Customer Reviews

Join Inn

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

The best way to get the full effect of the first few minutes of track 1, 'Freak N Roll', is to use headphones. It's only by using headphones that you will be able to fully appreciate Klaus Schulze's remarkable drumming - absolutely incredible - especially around the 2:30 mark. The whole of 'Freak N Roll' is just superb - a 19 minute rumbling, meandering masterpiece - a lesson in true Krautrock. Drums and bass drive forward, Manuel Gottsching's guitar dips and soars inside the mix and swathes of synth add that extra Kosmiche touch. It's 19 minutes that will have you on your knees in awe of the classic line-up of Gottsching, Enke & Schulze. In complete contrast, although as equally compelling, track 2, 'Jenseits', is 24 minute's of shimmering beauty. Again, swathes of echoing synths (and organ?) are there, but much more dominant than on the previous track. The track builds slowly, with guitar and bass joining in, though not over-riding the synth - also vocals are added by Rosi - in German - and this beautiful thing carries on and on for 24 minutes, though it could last forever....and ever....and ever. So there you have 'Join Inn' - 2 completely different Kosmiche jams, but both utterly superb. This is my most favourite Ash Ra Tempel album, though the previous 3 to this ('Ash Ra Tempel', 'Schwingungen' & 'Seven Up') are as equally compelling.

Join Inn features just two tracks - Freak n Roll feels like a 20 minute jam/improvisation and has Manuel Gottsching in absolutely blistering form. Meandering themes merge and blend in magical fashion, effortlessly coaxed forth from the strings of his guitar. Manic, pounding drums and breakneck-paced bass-work all combine into a miraculous whole. In sections, it sounds like each musician is wandering off doing his own thing. Then, suddenly, delightfully, it all comes together, forging a masterpiece greater than the sum of its parts, which leaves the listener drained but satisfied.

Jenseits ('Beyond'), is one of my all-time favourite cosmic/ambient chill-out tracks. Whilst the first track was guitar-dominated, the beautiful musical landscape of Jenseits is built primarily by keyboard. Building slowly, complemented by Rosi's achingly beautiful words, this is the musical equivalent of an out-of-body experience (which, from what I can understand of the German lyrics) is what was intended. When Rosi sighs "Nimm mich mit" (take me with you), you will want to go!