Computerwelt

These Kraftwerk guys sure do love computers. This early electronic album has its permanent charm in how far these Germans are able to push these experimental sounds to a border that is rich in sound but so simple in texture. It jams with the simplest of rhythms and notes but it is so human beneath all it's stiffness, I wouldn't say it has a warm heart but it is a great showcase of a positive relation between the 'modern' and the wielders of this modernity.

It is one of the early electronic albums, it is slower than one would expect from the genre but also far less cheesy. Dryly wrenched voices overlay these quirky electronics with such a straightforward charm that you can't help but find the album to be very likeable. There is this texture to this album that is a whole culmination between the alternated voices, the multiple layers of 8-Bit sounds and the more conventional layer of technical based music. They are both playful and experimental, as far as they dared of course, and the penultimate feeling they achieve is a preprogrammed attitude - the ultimate achievement is sweeter: they can't help but ignore the computer sometimes and be low key sensitive. All of it feels very newfound and in proto phase, but I suppose that's where most of the charm estimates from, this is especially notable in the self titled song , COMPUTER LOVE and COMPUTER WORLD (Written in all caps such as old programming code would've been). It keeps on putting relevant not only in the idea that the presentation is so refined and drenched in their style but also because it questions the transforming world and our newfound relation with not only new music, but a new nature as well. It keeps it simple, because there is in essence a simple essence. What is the most beautiful of Kraftpunk is not only their funny little German accents but also just how peaceful they actually are on this album. There is little room for cynicism, even though the concept whole heartedly invites this - I must conclude that they are just optimists putting this new sound to the best of works. I also would like to add that the unpersonal, robotic voices of Kraftwerk with their hilariously used accents are such a nice addition to the whole sound.
I like how colorful the whole album is even though it is so enormously monotonous in a certain way, each song and sound has their own distinct flavor which ends up counting up to a true rainbow pattern of computer worlds. This is mainly due to the campy sounds which just ooze the first edition of pure synth music, but in a more minimal manner than what was to come. It is stripped down to the bassline, but at least multiple basslines are presented just to give it some more ups and downs - which feel absent at times on the tracks. Often the atmospheric monotony or experimentation can short circuit itself and leave me to feel a little annoyed to bored with a bare few aspects of the soundscape. Some extra variation wouldn't have hurt this album at all. It's very forgivable as it was in very early stages of these genres with little possibilities and it is amazing what they were able to do with so little, they generated something that is impressive on the level of TRON.
This is an album that is innovative but very contained by the choices that had to be used back in the time, Kraftwerk greatly improved later in their career. it has to be respected what output they accomplished under such conditions, and even more, they not only managed to pull music out of this primitive technology - they generated a whole atmosphere with such fun elements and experimentation that it borders being some kind of art. Very likeable, will probably not listen again though.