Customer Reviews

Moondawn

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1976 album is excellent and is somewhat similar in texture to Timewind (1975). The most noticeable difference however, is that drummer Harald Grosskopf (Wallenstein, Cosmic Jokers) plays a full drum kit on Moondawn, and with great results.

In general, the two tracks are very moody and long (27'13 and 25'35 respectively) and consist simply of long drones on the moog synthesizer and string synthesizer (or the Hammond organ as used on Mindphaser) and sequenced synthesizer lines on the "big" moog. This music is largely static, with loads of bubbling and fizzing synthesizer sounds and only subtle changes in key and tempo. I should note that Harald's drumming is excellent and really breaks things up a bit - in fact, Klaus seems to loosen up a bit during the passages that include drumming and solos on the moog. The best example of this is on Mindphaser.

This remastered version is absolutely superb and features incredible sound quality, restored artwork, a ton of pictures of Klaus playing his banks of synthesizers, and detailed liner notes. The real treat however, is the addition of the excellent bonus track Floating Sequence (21'11"), which was taken from the Moondawn recording session. This version of Floating Sequence is a stereo mix that is completely different from the version included on the 1995 release of Moondawn.

This album is very highly recommended to all electronica fans along with Timewind (1975), Body Love (1977), Mirage (1977), and X (1978).

After his phenominal 1975 breakthrough "Timewind", Klaus Schulze went a step further with his next release "Moondawn". With the assistance of drummer Harald Grosskopf, Klaus ventures into a hybrid of his trademark sequencer style with elements of progressive rock. I found this album to sound the most like his former band Tangerine Dream (especially their "Green Desert" album). Like many of his albums at the time, "Moondawn" consists of only two tracks. The first track "Floating" is built in a musical arc beginning with fluttering cosmic sounds along with a German recitation of The Lords Prayer. Waves of synthetic strings and tolling bells dominate the opening section of this piece. A sequencer pulse begins to emerge after several minutes followed by Grosskopf's drumming. The interplay between Schulze's keyboards and Grosskopf's drums is superb. The piece builds with intensity as it runs its course and by the end, Schulze and Grosskopf are fully rocking out.
The second and last track "Mindphaser" begins with the crashing of ocean waves which leads into a soothing sections of string-synths with an oboe-like lead playing over the top. This piece maintains a sereen mood for its first 10 minutes but then does a complete about-face. With a heavy swoosh, Harald Grosskopf's drums and Schulze's electric organ take over in a full-on space rock jam. The two really let loose here especially Schulze when he improvises on his MiniMoog. After 25 minutes, the piece finally hangs itself up as Grosskopf bangs out a grand finale and Schulze finishes off with some dynamic synth-string chords. This is surely some breathtaking music.
It should be mentioned that all CD versions of this album (except for one) DO NOT contain the original mix. When this album was first released on CD, Klaus remixed the tracks due to flaws in the original master tapes. Also, both pieces had several seconds edited off of them. It wasn't until late 1995 that the original mixes as they were released in 1976 made it onto CD. This CD is entitled "Moondawn-The Original Master" on Manikin Records in Germany. The Original Master version also includes a bonus track entitled "Supplement" which is an early version of "Mindphaser". If you've never owned "Moondawn" on CD, the Original Master version is the one to get because you get the original mix plus a bonus cut.
"Moondawn" is still a favorite amongst Schulze fans. Many consider this to be his peak in the 1970's. It's worth every minute of ones listening pleasure. On a personal note, it was one of the first Klaus Schulze releases I ever owned (A used LP nonetheless).

This is easily Klaus Schulzes greatest album, and arguably one of the best ambient rock albums ever made. It features ethereal, beautiful synth work and a dark, mystic atmosphere that has been unmatched in electronic music history. If you get one Schulze album, this is the definitive. Superb.

This is one of the great albums from the period that many (myself included) consider to be Klaus Schulze's peak, which includes "Body Love", "X", "Mirage", "Timewind" et al. Spacy, sequencer-driven long-form works here, drawing the listener in with an entrancing, cosmic vortex of sound. Optimal driving music...if you're driving to Alpha Centauri, perhaps. Strongly recommended, a good initial pick (among several) for the beginning Klaus Schulze listener.

"Moondawn (1976)" is one of the most amazing albums I have ever heard in my life. The "big" moog sounds amazing, and the drummer sounds amazing too. The dynamics on this album are amazing. To me this album is like Timewind, only perfected even more. This album definitely had an influence on Trance Electronica. I highly recommend Moondawn.

Taking into account that Klaus Schulze on his first two records 'Irrlicht' and Cyborg performed an array of vast organ drone experiments, which resulted in some of the best music recorded on earth, the 1976 Moondawn sees Schulze further into his electronic music making.

There are albums that came after Moondawn, that for some reason or another, I don t find much interest in them (i,e, Mirage). MIrage was a record which Schulze dedicated to his passing father. It is beautiful. Two tracks, 20 + minute3s each. But for my taste, too much synthesizer. Felt like it needed something else, aside form the nice synthesizer work.

It simply bored me.

Now that I made my comparison to Mirage, let me tell you what I think of this awesome record 'Moondawn'. Well, it was 1 year before the former, and it is brilliant. Klaus creates a sort of symphonic orchestra type of feeling when you hear the first tune, 'floating'. It is simply brilliant and full of talent, how he can make 25 minutes go by, and have you at the edge of your seat for the full ride. Amazing, w out words.

The next tune Mindphaser is a bit less than the first, but interesting nonetheless.

I could 've abstained at writing a review on this album, but my love for this genre of music and for K Schulze's music in particular left me nothing else but to give my best and honest opinion.

Not all his records are 5 star jobs, but part of a serious music collector's journey through music is finding music he/she likes and music he also doesn t like. In the case of 'Moondawn', it is one that I recommend to anyone with a good ear for quality music.

Moondawn was recorded by Klaus Schulze in 1976, following the 1975 release of Timewind with its phenomenal Bayreuth Return suite which gained him plenty of international recognition. Moondawn was the first one of four albums recorded by Klaus Schulze, an excellent drummer himself, including Harald Grosskopf playing drums. All of the sudden this electronic music of its grand master became even more alive, beating stronger rhythm of human life. All of their playing was completely improvised and both tracks of this album were recorded within a couple of hours. Obviously Klaus must have been developing the concept in his genius mind for a while because this music is truly spectacular. Whereas Timewind was a bit one sided Moondawn contains a better overall b side composition and it is easy to understand why many admirers of electronic music chose this album as their favorite one. Personally I find Body Love with its three very level compositions more even overall and that is why that album is my favorite one. Body Love 2 is an extension of the theme and it is just as great.

Moondawn's main composition Floating starts with an Arabic spoken prayer which sounded so much more exotic and spectacular to some of us back in 1976. The music develops rather slowly and the strange post prayer background noise consistently persists until close to the 7th minute. The entire atmosphere up to that point might seem almost like a dead corpse being mourned over by the chant and noise. At about 5:30 something is becoming alive or slowly creeping back to life but it is not until about 7:30 when this music finally becomes alive. Harald's drums and cymbals join in and by about 9:30 we are completely floating in the beauty of this creation. Listening to it back in 1976 was truly magnificent because although the Bayreuth Return was spectacular it was not nearly as dramatic. It was hypnotic and Floating is not. Floating in about 13:00 becomes beautifully delayed and distorted. We have Floating chasing Floating and at least to me today, 34 years later, this fragment sounds as great as it did back then when it was close to the edge all over again just in a different form. Harald's drumming becomes amazing at times and this track just keeps on going until about the 27th minute. Perhaps the last 7 of those were not developed to perfection, at least in my mind. Klaus had decided to peacefully fade out the track rather than to crush it, as he did a year earlier.
Following it Mindphaser comes to us upon the waves of some cosmic ocean with the sounds of thunder present. Again, the beginning 11 minutes develop slowly without any breathtaking moments which come exactly at 11:45 brought by the drums of Harald Grosskopf who is really saving that piece. His drums are much more involved this time leading the way Klaus is following at first and starts guiding soon after. It almost sounds as if he needed some waking up. He used to sleep during days and work at night and I have no clue what time of day this was recorded. Because there is still 13 minutes of great music here and the wavy beginning was very interesting as well, I value this side b of Moondawn higher than the b side of Timewind. In the 18th minute this music is becoming truly spectacular again and the end of Mindphaser is its strongest part.

If you are new to Klaus Schulze and need an introduction, you might as well start right here, in between of Timewind and Body Love albums. The in between is not only chronological but applies to the energy level and to the structure of this composition, right on the edge of electronic music and progressive rock.

One of the true pioneers of electronic music, Klaus Schulze
broke ground for the hordes who followed in the broader
New Age genre.
His earliest albums: Moondawn, TimeWind, Picture Music, Body Love, DigIt, Mirage,.... are spacy, mind expanding, haunting.
Moondawn is a perfect example of that period: haunting rythms, floating, almost liquid sounds.... it is a mental journey.

A classic.

A great 'beginner' Schulze disc....floaty, spacy, engaging. Look for the German IMPORT version on Manikin records for a 23 minute 'bonus' track.

Schulze nos envia con 'Moondawn' directamente a un lugar mágico,donde el tiempo deja de tener sentido.Este trabajo es sin duda alguna un fiel reflejo de la carrera discografica de Schulze:secuencias prolongadas,sintetizadores utilizados con una delicadeza extrema,una música que envuelve al oyente con un halo místico.En definitiva una obra maestra de la escuela electrónica de Berlín.