Agitation Free: Malesch

Let me tell you this has been a real ‘trip’. Although the band only released three or four studio albums, the number varies depending on who you talk to, Agitation Free are considered to be a seminal Krautrock band. They formed in Berlin in 1967 and released their debut Malesch in 1972 on the Vertigo label. This year MIG Music rereleased the album in a threefold digipack including an expanded booklet with photos and an informative band write up. The recording also sounds stellar, especially when you consider this was almost fifty years ago.

The band had been gaining experience dabbling in electronic and free form experimentalism prior to the album and this creativity can certainly be heard on their debut. The album is heavily influenced by their earlier trip to Egypt as ethnic and world sounds are quite prevalent. As such, this might have been difficult to pigeonhole to any one genre but really the overall theme is pure cosmic mind expanding acid dripping psychedelic experimentalism, or to put it another way - head music.

The use of electronics and synthesizers gives this a true trippiness and although the band didn’t invent the genre they were certainly ahead of their time in many ways and were incredibly influential in the German Krautrock scene.

The all out cosmic joy ride that is “You Play For Us Today� starts off the disc in a most welcome fashion showcasing the band’s hypnotic rhythms and mesmerizing electronics and psychedelic guitar work. The slow build is just so cool, one is easily reeled into the band’s acid drenched soundscape. Pulsating bass and waves of synths, almost minimalistic by design, leads to stabs of guitar and a jamming psychedelic deep bass groove. Another stand out track is “Ala Tul� with its super weird intro and fabulous organ and keyboards building throughout the song. More outstanding grooves and bass and drumming in this one.

That’s just a taste of what you will hear on this classic album. Although I’m late to the party it's really never too late to hear great music. And that’s exactly what this is.

Track Listing:
1. You Play For Us Today (6:15)
2. Sahara City (7:50)
3. Ala Tul (4:54)
4. Pulse (4:51)
5. Khan El Khalili (5:34)
6. Malesch (8:36)
7. Rücksturz (1:59)
Bonus Track:
8. Music Factory Live (15:15)

Added: November 19th 2019
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Label's Offcial Site
Hits: 957
Language: english

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