Arktis ~ Germany

Arktis (1974)

Arktis were a band from Bonn, that are more known for their countless tape sessions, than actual proper albums. This debut is in reality a demo, pressed in a whopping set of 300, and sent everywhere in West Germany. The strategy actually worked, and next thing you know they are working with Conny Plank and trying to secure a deal with a new label. But it all fell apart, and Arktis were just a hazy memory, saved from obscurity by the good folks at Garden of Delights, who have dutifully released everything under the sun recorded by the band.

It was over 20 years ago that I first heard the Penner CD (GoD V. 1.0). I quickly dismissed it as "yucky Janis Joplin like stuff". 1974 is way late in the game for an album such as this (recorded Oct 1973), and it may explain why record deals were not at the ready. Side 2's opus is a lengthy Krautrock guitar based jam, that would be well accepted if it were 1971, but a bit cliched by this point. There are no keyboards here, so another minus for fans of the genre. But this is much better than my memory had recalled. 

Worth noting that the three studio bonus tracks on the CD were recorded under Plank's guidance (Dec 1974), and it has his trademark studio phasing and trickery. The compositions are a bit straightforward hard rock though. Not sure the band was heading in the right direction honestly.

---8/8/26

The 20 minute track 'Rare Girl' is about half blues rock jam, and the other half is more Krautrock influenced. Maintaining my very good rating, but as far as albums like this go, it's a bit substandard.

Ownership: 1998 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with a short history and photos. Acquired in 2016. 

11/12/16 (review); 8/8/26 (update)

11/12/16 (new entry)