Kraftwerk – The Man-Machine (Limited Edition on Translucent Red 180g Vinyl)

Released on 19 May 1978, The Man-Machine is the seventh studio album by Kraftwerk. A further refinement of their mechanical style, the album saw the group incorporate more danceable rhythms.

Over supple processed rhythms which predate the rise of European techno and trance, Kraftwerk address automation and alienation, space travel and engineering, The seductive allure of urban landscapes and the vacant glamour of celebrity. Clipped and funky, The Robots adds another dimension to Kraftwerk’s ultra-dry sense of humour. Behind its intoxicating melodic pulse, The Model is a highly prophetic satire on the beauty industry, so ahead of its time that it only becomes a UK chart-topper by accident three years later. And Neon Lights is Kraftwerk’s most achingly romantic song to date, a sci-fi lullaby for cities at twilight.

Reviewing the album in 1978, Andy Gill of NME stated that ‘The Man-Machine stands as one of the pinnacles of 70’s rock music’, adding that ‘the sparsity of the lyrics leaves the emphasis squarely on those robot rhythms, chilling tones and exquisite melodies.’ Mitchell Schneider from Rolling Stone found that the ‘chilling restraint and relentless sameness’ of the lyrics and music are tempered by Kraftwerk’s sense of humour and ‘sheer audacity’, which makes for a listening experience that is ‘strangely pleasant in an otherworldly way.’

Track Listing

Side One

1. The Robots
2. Spacelab
3. Metropolis

Side Two

1. The Model
2. Neon Lights
3. The Man Machine