Krautrock

This is an extraordinary compilation of the progressive and psychedelic music sub-genre known as "Krautrock". On six CDs, consisting of nearly 480 minutes of music, you will find an overview of some of the most creative styles of music from the "Deutschrock"-phase. This is the first time that such a huge spectrum of bands and artists of so many varying styles within this genre is found on one compilation. Accordingly, it is an absolute highlight for veteran fans as well as newcomers. Embryo, Scorpions, Grobschnitt, Guru Guru, Eloy, Kraan, Novalis and many more.

Four-part double CD series - comprehensive and first cross-label documentation of the only relevant German contribution to the international phenomenon of rock music.

Released in 2002 on the radical German experimental label GROB, Bailey, Hautzinger is an extraordinary, uncompromising duo encounter between legendary British free improvisation guitarist Derek Bailey and Austrian quartertone trumpet innovator Franz Hautzinger. Spanning over sixty-seven minutes across eleven sparse, highly focused improvisations, the album documents a masterclass in non-idiomatic sound exploration, microtonality, and sonic reductionism. Operating at the forefront of European avant-garde music, Bailey employs his iconic pointillistic electric guitar technique—characterized by jagged harmonic pings, sudden metallic attacks, feedback swells, and unpredictable acoustic resonance. Hautzinger counters and intersects with his pioneering amplified quartertone trumpet work, utilizing breathy air hiss, microtonal slides, lip buzzes, and subtle key clicks that often blurred the distinction between acoustic horn and electronic synthesizer. Extended compositions like Cricket, Talk, and Appointment reveal an incredible level of sonic intimacy, spatial discipline, and real-time active listening, while shorter vignettes like Contracts and Krautrock provide sharp, concentrated bursts of radical timbre. Challenging, cerebral, and endlessly intriguing, Bailey, Hautzinger stands as an essential artifact of turn-of-the-century electro-acoustic free improvisation.

Reissued in 1993 by ZYX Music, Bauer Plath is the fourth and final studio album by German psychedelic folk duo Witthüser & Westrupp, originally released in 1972 on Pilz Records. Produced by Dieter Dierks and featuring contributions from Wallenstein members Jürgen Dollase and Harald Grosskopf, the album blends acoustic guitar, flute, Mellotron, and surreal German lyrics to create a cornerstone of the 1970s Krautrock and acid-folk movements. Highlights include the multi-part openers "Zu den Jahreszeiten" and "Vision I," as well as the humorous title track "Bauer Plath."

Released in 1999 by the German independent label Blue Rose Records, Tender is an eclectic studio album by the acclaimed German psychedelic and Krautrock collective The Electric Family. Masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Tom "The Perc" Redecker alongside co-vocalist Thommi Hein, the album showcases a rich, multi-layered fusion of Neo-Krautrock, space rock, psychedelic folk, and classic 1970s underground rock influences. Featuring an expansive roster of talented musicians including bassists Hagen Liebing and Harry Payuta, keyboardist Volker Kahrs, and guest saxophonist Willi Pape, the ensemble crafts sprawling sonic soundscapes enriched with lap steel, banjo, atmospheric synth textures, and expressive dual vocals by Evelyn Gramel and Hein. Dynamic highlights like "Telemark Landing," the three-part "Conquest / Morro De La Cruz / Loveflow" suite, and "Bricks Of Time" balance trippy, improvisational jams with structured songwriting, cementing Tender as a essential gem of late-90s European Krautrock.

Reissued in 2003 by the renowned German archive label Garden Of Delights, Vinegar is the self-titled sole album by underground German Krautrock group Vinegar, originally released in 1971. Blending raw psych-rock organ, hypnotic rhythms, dual guitars, violin, and floating flute passages alongside German and English vocals, the recording captures the uninhibited, experimental spirit of early 1970s Krautrock. Anchored by extended, improvised pieces like the 12-minute epic "Missi Solis," the two-part "Sawmill," and the hypnotic "Fleisch," Vinegar offers an authentic, unpolished journey into early underground progressive rock, making this remastered CD reissue an indispensable gem for Krautrock purists and collectors.

Originally recorded in Germany in 1969 and reissued in 2009 by Finders Keepers Records, Dracula's Music Cabinet is a cult classic masterpiece of spooky library music and Kraut-schlock exploitation funk. Masterminded by composers Horst Ackermann and Heribert Thusek (under the moniker Dr. Horst and Ackermann), this legendary album plays like an imaginary soundtrack to an unmade European horror-trash movie. Combining spooky organ hooks, fuzzy psychedelic guitars, lounge-funk grooves, and theatrical sound effects, the album crafts a deliciously campy and sinister atmosphere across tracks like "Die Folterkammer Des Dr. Sex," "Tanz Der Vampire," and "Frankenstein Grüßt Alpha 7." Complete with previously unreleased bonus tracks, this reissue remains an essential grail for psych-rock aficionados, library music lovers, and sample diggers.

Saat is a little-known gem and Krautrock classic, an album full of dreamy and beautiful melodies. The Emtidi duo considerably expanded its instrumentation and style, and played a unique mix of folk, art rock, and psychedelic music. Besides acoustic guitar, the sound is mainly dominated by synthesizers, Mellotron, and other keyboard instruments, which are often played in a classical style. Some softly floating organ parts are comparable to early Tangerine Dream. In contrast stands a song like "Love Time Rain," which could be written by the British folk band Pentangle. On most tracks, Dolly Holmes sings lead with her high, transfigured voice. Aside from "Die Reise," a fairy tale story sung by Maik Hirschfeldt, all the songs have English lyrics…

Released in 2007 by the ultra-exclusive German boutique label EN/OF (a sublabel of Bottrop-Boy), Eaten Horizons or the Electrocution of Rock is an extraordinarily rare limited-edition release by Anglo-French avant-pop icons Stereolab. Pressed in a minuscule edition of just 100 copies on heavyweight vinyl and packaged alongside original art prints, the 24-track collection unearths rare alternative versions, instrumental sketches, and raw home demos spanning the band's peak 1990s era. Highlighting their signature blend of motorik Krautrock rhythms, analog synth textures, and minimalist repetition, the album offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into early iterations of classic tracks like "French Disko," "Jenny Ondioline," and "Cybele's Reverie."