Klaus Schulze -

Klaus Schulze (1947–2022) was a German keyboardist, percussionist, and producer who played in the initial lineups of Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel. In 1972, he debuted as a solo artist with the album Irrlicht on Ohr. Twelve further albums appeared between 1973 and 1980, mostly on Brain.

Background

Klaus Schulze was born on August 4, 1947, in Berlin, Germany. In 1969, he joined Tangerine Dream, the experimental project headed by keyboardist Edgar Froese. Schulze, credited as Claus Schultze, played drums and “noises” on their 1970 debut album Electronic Meditation. Soon after its release, he co-founded Ash Ra Tempel with guitarist Manuel Göttsching and bassist Hartmut Enke. Schulze played drums, percussion, and electronics on their 1971 debut album. Immediately afterwards, he departed for a solo career.

Irrlicht

Klaus Schulze released his debut solo album, Irrlicht, in August 1972 on Ohr.

He assembled a three-movement electronic suite built from overdriven organ tones and post-processed orchestral recordings. The album marks his first longform exploration of suspended drones and saturation effects.

Schulze plays organ, “E-machines,” guitar, percussion, zither, and voice. He sources additional sounds from the 27-piece Colloquium Musica Orchestra, whose reeds and strings — including three violas, eight violins, and eight cellos — appear as raw rehearsal material that Schulze alters on tape.

The opening movement unfolds on a slow advance of pressure-building organ layers that expand from a thin hiss into a thickened mass with sharp directional shifts across the stereo field. Midway, the organ surges into a prolonged, high-intensity ascent marked by sustained crescendi and contoured overtones. The brief second movement acts as a rupture: clipped bursts and erratic tones cut through the residual haze before dispersing back into quiet static. The final movement introduces colder textures built from reversed orchestral fragments that drift in long arcs; airy, wind-like noise moves across the soundstage while faint chords flare and recede with a distant, volatile undertow.

A1. “1. Satz: Ebene” [1st Movement: Plain] (23:23)
A2. “2. Satz: Gewitter (Energy Rise — Energy Collapse)” [2nd Movement: Thunderstorm] (5:39)
B. “3. Satz: Exil Sils Maria” [3rd Movement: Sils Maria Exile] (21:25)

Sessions occurred in April 1972 in Berlin with Schulze producing. He built the album from a broken electric organ and manipulated rehearsal tapes recorded earlier with the orchestra.

Irrlicht features a dark, abstract cover image credited on the 1975 Brain edition; no further artwork details appear on the original Ohr issue.

CD reissues contain “Dungeon” (24:00), an organ drone piece from the mid Seventies.

Cyborg

Klaus Schulze released his second album, Cyborg, in October 1973 on Kosmische.

He assembled four longform electronic pieces built from organ, VCS3 signals, and altered orchestral passages sourced from Colloquium Musica Orchestra. The album extends his drone-based approach with sustained harmonic blocks, tape-saturated strings, and prolonged synth patterns.

Schulze plays organ, VCS3 synthesizer, voice, and percussion. He incorporates taped orchestral sounds performed by Colloquium Musica Orchestra, whose strings and winds appear as raw rehearsal material that he edits and processes.

The opening movement centers on a slow ascent of organ tones that thicken into a broad, wavering mass while bright bursts and wind-like noise trace through the upper range. Side B, “Conphära,” moves on a hard, repetitive pulse that runs beneath elongated tones; faint instrumental traces surface late in the sequence before the pattern cuts abruptly. Record two opens with low mechanical noise that rises in erratic surges; near the end, the sound widens into a bright, drifting sequence marked by scattered spark-like accents. The final piece pivots on a dense, buzzing line that shifts in pressure while distant tones drift in and out of focus; faint chordal traces emerge near the close as the layers taper.

A. “Synphära” (22:48)
B. “Conphära” (25:51)
C. “Chromengel” (23:49)
D. “Neuronengesang” [Brain Song] (24:43)

Sessions occurred between February and July 1973 in Berlin with Schulze producing. He built the album from organ parts, VCS3 patterns, and orchestrations processed on tape loops.

CD bonus:
5. “But Beautiful” (50:55) – recorded at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula on October 17, 1977.

Blackdance

Klaus Schulze released his third album, Blackdance, in August 1974 on Brain (Germany) and Orizzonte (Italy).

The album marks his shift to full synthesizer setups with extended side-length constructions that contrast active, percussion-driven passages with slower keyboard layers and voice-treated sequences.

Schulze plays synthesizer, organ, piano, percussion, and twelve-string acoustic guitar. Operatic baritone Ernst Walter Siemon appears on one piece.

“Ways of Changes” opens on long, wavering tones against a sparse twelve-string pattern that gradually tightens as stray accents thicken the sense of movement. As the piece advances, hand drums and sharp pulses lift the pace while overlapping synth lines bend in contoured shapes that push the section toward a dense midpoint. “Some Velvet Phasing” forms a quiet interval of drifting, slow-cycled keyboard figures that rise and fall in soft arcs; faint shades appear at the edges of the stereo field before dissolving. “Voices of Syn” begins with sustained baritone phrases that stretch across a shadowed backdrop of deep organ resonance. After several minutes, a firm pulse enters and runs beneath shifting blocks of sound; upper-level patterns tilt in and out of tune while low-register tones hold the tension through the closing fade.

A1. “Ways of Changes” (17:14)
A2. “Some Velvet Phasing” (8:24)
B. “Voices of Syn” (22:40)

Sessions occurred in May 1974 in Berlin with Schulze producing and engineering.

The 2007 CD reissue on Revisited Records contains two lengthy bonus tracks, both recorded in 1976.

4. “Foreplay” (10:33)
5. “Synthies Have (no) Balls?” (14:42)

Picture Music

Klaus Schulze released his fourth album, Picture Music, in January 1975 on Brain (Germany) and Clementine (France).

The album presents two extended electronic pieces that contrast sequencer-driven passages with dense keyboard layers and abrupt shifts in pace. Schulze expands his instrumentation with a full synthesizer array and a rare use of drum kit.

Schulze plays EMS VCS3 synthesizer, ARP Odyssey synthesizer, ARP 2600 synthesizer, Farfisa Professional Duo organ, drums, and percussion.

“Totem” unfolds on a slow, swelling pulse marked by tight sequencer patterns and drifting upper-register lines. Midway, the pace rises as sharper tones enter in angular overlaps; the sequence presses forward for several minutes before thinning into a calmer stretch where faint organ chords trace long arcs. “Mental Door” opens in a haze of hovering effects and deep organ figures that expand in irregular waves; after nine minutes, Schulze enters on drums, triggering a long surge where bright, cutting synth lines scatter over a restless, forward-leaning rhythm. Late in the piece, the energy eases into a quieter span shaped by airy tones and tapering cymbal motion.

A1. “Totem” (23:53)
A2. “Mental Door” (23:02)

Sessions occurred in late 1974 in Berlin with Schulze producing. Picture Music features artwork by Jacques Wyrs.

The 2005 Revisited Records CD reissue contains a bonus track:

3. “C’est pas la même chose” (33:00) — alternate version of “Totem” with extended ending and subtle variations in sequencing

Timewind

Klaus Schulze released his fifth album, Timewind, in August 1975 on Brain (Germany), Virgin (France), and Caroline (UK).

The album contains two extended electronic pieces built from sequencer patterns, long keyboard layers, and slow-shifting tonal blocks. It marks his first full use of a programmable sequencer, which shapes most of the album’s forward motion.

Schulze plays ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey, EMS Synthi A, Elka string synthesizer, Farfisa Professional Duo organ and piano, and Synthanorma sequencer.

“Bayreuth Return” moves on a single sequencer line that tightens and loosens across long intervals as wind-like noise sweeps through the background. In the first half, faint string tones rise against the steady pulse while sharp, isolated accents press the contour upward. By the midpoint, the sound widens with overlapping patterns and heightened pressure, then shifts through alternating stretches of quiet motion and dense, high-register activity before ending on a sudden burst. “Wahnfried 1883” proceeds without a pulse; the opening drift of low noise and scattered tones expands into slow, overlapping layers that form long, suspended arcs. Near the center, bright chordal shapes emerge and recede in broad waves while faint winds circle the edges; the closing minutes intensify as higher tones tilt forward before the piece dissolves into a final swell.

A1. “Bayreuth Return” (30:32)
A2. “Wahnfried 1883” (28:38)

Sessions occurred in March and June 1975 in Berlin, where Schulze produced the album. Timewind features artwork by Urs Amann.

The 2006 Revisited Timewind reissue contains a second disc of bonus tracks which expand the original album’s sonic universe: “Echoes of Time” adds subtle textural shifts and a longer narrative arc, “Solar Wind” provides a calmer, sequencer-free perspective, and “Windy Times” revisits the material with a modernized, more abrupt approach, emphasizing the enduring flexibility of Schulze’s compositions.

3. “Echoes of Time” (38:42) — alternate extended take of “Bayreuth Return”
4. “Solar Wind” (12:35) — reinterpretation of “Bayreuth Return” without sequencers
5. “Windy Times” (4:57) — recorded 2000; revisits album motifs in a digital context

Moondawn

Klaus Schulze released his sixth album, Moondawn, in April 1976 on Brain (Germany), Isadora (France), and Ariola (Spain, Benelux).

The album contains two extended electronic pieces that balance long, drifting keyboard layers with prolonged sequencer patterns and sustained rhythmic motion. Schulze performs with drummer Harald Grosskopf, whose live kit shapes the album’s forward pulse.

Schulze plays Moog synthesizer, ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey, EMS Synthi A, Farfisa Syntorchestra, Crumar keyboards, and Synthanorma sequencer. Grosskopf plays drums.

“Floating” opens on a faint recitation and a slow, suspended haze of drifting tones that widen across several minutes before a steady sequence emerges. Grosskopf enters on a restrained pattern that tightens gradually while Schulze threads sharp, rising figures across the upper range. Midway, brighter shapes flare in long arcs as the pulse gains weight; in the final stretch, the patterns thicken into denser overlaps that lift the pace before settling into a tapering descent. “Mindphaser” begins on low environmental noise and distant choral inflections that move in broad, slow curves. Eventually, Schulze cuts to a forceful section driven by deep organ chords and a rapid drum pattern; bright, angular Moog lines dart through the foreground while the rhythm holds a tense, forward lean through the extended close.

A1. “Floating” (27:15)
A2. “Mindphaser” (25:22)

Sessions occurred in January 1976 in Berlin with Schulze producing.

The 1995 Manikin Records CD reissue contains the bonus track “Supplement” (25:22). A diffrent bonus, “Floating Sequence” (21:11), appears on the 2005 reissue on Revisited. “Supplement” presents an alternate take on “Mindphaser,” opening on longer stretches of subdued drift before shifting to a sharper rhythmic surge. “Floating Sequence” reworks the first piece with different sequencer emphasis and a more gradual rise in intensity.

Body Love

In February 1977, Klaus Schulze released Body Love, the Metronome soundtrack to a pornographic film by French director Lasse Braun.

The album contains three extended electronic pieces that alternate between long, drifting passages and protracted sequencer patterns. Schulze performs with drummer Harald Grosskopf, whose kit anchors the album’s rhythmic sections.

“Stardancer” rises from a soft, vaporous opening into a steady sequencer line that gains lift as Grosskopf enters with a persistent, tight pattern. Schulze threads bright, contoured leads that tilt between wide, spiraling arcs and short, darting phrases. Past the midpoint, the piece intensifies as the pulse thickens and the upper tones press forward in long, sustained climbs. “Blanche” opens on sparse piano notes set in a slow, reflective drift that broadens into overlapping synth layers. Light, high-register phrases pass over the sustained backdrop as the mood settles into an extended, quiet ascent that holds without rhythmic motion.

“P.T.O.” begins on low atmospheric drift and gradual tonal swells, then shifts into a long, rising sequence that grows in weight as Schulze adds sharper, high-register figures. Grosskopf appears sporadically; in the central section, faint drum accents ride the pulse while Schulze drives the pace with elongated patterns. In the closing minutes, the sequence dissolves into a brief break that leads to a widescreen final ascent. The bonus “Lasse Braun” moves at a slower pace with soft, bubbling patterns beneath long, even synth lines that hold close to the lower register.

A1. “Stardancer” (13:38)
A2. “Blanche” (11:44)
B. “P:T:O:” (27:12)

Sessions occurred in 1976 in Berlin with Schulze producing. The 2005 Revisited Records CD reissue contains a bonus track.
4. “Lasse Braun” (22:26)

Mirage

Klaus Schulze released his eighth album, Mirage, in April 1977 on Brain (Germany), EMI (France), Ariola (Netherlands), and Island (UK, Japan, Greece). Each side contains six a–f subtitled sections.

The album presents two long-form electronic pieces built from slow-moving layers of analogue synth, Mellotron, and Farfisa textures. Schulze performs alone with a dense, evolving fabric of pads, bass tones, and upper-register figures that unfold in gradual shifts.

“Velvet Voyage” opens in icy abstraction with dark pads, scattered resonances, and faint animal-like sweeps that move at a slow, ominous pace. Schulze incrementally adds stacked chords whose durations narrow as their tonal density increases, then threads isolated lead notes that grow more insistent as the soundworld becomes heavier and more dissonant. Past the twelfth minute, an emerging pulse anchors a widening swirl of Mellotron choirs, repetitive light keys, and drifting Moog phrases. The piece moves through tense midsections marked by cold, sweeping textures and finishes in a soft, dissolving haze.

“Crystal Lake” starts on a repetitive, bell-like arpeggiated figure that locks into a steady rhythmic pattern. Schulze gradually builds the arrangement with buzzing synth layers, shifting harmonic centers, and a rising sequence that thickens as additional keyboard lines enter. After fourteen minutes, the opening motif drops out and a long, ambient passage unfolds with bass-heavy synths and drifting, ice-like tonal waves. In the final stretch, added upper lines and chime patterns intensify the piece toward a bright, chaotic crest.

A. “Velvet Voyage” (28:26)

B. “Crystal Lake” (29:09)

Sessions occurred in January 1977 with Schulze producing. Later CD reissues contains a bonus.

3. “In cosa crede chi non crede?” (19:39)

“In Cosa Crede Chi Non Crede?” begins with an ominous organ figure that settles into slow electronic waves and a faint, bubbling pulse. Schulze keeps the dynamics low, shaping long, barren stretches that echo thematic traces from “Velvet Voyage” as distant rhythmic clicks mark the underlying pace.

Body Love: Vol.2

In December 1977, Klaus Schulze released Body Love: Vol.2, comprised of additional music for the namesake film.

The album contains three long-form electronic pieces built from analogue synth layers, sequencer passages, and extended rhythmic stretches. Schulze performs alone apart from drummer Harald Grosskopf, whose kit drives the album’s accelerating sections.

“Nowhere – Now Here” rises from sparse, drifting tones into a slow lead line that holds for several minutes before a sequencer pulse asserts itself. Grosskopf enters with a restrained pattern that gradually tightens as Schulze adds thicker synth layers and frozen choral pads. At mid-length, he pivots to a brighter sequence and a sharper upper line that climbs in angular cycles. In the final third, a second sequence pushes the pace to a tense, forward-leaning run marked by Grosskopf’s double-bass-drum pattern and a brief burst of rapid Moog figures before the piece cuts off.

“Stardancer II,” a revised mix of the earlier track, opens on shimmering synth choirs that build into an active lead line over a steady hi-hat and snare. For ten minutes, Schulze threads contoured, urgent phrases in long sweeps before easing into a lighter rhythmic stretch where the pacing holds steady under extended leads. “Moogetique” proceeds without rhythm; deep, low-end drones and cosmic inflections drift under a sequence of slow chord changes that cast a dark, enclosed atmosphere. The piece holds a steady, sparse motion as eerie tones and hovering effects shape a long, shadowed ascent.

The bonus “Buddy Laugh (A Rock ’n’ Roll Bolero)” presents an alternate version of the opener with a higher tempo; Grosskopf underpins the piece with a persistent drive while Schulze threads a long, rising pattern that surfaces deep into the track’s extended second half.

A1. “Nowhere – Now Here” (28:55)
A1. “Stardancer II” (14:12)

B. “Moogetique” (13:10)

Sessions occurred in 1976 and September 1977 in Berlin with Schulze producing. The 2008 Arcàngelo CD contains a bonus track.

4. “Buddy Laugh (A Rock’n’Roll Bolero)” (23:16) – presents an alternate version of the opener with a higher tempo; Grosskopf underpins the piece with a persistent drive while Schulze threads a long, rising pattern that surfaces deep into the track’s extended second half.

“X”

Klaus Schulze released his tenth album, the two-record “X”, in September 1978 on Brain (Germany) and Ariola (Netherlands). The album contains six instrumental ‘biographies,’ each dedicated to a classical composer who influenced Schulze’s music.

The album contains six extended instrumentals that merge long-form sequencer passages, sustained synth layers, and sections scored for small and large string ensembles. Schulze performs electronics throughout with drummer Harald Grosskopf, cellist and conductor Wolfgang Tiepold, solo violinist B. Dragić, and a fourteen-player string unit from Orchester des Hessischen Rundfunks.

Schulze wrote all six pieces. The 2005 CD adds a live orchestral version of one work.

“Friedrich Nietzsche” opens in quiet drift and builds into a rising pattern where loose, bright percussion presses against long keyboard arcs. Schulze shapes the pace with thickening sequences and sustained tones that flare into sharp, high-register turns. “Georg Trakl” moves from soft, unstable atmospheres into a repeated figure that gains momentum as layered pulses and fast cymbal patterns push the line toward a tightened final ascent.

“Frank Herbert” centers on a quick, forward-moving sequence that maintains its pace as Schulze threads short, clipped motifs over a firm drum pattern. “Friedemann Bach” develops from sparse chordal movement and scattered tom work into a slow, unsettled sequence marked by sudden violin surges and brief, dissonant flashes.

“Ludwig II. von Bayern” alternates orchestral passages and sustained keyboard movement; the opening’s bright figures and choir-like voicings give way to an extended midsection built on a single stretched theme before Schulze restores the opening material with light, even drumming near the close. “Heinrich von Kleist” unfolds in long, low-lying tones and isolated violin lines that pass through shifting atmospheres—quiet, diffuse, and gradually thickened by distant percussion and deep-end synth weight. The bonus “Objet d’Louis,” recorded live with full orchestra, recasts the themes of “Ludwig II. von Bayern” in broad, unmetered movements and extended ensemble swells.

A1. “Friedrich Nietzsche” (24:50)
A2. “Georg Trakl” (5:25) is edited down from a longer version (26:04) that appears on later CD reissues.

B1. “Frank Herbert” (10:51
B2. “Friedemann Bach” (18:00)

C. “Ludwig II. von Bayern” (28:39)

D. “Heinrich von Kleist” (29:32)

Sessions occurred in 1978 at Panne-Paulsen Studios in Frankfurt with Schulze producing.

Klaus Schulze – Moog, synthesizer, sequencer, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, Polymoog, Mellotron, echo, electronic effects, speaker, drums, composer, arranger, recording engineer, mixing, producer, liner notes

Dune

Klaus Schulze released his eleventh album, Dune, in August 1979 on Brain.

The album blends Schulze’s expansive analog synthesizer landscapes with cello contributions from Wolfgang Tiepold and the distinctive vocal recitations of Arthur Brown on one track. It extends the conceptual inspirations of his previous work, particularly his electronic homage to Frank Herbert’s novel Dune, combining long-form instrumentals with experimental vocal interludes.

Schulze wrote all compositions, providing electronics and lyrics; Arthur Brown contributes vocals on “Shadows of Ignorance,” and Wolfgang Tiepold performs cello throughout.

The title track, “Dune,” spans thirty minutes, opening with free-form electronic layers that gradually integrate Tiepold’s melancholy cello, building into shifting, spacious textures that evoke the vast, arid landscapes of the desert. Percussive gestures and layered sequences rise subtly, while choir-like timbres and high-register synth arcs add classical-symphonic weight.

“Shadows of Ignorance” pairs a steady electronic pulse and cello motifs with Brown’s half-spoken, half-sung recitation of Schulze’s text; the piece cycles through hypnotic repetitions and understated rhythmic shifts, adding color to the album’s overall mood while retaining an austere, atmospheric character.

A. “Dune” (30:28)
B. “Shadows of Ignorance” (26:20)

The 2005 Revisited Records reissue adds a 23-minute bonus track, “Le Mans,” extending the album’s instrumental exploration.

3. “Le Mans” (23:03)

Sessions occurred in April and May 1979 at Brain Studios in Hamburg with Schulze producing.

Dune features a cover photograph taken by Schulze himself, depicting black letters arranged on a television screen during a scene from the Soviet film Solaris.

Richard Wahnfried – Time Actor

In November 1979, Schulze released Time Actor, the first album by his alter ego Richard Wahnfried.

The album pairs Schulze’s electronic textures with Arthur Brown’s spoken and partially sung vocals, augmented by Vincent Crane on keyboards, Wolfgang Tiepold on cello, and Michael Shrieve on percussion. It presents a colder, mechanized atmosphere than Schulze’s main catalog, emphasizing rhythmically driven synth sequences over melodic development.

All tracks were written by Richard Wahnfried (Klaus Schulze) and Arthur Brown, except “Grandma’s Clockwork,” credited solely to Wahnfried.

The opening tracks, “Time Actor” and “Time Factory,” unfold as continuous, pulse-driven sequences with interlaced Brown narratives, generating a proto-techno, hypnotic effect. “Charming the Wind” slows the pace into a sparse, ambient meditation, while “Grandma’s Clockwork” provides a concise, minimalistic keyboard exploration.

Side two develops further contrasts: “Distorted Emission 1” emphasizes cello within repetitive electronic pulses; “The Silent Sound of the Ground” stretches over fifteen minutes, combining austere textures with Brown’s distant recitation; “Time Echoes” closes with echoing synth waves and rigid rhythmic motifs. Overall, the album balances mechanical propulsion with glacial, spacious interludes.

A1. “Time Actor” (8:58)
A2. “Time Factory” (10:39)
A3. “Charming the Wind” (4:48)
A4. “Grandma’s Clockwork” (4:08)

B1. “Distorted Emission 1” (5:29)
B2. “The Silent Sound of the Ground” (15:02)
B3. “Time Echoes” (8:20)

Sessions occurred in 1979 at Brain Studios in Hamburg with Schulze producing.

A1. “Time Actor” (8:58)
A2. “Time Factory” (10:39)
A3. “Charming the Wind” (4:48)
A4. “Grandma’s Clockwork” (4:08)

B1. “Distorted Emission I” (5:29)
B2. “The Silent Sound of the Ground” (15:02)
B3. “Time Echoes” (8:20)

Klaus Schulze – electronics, analog synthesizer, moog synthesizer, modular synthesizer, Polymoog, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, electric piano, Clavinet, vocoder, Mellotron, recording engineer, mixing.

Peter Nagel – painting

…Live…

In May 1980, Klaus Schulze released …Live…, a 75-minute double album drawn from concerts in Berlin (October 5, 1976), Amsterdam and Paris (November 1979).

The album presents Schulze’s sequenced synthesizer work in extended live contexts, augmented by Harald Großkopf on drums (on “Sense”) and Arthur Brown on vocals (on “Dymagic”). The performances highlight dynamic contrasts between densely layered electronic pulses, expansive soundscapes, and occasional rhythmic propulsion.

The first disc opens with the 21-minute “Bellistique,” recorded in Paris, which begins with full-intensity synthesizer and drum sequences before transitioning into darker, ambient textures. “Sense” extends over fifty minutes with a slow, hazy introduction that develops into an intense, evolving sequencer pattern punctuated by Großkopf’s sharp percussion, creating layered variations in intensity and timbre. The second disc begins with “Heart,” which moves from a subtle bass pulse into more rhythmic sequences, incorporating spacey effects and synth lines that shift from ethereal to driving. “Dymagic” closes the album with Arthur Brown’s shamanic vocals over repetitive electronic loops, producing a minimalistic, trance-like ritualistic atmosphere. The deluxe edition adds “Le Mans au Premier,” a nearly eighteen-minute live excerpt extending the album’s ambient explorations.

A. “Bellistique” (21:24)

B. “Sense” (31:10) is edited down from a longer performance (51:01) included in its entirety on later CD deluxe editions.

C. “Heart” (30:50)

D. “Dymagic” (29:31)

CD bonus
5. “Le Mans au Premier” (17:57)

Dig It

Klaus Schulze released his thirteenth album, Dig It, on Halloween 1980 on Brain.

Dig It marks Schulze’s first fully digital recording, featuring his signature sequenced synthesizers alongside percussion and drums by Fred Severloh. The album blends abstract digital textures, layered polyphonic voices, and sequenced rhythms, reflecting a transition from his 1970s analog approach to early 1980s digital methods.

The album opens with “Death of an Analogue,” a twelve-minute digital elegy to the analog era, featuring Schulze’s vocoder narration over repetitive electronic pulses and restrained drumming. “Weird Caravan” and “The Looper Isn’t a Hooker” replace live drums with percussion tape loops, generating light, rhythmically complex textures, the latter emphasizing eerie atmospheres. “Synthasy” extends nearly twenty-three minutes, developing sequenced percussion, layered computer-generated voices, and evolving electronic effects that shift from abstract openings to more cosmic, sidereal passages. The deluxe edition adds “Esoteric Goody,” a 28-minute exploration of experimental sound concepts, and a bonus DVD of Schulze’s 1980 Ars Electronica performance in Linz, incorporating industrial sound elements from local steelworks.

A1. “Death of an Analogue” (12:15)
A2. “Weird Caravan” (5:16)
A3. “The Looper isn’t a Hooker” (8:30)

B. “Synthasy” (22:53)

Sessions occurred between May and September 1980 with Schulze producing, performing synthesizers, keyboards, guitar, drums, vocals, and operating computers.

CD Bonus: “Esoteric Goody” (28:21)

Deluxe edition bonus DVD: “Linzer Stahlsinfonie” (62:22) — Opening concert at Ars Electronica, September 8, 1980

Richard Wahnfried – Tonwelle

In March 1981, Schulze released Tonwelle, his second album as Richard Wahnfried.

Tonwelle emphasizes percussive rhythms and guitar textures over Schulze’s typical floating soundscapes, featuring contributions from Manuel Göttsching (guitar), Karl Wahnfried (guitar), Michael Shrieve (drums), and Michael Garvens (vocals). The album fuses hypnotic electronic passages with mechanical rhythms and distorted guitar, leaning toward trance-like structures and early techno sensibilities.

“Schwung” opens with ethereal, manipulated voices and sustained synthesizer tones, gradually introducing discreet guitar chords and sampled percussion patterns that shift into distorted solos by Göttsching. “Druck” develops crystalline synth motifs layered over electronic tribal percussion, with Göttsching’s guitar weaving subdued, trance-inducing textures. Both tracks sustain long, hypnotic frameworks, emphasizing rhythm and mechanical flow over dense melodic development.

A. “Schwung” (18:30)
B. “Druck” (17:05)

Sessions occurred in 1981 with Klaus Schulze producing and performing synthesizers, and handling electronic programming, alongside Göttsching on guitar, Shrieve on drums, and Garvens on vocals.

The original vinyl misprinted the speed as 45 rpm; the 2012 MIG Music reissue included both 33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm versions on separate discs.

Trancefer

Klaus Schulze released his fourteenth album, Trancefer, in October 1981 on IC (Germany, UK) and Roadrunner (Netherlands).

Trancefer foregrounds digital textures and percussive interplay, featuring Schulze on the G.D.S. computer, Michael Shrieve on percussion, and Wolfgang Tiepold on cello. The album emphasizes trance-like repetition, syncopated rhythms, and a dialog between electronic chords and acoustic instruments, recalling the spaciousness of Schulze’s mid-1970s work while fully embracing digital production.

The album consists of two extended compositions. “A Few Minutes After Trancefer” opens with balanced, spacious keyboard lines and gradually introduces Shrieve’s percussion, creating a rhythmically driven, immersive soundscape. “Silent Running” maintains a brooding, subdued atmosphere, pairing Tiepold’s cello with digital textures in a slow, contemplative progression. Alternate versions of both tracks appear on the 2006 Revisited reissue, drawn from pre-release test pressings at different speeds.

A. “A Few Minutes After Trancefer” (18:20)
B. “Silent Running” (18:57)

Sessions occurred in 1981 with Klaus Schulze producing and performing G.D.S. computer, Michael Shrieve on percussion, and Wolfgang Tiepold on cello.

The 2006 Revisited reissue expanded the album to include alternate versions from the original test pressings, doubling the total runtime.

3. “A Few Minutes After Trancefer” (18:17) — Reissue bonus, from halfspeed cut test pressing
4. “Silent Running (Version 45)” (19:07)

Audentity

Klaus Schulze released his fifteenth album, Audentity, in February 1983 on IC (Germany) and Roadrunner (Netherlands).

Audentity expands Schulze’s digital and sequenced approach across a double album, blending minimalist repetition with occasional melodic passages. Schulze performs on computer and keyboards, Rainer Bloss adds sounds and glockenspiel, Michael Shrieve handles EEH computer and Simmons percussion, and Wolfgang Tiepold contributes cello. The album alternates between rhythmically driven tracks and abstract, atmospheric pieces, foreshadowing elements of his later operatic works while revisiting motifs from the 1970s.

The album opens with “Cellistica,” a 24-minute sequence blending electronic beats with Tiepold’s cello and subtle drum computer patterns, evolving from ambient textures into a structured rhythm. “Tango-Saty” and “Opheylissem” offer brief, percussion-driven, avant-garde synth pieces. “Amourage” moves slowly with spaced synths, piano, and pulsing effects, creating a meditative atmosphere. “Spielglocken” builds from minimal electronic pulses into a hypnotic crescendo punctuated by Shrieve’s percussion. The closing track, “Sebastian im Traum,” develops from abstract dissonance into sequences of synth and glockenspiel, emphasizing atmosphere over percussion and evoking Schulze’s mid-1970s work.

A. “Cellistica” (24:31)

B1. “Tango-Saty” (5:47)
B2. “Amourage” (10:37)
B3. “Opheylissem” (5:11)

C. “Spielglocken” (21:24)

D. “Sebastian im Traum” (28:21)

Deluxe edition bonus tracks:

7. “Gem” (11:41)
8. “Tiptoe on the Misty Mountain Tops” (14:43)
9. “Sink or Swim” (10:02)
10. “At the Angle of an Angel” (15:44)
11. “Of White Nights” (6:00)

Sessions occurred in 1982 with Klaus Schulze producing, performing computer and keyboards, Rainer Bloss on sounds and glockenspiel, Michael Shrieve on EEH computer and Simmons percussion, and Wolfgang Tiepold on cello.

Discography:

Irrlicht (1972)
Cyborg (1973)
Blackdance (1974)
Picture Music (1975)
Timewind (1975)
Moondawn (1976)
Body Love (1977)
Mirage (1977)
Body Love: Vol.2 (1977)
“X” (1978)
Dune (1979)
Dig It (1980)
…Live… (1980)
Trancefer (1981)
Audentity (1983)
“Dziekuje Poland” – Live ’83 (1983 • Klaus Schulze & Rainer Bloss)
Transfer Station Blue (1984 • Michael Shrieve with Kevin Shrieve and Klaus Schulze)
Angst (OST, 1984)
Drive Inn (1984 • Klaus Schulze & Rainer Bloss)
Inter*Face (1985)
Dreams (1986)
Babel (1987 • Klaus Schulze & Andreas Grosser)
En=Trance (1988)
Miditerranean Pads (1990)
The Dresden Performance (1990)
Beyond Recall (1991)