On the Shelf: "E2-E4" by Manuel Göttsching
For this edition of “On the Shelf” I wanted to share E2—E4; a somewhat obscure record that’s truly something special. I’m a big fan of “kosmische music”—a style that came to prominence in Germany in the 1970s, that evolved the cosmic vibes of late 60s rock with the use of early synthesizers, drum machines, and placed experimentation and texture above formal song structure. Here’s a loosely abridged snippet from Mark Richardson’s Pitchfork review:
“E2-E4, released in 1984, is a solo recording by German musician and Ash Ra Tempel founder Manuel Göttsching. The album consists of one hour long improvised electronic track that Göttsching recorded in one take using a sequencer, with improvised keyboards, metallic percussion, and guitar playing. E2-E4 has an elusive appeal, one that is mysterious even to its maker—it became an electronic music landmark, predating techno by almost a decade, and it came from someone with no interest in dance music at all. But for one magic hour, the perfectly realized music floats in space, inviting listeners to admire it from the outside and then dance within it.”