Customer Reviews

Timewind

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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"Timewind" is the album that put Klaus Schulze on the map as a major pioneer of electronic music. Recorded and released in 1975, this album has gone on to be a cornerstone of sorts. Many synthesizer artists such as Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre and Kitaro followed suit with music that is not too disimilar to "Timewind". In the days of vinyl LPs, this album was quite lengthy clocking in at 59 minutes with each side running at 30 minutes apiece.
The opening half consists of the dynamic sequencer tour-de-force "Bayreuth Return". This long piece was recorded live directly to a 2-track tape machine in Klaus' bedroom (!!!). It is quite a remarkable piece of work as there were no digital computerized sequencers or synths at the time. The rhythms are floating and hynotic throughout. Its etherial chord washes are extraordinary. The only thing that I found bothersome about the piece is the way it ends. It's an abrupt edit into a loud crashing sound. It's quite possible that this piece was much longer than its 30 minutes but was cut short due to vinyl constraints.
The second half, "Wahnfried 1883", is Klaus' tribute to composer Richard Wagner. Over the course of its 28 minutes, we are treated to a massive cloud of synthetic wind sounds and heavy dark long-held chords. There is no rhythm to this piece, just a dark ambient structure. This is great mood music for relaxing, reading a book or studying. This piece can really take you somewhere if you have the imagination for it.
After all these years, "Timewind" is still Klaus Schulze's ultimate magnum-opus. It comes as no surprise that this album won the French Grand Prix shortly after its release in 1975.
To find some of the roots of where todays electronic music comes from, one should look no further than "Timewind". Here we are in 2003 and this album still stands the test of time.

This album plus Klaus's other epic masterpiece, Floating, are unique accomplishments in music. It's a powerful piece which takes one traveling through alien landscapes buried deep within our subconscious minds. The many layers of complex and yet soothing arrangements always have something new to be discovered, even after all these years since it came out. Although Klaus may not agree as he once wrote back in response to a fan letter I had sent him, he has since abandoned this style and gone to a more mainstream route producing music that's not anywhere near as compelling. This album was a spectacular hit among electronic music fans and made quite a splash in Europe. Timewind goes back to the golden age of space music which also happened to be the beginning of it. The forerunners of it didn't abide by the laws of economics yet. They made music that told a story in as long a time as an LP would allow, unlike today where eveyrthing has to be in bite sized chunks of 3-5 minutes. It's with that kind of frontiering mindset that a one man band does what entire orchestras can't sometimes: create music so cohesive and rich that one never tires of it, and it always has the same grand impact. Timewind is full of sequnces that you may actually find in his other work too. Dig-it, Dune, Sense, Body Love either replicate or have similar sequences, but none is compelling nor impactful. This work remains in its own pristine corner as a jewel of an album that has never been surpassed in creativity and imagination. Bravos to Klaus for this brilliant work.

I've never been all that much of a Klaus Schulze fan,but at the recommendation of a friend,I decided to go ahead and check out this disc.Originally released in 1975,'Timewind' was Schulze's fifth solo record.Great electronic masterpiece here.Two lengthy cuts to fully experience."Bayreuth Return"(30:21)is an extended soundscape with an electronic over haul,very good."Wahnfried 1983"(28:29)is a potent track where synthesizer is met with extremely precice keyboard playing.Keep in mind that this Berlin born composer had been a past member of Ash Ra Tempel and Tangerine Dream.Believe he reunited with Ash Ra Tempel a few years ago.How cool is that?A must-have.

This album has no equivalent in its class, no equal, nothing. I am a complete fan of Tangerine Dream, but Klaus Schulze's "Timewind" is the most valuable record I have in my collection. I have had it on my turntable for two years since I bought it and have played it at least 2,000 times--sometimes 5 or 6 times a day! The main reason: STRESS REDUCTION, and I really mean it. The green side (1) is preferred over the red side, but they are both completely capable of putting me into a sleepy orbit a million miles away. Klaus uses his synthesizers to produce waves and sounds that I cannot explain, nor will I try, but the brain knows a treat when it hears it. I highly recommend using headphones with this or any of Schulze's albums; they seemed to be made for private listening.

There is no equal to this album known to humankind. There is simply no way to describe the visual images and peaceful bliss that accompany a fully undisturbed listening with a good pair of sealed headphones. Closest to heaven I'll ever get in this lifetime. No dramatics, I just call it as I see it. If it was not true, I would have told you.

Each listener will surely have his or her own response, but "Timewind" must mean what its title says: that it makes no difference what year it is. What you listen to hear, my friend, is what they will call "classical" music three or four hundred years from now, maybe sooner. There are no vocals, and that's another concern with my music. No, I do not hate people, I just like music that expands my consciousness and helps me to relax. Schulze, in my educated guess, recorded this album on the first take, as with many great musical contributions, and I bet he could never get the same result twice. The total playing time is only 43 minutes, making it all the more rare. I cannot overstate the quality of this musical gem, the diamond of my collection! If you have a copy, do not, under any circumstance, lose it. If you do not have a copy, then buy one as soon as you can. It was hard enough to find on CD, where, unlike my record player, I can put repeat on and listen to it about six times a night until I fall asleep into the most rejuvinating slumber possible. Don't wait any longer, as your emotional wellbeing is yearning already. If you are not used to electronic or ambient music, you need only to wait until its full effect can be appreciated.

This album, like other favorites of mine, will lift you out of depression, states of unreasonable anger, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, or any other undesired emotional states. Buy it today! Top recommendation!

I have been listening for a long time to Vangelis and Jarre music. I am a big fun of their early works, the era of analog synthesizers and their really "out of this world" - very intelectual music. I short of categorized this music to my mind as "the outer space music".

I was very dissapointed that nobody writes this kind of music any more. Its a dead species. The latest albums of Vangelis and Jarre are dissapointing and nobody seems to be able to continue their work. I felt really frustrated that I couldnt find any more of the music that I love.

So eventually I had to look back in the past and find out of composers that wrote similar music in the early 70's. Thats how I discovered Claus Schulze. I was amazed. I couldnt believe in my ears. Sensational music, it makes you think, search, discover. Its 100% "outer space music" and guess what: I dare to say that his work overshadows at least Jarre's work in terms of depth and spiritualism. This album in particular is a masterpiece. It was conceived in some other galaxy and performed by Schulze on Earth. It is the ultimate "space music". I recommend it to all the serious funs of this particular genre.

The music is tranquile and unforced, there is no beat in the album, it kind of drifts in the vacuum of the outer space. It is not a massive supernova explosion but rather a GENESIS OF A NEW STAR. You have to listen to this music a lot of times in order to appreciate it. People of the trade understand what I mean. It is like a philosophy book. You have to give it some time. But after you manage to release its power it will serve you as the ultimate spaceship to the heavens. (Ok back to earth now)

This album is a masterpiece!

One sprawling, majestic composition decorates each album side, and thus was born one of finest works in electronic composition. Bayreuth Return is a revelation from the rhythmic synth-pulse era that is reminiscent of recordings such as Tangerine Dream's Phaedra and Rubycon. After several listens, I was absolutely enchanted with this masterpiece. Dedicated to Richard Wagner, and his home in Bayreuth where he spent his last years, the piece builds from an introductory wash of white noise, pulsing chirps, and a slowly drifting melody line. From the murky backdrop emerges the organic, throbbing, echoing, burble of a sequenced analog synthesizer, pulling you away on an ethereal journey. The driving rhythm line rolls endlessly through an ever-shifting time pattern. Soundscapes cascade in and fade out. Massive walls of sound swirl and fill the backdrop. The gurgle of the pattern trickles delicately up the scale, continually shifting pitch and timbre as the rhythm track subtly morphs. Thick chords descend and hang in the air, clearing away just as another sonic mist envelops the passing landscape. Majestic, hypnotic, timelessly and tearfully beautiful. The abrupt crash of an ending is the only unpleasantness, no doubt arising only due to the constraints of vinyl at the time.

Wahnfried 1883 (the year of Wagner's death) develops from a pool of echo-laden chirps and string-synth chords, building into a largo-esque series of melody lines throughout its lengthy duration. Decidedly different in mood than the melody-line driven first track, but heartfelt, lush and full in rich tones. One can easily imagine fast forwarding to late 1990s works by Steve Roach that have this same wall-of-sound ambience, here introduced to the listener in 1975.

Required material for the serious electronic music listener.

I had the vinyl way back in the 70s and just bought the CD.... it remains a timeless classic. The CD consists of only 2 tracks but if you are into "deep space" synth, this is a no miss. The CD is neatly divided into 2 30 min. tracks, the best track being the first "bayreuth return", a mesmorizing journey of moogs and synths that will take you beyond today's existence and open your mind to things you could not have imagined... This is Klaus Schulze's best album by far. If you want to explore the best of Europe's deep space synth, look no further, this is IT

Among the scores of albums released by Klaus Schulze during the 1970s, this 1975 recording (which was dedicated to Richard Wagner) is a personal favorite of mine and may very well be his finest recorded performance.

Like a lot of electronica released during the mid-1970s, the music is brooding, contemplative, and is composed entirely on analog synthesizers (some recordings of synthesizer-based music would be augmented with electric guitar and woodwind/percussion instruments). I think it is worth noting that manipulating an analog synthesizer to generate sounds beyond the factory pre-sets took a great deal of skill, i.e. the ability to not only physically manipulate the instrument, but to translate the physical aspects of wave-form (e.g amplitude, frequency, shape etc) into something organic and emotional. Klaus Schulze was one of the best in this respect and was able to create some very interesting electronic compositions.

The instruments that are employed on this album are diverse and represent the cutting edge of technology as it existed in 1975: ARP 2600 and Odyssey; Elka string synthesizer; Farfisa organ; EMS "A" and Synthy etc. I have always regarded the complicated ARP 2600 (you should see the patch board!) as a particularly harsh sounding instrument, yet Schulze manages to conjure the warmest sounds out of it imaginable.

The two pieces on the album are very lengthy (Bayreuth Return 30'22" and Wahnfried 1883 28'37") and exhibit very subtle, yet significant changes as the pieces unfold and could be considered electronic art music. For example, the lower frequency synthesizers are used to create a pulsating bass line, while the string synthesizers create a luxurious cushion of sound over which melodies and experimental sounds are layered. Schulze employs a wide range of tones and timbres on the synthesizers and to good effect - the pieces really engage the listener.

All in all, this is an incredible recording of electronica and along with Rubycon (Tangerine Dream, 1975) is the best place to start exploring 1970s electronica. Other excellent recordings by Klaus Schulze that are equally impressive include Moondawn (1976), Mirage (1977), and X (1978). Although many of Klaus Schulze's recordings have been wonderfully re-mastered by the Inside Out label (they are really incredible), I am not sure if Timewind has been re-mastered yet.

Made in GER in 19??, Serial# 833-128-2, Playing Time 59:13

Album #5 for KS, and it's by far it's most accessible to date. Both tracks feature rich synthesizer sequences, and represent, in my opinion, his best work from the 70's.

Unlike his earlier work, which had sometimes some strange and languid sections, the music on this disk transcends space and time: a sonic escape to a far galaxy, there and back in an hour!

If you like early Jean-Michel Jarre music, but without the "dance" / upbeat flavour (like Oxygene Part 1 or Part 6), you'll truly enjoy this.

It has no melody "per se", but contains interesting variations and evolutions.

It's best to listen to this LOUD and in the dark; if your neighbours knock on your door, it's because they'll want to come in and listen to it as well!

The best of the 70's Klaus Schulze offerings. If you are looking for something to calm you down, this is one of the best meditative CD's on the market. Take a long drifting voyage to distant places with "Bayreuth Return". Explore those distant places with "Wahnfried 1883". This CD is NOT for listening to while you drive! For best results, turn off all the lights, unplug the phone, get comfortable, and drift away to the subtle "wind" and melodic undercurrents of this disk. If your blood pressure has not dropped by 20 points at the end of this disk, then see a doctor! Timewind compares favorably to Tangerine Dream's Rubycon and Phaedra disks. This is an essential disk to have in any Klaus Schulze collection.