A Krafty Werk of Art

Staying true to the same modus operandi that made them pioneers of mechanized dance music over 30 years ago, Kraftwerk manages to kraft an album so meticulous in form and structure, it is hard to believe the record is from a group just off of a 15-year hiatus.Tour de France Soundtracks, Kraftwerk’s latest on electro giant Astralwerks, beautifully embodies the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” cliché. Formulaically, Soundtracks preserves the elements that made Kraftwerk legendary during the 70’s (drum machine, synthesizer, vocoder, etc.). Employing old skool fundamentals, Kraftwerk offers an album that is sure to appease long time fans and weekend lovers of present day electronic music alike.

Tracks 1-5 possess blurred borders between the songs, creating a continuous mega-electro ballad ideal for fast drivin’ or all night dancin’. Songs such as “Vitamin” and “Elektro Kardiogramm” provide musical pit stops slowing down the pace and allowing for a tad bit of experimentation (the latter making use of an organ giving the song an eerie, almost frightening feel). Slated to have appeared on the never released Techno Pop album over 20 years ago, a reprise version of the original “Tour de France” marks Soundtrack’s finish line – a fitting end to an album commemorating this year’s Centennial edition of the Tour de France.