Blue Knights ~ Germany

Blue Night (1992)

Long ago I had made the decision to buy everything I see on the Innovative Communications label, whether on CD or LP. Klaus Schulze had founded the label, and originally it featured artists that followed in his footsteps. Long after he'd sold out (1983), IC went in many directions.

Blue Knights are an offshoot of Dancing Fantasy. Both collectives have a lot of albums, and this is the first one I've heard from either, which happens to be the debut. Both Discogs and RYM curiously label the album as Smooth Jazz or Jazz Fusion. It is neither. When hearing it I was thinking of a very popular artist from the mid 90s. This morning, with the help of AI, I remembered who it was: Swiss artist Robert Miles and his big hit 'Children'. I know within the world of electronica there are dissections to the nth degree on what bucket each musician belongs to. Dream Trance, Progressive House, Eurodance, or whatever blablabla, are much closer in spirit to Blue Knights than Smooth Jazz or Fusion. Kenny G or Weather Report would be the furthest thing on your mind when hearing this.

The primary driver here is the sound of the piano (which is why I thought of Robert Miles). The melodies are simple, yet beautiful. The electronics set the atmosphere perfectly, and yes of course, boom boom boom. It's at the border of dance and chill. I tag them all with the generic term "electronica" for easy reference. The album peaks on the sequence between tracks 8 and 10. Other highlights include 2, 3, and 5. The last track provides a perfect closer.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this album, to me at least, is the date. I associate music like this with the end of the 90s, not the beginning. Though I'm sure much of that has to do with my own ignorance of these genres in general. And since the 90s was the great trajectory of my life, the background music of the decade always resonates positively here. Not surprisingly, the CD's theme as noted in the booklet, revolves around high fashion. Such a frivolous decade really. I miss it.

While I wouldn't bother to mail order any of these, I will continue to seek them out in the thrifts or record shop's budget bins. How much of these will I ultimately keep? Not sure, but since that part of my collection still has open space, CDs like this slide in easily.

Ownership: 1992 Innovative Communications (CD). Booklet with fashion / model photos and a narrative about the album.

1/23/26 (CD acquired / review)

1/23/26 (new entry)