Cluster - Cluster71 - 1971

Review

Cluster is the eponymous first full-length album by German electronic music outfit Cluster. It is also the only album on which Conrad Plank is credited as a member. Cluster was recorded at Star-Studio in Hamburg, Germany in January, 1971. It was Cluster's only release for the Philips label.

Cluster began a transition away from the discordant, proto-industrial sound of Kluster towards a more electronic sound. Russ Curry of Curious Music credited Conny Plank with the change of direction, describing it as having "...continued the commitment to improvisation but developed a focus on sound structure. Instrumentation included a pair of organs, Hawaiian guitar, cello, and audio generators, all played by Moebius and Rodelius, all of which were electronically treated by Conny Plank.

Thom Jurek, writing Allmusic review, describes Cluster, in part as: "...a dislocating, disorienting meld of random space music, industrial noise, proto-ambient atmospherics, feedback, and soundwash..." The editorial review on the Amazon.com website states, in part:

"The three untitled tracks composed and performed by Moebius and Roedelius are exploratory, ever-changing pieces with focuses on guitar distortion and synthesizer wails, though each goes far beyond. This album deserves the many accolades it's been given, and holds up as an early landmark in the history of beatless ambience."

"The Wire" places Cluster's self-titled debut album in their "One Hundred Records That Set The World On Fire".

The album was reissued with new artwork and a new title, Cluster '71, by Sky Records in 1980. Cluster '71 was digitally remastered (from a vinyl source, not a tape) and reissued on CD in 1996[5] by Sky with new artwork: a total of three different cover designs for the album to date. It received its first U.S release in 2006 on the San Francisco based Water label. The Water reissue restored the original Philips cover art but retains the Cluster '71 name. A 1,000 copy limited remastered edition of Cluster '71 with the original Sky LP cover art was reissued by the Japanese Captain Trip label on September 20, 2007.

Track listing

[untitled] – 15:33

[untitled] – 7:38

[untitled] – 21:17