Search - Cluster :: Sowiesoso

Any Way, Way is Zodiac Free

Nicholas Croft | New York | 09/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hans-Joachim Roedelius comes from a family of teachers, preachers, musicians and doctors. Dieter Moebius's origins are more informal, as his long-standing association with the Harmonia Commune of Germany suggests.Together, they form Cluster, and have produced an extensive discography of meditative electronic music. Sowiesoso, which means 'any way way' was released in 1976. This album was recorded during a particularly fruitful time in Berlin history, before each artist began their solo careers, starting in 1978 and 1983, respectively.Cluster originally came out of an art music collective called the 'Zodiak Free Arts Lab', which was formed by Conrad Schnitzler ( one of the leaders of Berlin's avant-garde ). The adventurous, experimental spirit of the 1970's German electronic music scene flows throughout Sowiesoso.Listen attentively, without distraction, to this lovely musical offering, and you may find that you are then transported to far away places, by Cluster's whimsical imagination and abundant musical talent."

Beautiful

rubidium84 | Ft. Calhoun, NE | 12/11/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes I run across a record that needs no other justification for it's existence than that it SOUNDS good. Sometimes I think people get too involved with the "importance" or "significance" of a musical work, so that they ignore the fact that the music is just plain good. This record is'nt groundbreaking, or visionary (not even for the musicians involved, it's just the logical conclusion of the ideas first presented in "Zuckerzeit") - but it is essential, because it is good.The album's first track presents the formant for the subsequent pieces - simple synthesizer-based sound paintings that stay close to their origianl structure. One could even say that they are "static". But the way that Cluster blends different organ, piano, and synth lines together into an overall sonic background is simply masterful. Listen to the sense of depth in the title track, or in "Zum Wohl". In this particular track, for example, the band creates, through the subtle use of bird sounds, the effect of playing the song deep inside a forest. Then there is also the final track on the CD, which is unbelievalby slow, while not seeming to be.It is interesting to note what was going on with other musicians at the time; for example, Eno, while not working on any particular project in '76, had just released his "Discreet Music" album. And Tangerine Dream was recording "Stratosfear" ( the second track of which sounds quite a lot like some of the stuff on "Sowiesoso").I would recommend this album to anyone interested either in Eno or TD, as well as some of the other german groups (Kraftwerk, etc) or the early works of Steve Roach ("Structures from Silence"). Or of course, to anyone who likes a good piece of music."

Cluster - 'Sowiesoso' (Sky)

Mike Reed | USA | 12/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1976,'Sowiesoso' is apparently German for 'Any Way Way'.Cluster,by this point was stripped down to a duo,Dieter Moebius-synthesizer&keyboards and Hans-Joachim Roedelius-producer,audio generator&effects.'Sowiesoso' is quite far fetched from most any other CD I've ever heard.I would best tag them as good electronic krautrock.The tunes that I thought stood out were "Dem Wanderer","Zum Wohl",the title cut "Sowiesoso" and the atmospheric "In Ewigkeit".Those last two I just mentioned runs over seven minutes.If you ask me,this sort of music is taylor-made for such lengthy tracks.Recommended,that is if you're a fan of this sort of work."