Requiem - For a World After. 1981 Germany

To be honest I'd never even heard of this album until the reissue surfaced a few years ago. I initially was going to decline buying it (have way too much electronic music from that era as it is), but a couple of trusted friends suggested I was the target audience. And they were right! As usual. What makes Requiem special is the electric guitar usage, very much in the same spirit as Edgar Froese and Manuel Gottsching - and a host of French acts. The guitar is raw and psychedelic, just the way I like it. There is a creaky drum machine to consider, but it's more charming than annoying. This is not a raging sequencer fest, but rather a thought-out atmospheric album. It captures the very essence of the Kosmische Krautrock movement from a decade before. Which then leads to the liner notes biggest surprise - it's not really a German behind the music, but rather an American named George Speckert! He was living in Germany at the time (and still does) and clearly absorbed the musical culture around him. In this way, there's some similarities to Earthstar. Less electronic and more guitar focused perhaps, but there are parallels. Great addition to the collection.

Ownership: CD: 2017 Mental Experience (Spain). Recent online acquisition. Great reissue with excellent liner notes from personal friend and Gnosis mate Lev Gankine. No bonus tracks though.