious cosmic music are plucked into a frenzied ecstacy of roaring sound that whirls throughout the insane reality of Unas' burning mind. A fiery flower blossoms into eternal life, breaking through the illusory barriers of temporal restrictions to forever revel in the unsurpassed glory of complete victory in a divine joy so effulgent it burns itself out in a gentle lightning-flash of indescribable wonder, leaving nothing in it's wake. Unas has extinguished himself, he has become nothing, he has joined with the eternal space that surrounds the All, subsisting forever in infinite peace. Ripples of fluid forms travel upon the still waters of nothingness, only to be subsumed within the silence. Pale washes of celestial synthesizers caress the stillness of eternity and are joined by angelic choirs gently intoning praises to unseen gods. The clear harmony of ineffable sounds erect a temple to the silent mother that is crowned by the reverberating electric chords of bliss incarnate, played by the Gandharva-King of Celestial Musicians himself, Mr Manuel Gottsching. After a seeming eternity of aural wonderment Unas awakes from his dream.

Utilisation personnelle

Absolutely amazing album. they go way beyond what Pink Floyd were doing!! Well worth checking out!!!

Primer disco de Ah Ra Temple y difícil de digerir. 2 temas de larga duración sin dirección ni grandes cambios. Para los que nos gusta la música electrónica alemana de los 70. Si no te gusta Klaus Schulze o Tangerine Dream, ni lo intentes. Obras posteriores son más digeribles.

bien reçu conforme a mon attente

Lo stile musicale degli Ash Ra Tempel è un flusso cosmico permeato di lisergiche improvvisazioni, lontano dal banalmente commerciale o dal prevedibilmente melodico, piuttosto incline a una spontanea ed empatica espressività libera e fluttuante, mai virtuosistica o fine a se stessa. Guidati dall’istinto e dalla passione del chitarrista Manuel Gottsching, con Klaus Schulze (ex Tangerine Dream) alle tastiere e batteria e Hartmut Enke al basso, la band tedesca fu protagonista di prim’ordine di una brillante stagione psichedelica in Germania, inizialmente detta “Krautrock”, proponendo un distacco totale dalla prevedibile e abusata struttura tipica della canzone in favore di una pura espansione creativa atta a suggerire e a plasmare nuove dimensioni mentali e sonore. Il primo omonimo album del 1971, con la pregevole copertina dal fascino archeologico in stile antico Egitto, chiarisce subito gli intenti della giovane band denominatasi “Tempio delle ceneri di Ra”, con incantate atmosfere fluide ed eteree alternate a deliranti momenti di “risveglio” e spaziale lucidità. Il battesimo di fuoco degli Ash Ra Tempel è più che convincente. Solamente due brani, “Amboss” e “Traummaschine”, due lunghe suite cariche di mistero; la prima (“Incudine”), più graffiante e caotica, con cui la band appunto forgia la propria dimensione sonora; la seconda (“Macchina del sogno”), più riflessiva e ipnotica, con cui eccellono in un vertiginoso viaggio cosmico. La rottura quindi con i limiti imposti dalla “canzone” e di conseguenza con i confini mentali della stessa progettualità creativa sono superati. Un album dunque epocale nella sua proposta concettuale.