Orchestral strikes and robotix vocals make for a dramatic opening to ‘Off the Record’, with ‘Atomium’ combining stabbing shards of and spacious glacial synths.
The softer motorik pop of ‘Nachtfahrt’ sits between Krautrock and Thomas Dolby – hardly surprising given Bartos’ background as one quarter of the ‘classic’ Kraftwerk lineup. But while retaining many of the distinctive features of his best-known work, ‘Off the Record’ sees Bartos evolving and incorporating abroad spectrum of different styles. While heavily-treated vocals and insistent rhythms abound, there’s some magnificently light, crafted pop –as represented by the laid-back smoothness of ‘International Velvet’, for example.
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‘Musica Ex Machina’ hits a full-on dance groove that’s remarkably contemporary and shows just how much Bartos has moved with the times, while providing a timely reminder of how influential his own innovative output has been in shaping contemporary music. For that reason, when ‘The Tuning of the World’ gets a bit Kanye West, we forgive him.
‘Off the Record’ represents the coming together of over 30 years of archives sounds and musical experience, and it makes for a journey that’s never dull.
Karl Bartos Online
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