"By pressing down my special key, it plays a little melody." Those are words that all fans of electronic music are familiar with. They come from the 1981 song, Pocket Calculator, by the German techno group Kraftwerk, possibly the most influential group on all modern music. Pocket Calculator as well as many other Kraftwerk greats are found on the astounding disc titled, The Mix, a reworking of classic Kraftwerk hits from the 70's and 80's that would inspire genres such as new wave, rap, and techno. This disc has great beats, creative samples, innovative sounds, and catchy hooks. After pioneering the sound of synthesized music over three decades ago, Kraftwerk impressively stands atop the heap of the big-beat wasteland spawned in their wake and reassert their place in history with this hit spectacular. Back in the early seventies, Kraftwerk exploded onto the music scene in Europe with the release of the single Autobahn. They were tapping into a sound that would end up changing music forever. The roots of rap, techno, dance, and new wave were born in the release of this song and the many others to follow. The singles kept on rolling as the music industry began to take notice, as did the first generation of Kraftwerk fans. The latest release, The Mix, showcases those singles with 90's modifications. The beats are mostly samples of electronic sounds created with synthesizers, but are much more creative than any of today's mainstream techno, R&B, and rap group's sounds. Instead of distorted guitar, booming bass, and screaming voices, Kraftwerk uses an array of sounds that are unique when compared to such acts as The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, and Crystal Method. While most of today's electronic bands sound similar to one another, Kraftwerk maintains that edge that earned them the praise of critics around the world on their historic past efforts. Even though this release is a reworking of previous material, it still sounds fresh and new. The assortment of sounds and heavy hitting beats are very good on The Mix. They are varied in such a way that no matter what your mood, there is a beat to please you on this album. The slow, mesmerizing beat of Autobahn relaxes listeners, while the following three tracks, Radioactivity, Trans Europe Express, and Abzug, showcase the harder side of Kraftwerk's beats. The eerie keyboards and metal on metal clangs are enough to send chills down anybody's spine. The drum machine is loud on all of the songs, thus giving every song a beat that must be acknowledged by the listener. Another interesting thing about this record is that the beat never stops. Every song is mixed into the next, via a breakdown, or a bridge that slows or speeds the beat to match the tempo of the next song. Classic Kraftwerk samples are thrown in to help fans distinguish the next song before the track even changes. Fans and non-fans alike will be pleased with the samples used to compile the robotic sounds this album offers. Unlike much of today's rap and electronic releases, Kraftwerk uses all original samples. No other artist's work is used on a single song on this, or any of Kraftwerk's albums. This sets this German group in another domain that none of today's techno groups can claim to be a part of. It sounds as though the beats are layered with many different levels and structures made with things as simple as pots and pans. This strategy works well, as this makes for a more textured sound with harder hitting beats than past Kraftwerk releases. This brings us to the innovative sounds Kraftwerk displays on The Mix. Sound effects that are not of this world would be the best way to describe the virtually indescribable sounds Kraftwerk comes up with on this collection. Everybody must hear this disc to fully comprehend the depth and charismatic style delivered by Kraftwerk on each and every song that makes up this 11- song album. The only problem with the choice of sound effects used on this album is the overuse of robotic voice boxes. They pretend to be robots almost to the point of amusement, as they robotically sing the line, "we are the robots," over and over again in the first song on the album, The Robots. The strong point to be made about this song is the fact that it has universal club play written all over it with the catchy loops and irresistible disco beat. Kraftwerk is what is called a "loop group." What this means is that they use catchy pop-style repeats, choruses, and refrains to keep the attention of the listener and make the songs recognizable. The over-all appeal is good, as fans can learn the lyrics without difficulty and dance comfortably to the beats that they can easily remember and recognize. The monotone voices of the men in Kraftwerk are looped during the chorus of each song so that the heavy German accents are placed into one's head eternally. This adds individuality to the legends that created the sound of rap, R&B, and techno music as we know it today. This is also why the hooks created by Kraftwerk are sampled by today's artists more than those of any other group or solo artist in history.

These are retakes of some of the better known Kraftwerk songs retrofit to more energetic, pulsing rhythms. The only song that isn't here, but should have been, is Tour de France, which was released as a vinyl EP many ages ago. I'm not sure whether it is available on CD.

Anyway, this is a great rethinking of classic Kraftwerk that shows off the significant talent of these German boys. Classic Oberheim synths, lyrics for the alienated android, and, now, even organics can dance to it.

Well, I haven't followed Kraftwerk throughout their career (I couldn't have; I'm only 18! Computerworld came out the year I was born), so I can't give a longtime fan's perspective. For a new listener, however, this album puts a slightly more modern, beat oreinted face on Kraftwerk with an amazing result (not that Kraftwerk's classic releases weren't amazing, too). This is the most complex electronic music that I have ever heard, with layers upon layers of programmed rythem and instrumentation. The result is perfectly orchestrated without being stiff, and fast without being repetitive. I can listen to this album time after time, and it never gets boring. The first song alone is well worth the purchase price (and try playing that Russian sample at the beginning backwards for a cool hidden message!).

If there were one CD that I could take into outer space with me, this would be the one. I would reccomend it as a good starting point for people new to Kraftwerk, and to longtime fans.

WE ARE PROGRAMMED JUST TO DO

ANYTHING YOU WANT US TO,

WE ARE THE ROBOTS.

As the 90's were opening up as a musical decade, many of the artists of the time were openly acknowledging their debt to Kraftwerk. Be it the fresh wave of Electronica or sample-happy hip-hoppers, Kraftwerk music was being exposed as a root source. So Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider did what any good forbearer would do, and that was compile some of their most influential tracks.

But "The Mix" considerably upped the ante. Taking the original programs and running them through more modern equipment, Kraftwerk retro-fitted these songs for the dance-floor. I know some of the purists blanched at this move, but on many of the songs, it is a marked improvement. "Radio-Activity" becomes a dance monster with its beefier sounds, and an already terrific "The Robots" suddenly has muscle. Both "Autobahn" and "Trans Europe Express" show their progressive roots as originals in a genre that Kraftwerk all but defined as far back as 1974 (with the original

). The whole idea of making ambient tracks that simulated a 30 minute car or train ride and passing it off as popular music was groundbreaking then, and on "The Mix," still sounds hypnotic and gorgeous.

Since Kraftwerk has yet to release a proper best of in the USA, then this suffices nicely. They aren't the most prolific of bands (in the last three decades, it has been "

," "

," and "

"), so "The Mix" will help you pass the years between albums. Makes for great driving music as well.

In 1991, Kraftwerk released a compilation called "The Mix," an album containing some of their past hits reworked. I like some of the original versions over these newer ones. Even though some the newer versions aren't as good as the originals, they're still pretty enjoyable, just as long as there's still quality found in these tunes.

Tracks include "Pocket Calculator." This version may not beat the original from 1981. But it's still a nice version. The original seemed better cause the guy who says the lyrics to the song, "I'm the operator with my pocket calculator. (x2) I am adding... and subtracting... I'm controlling... and composing..." sounded more enthusiastic than this 1991 version. This newer version is more danceable than the original. There's also "Pocket Calculator"'s Japanese version, "Dentaku," after the English version. Instead of having the vocalist from the previous track, robots are saying the lyrics for this track. "Radioactivity" is another tune on this CD. The 1975 classic has mutated into a dance anthem. Not only do I like this over the original, but this is one of my favorites on the album. Another tune featured in the compilation is "Music Non Stop." I love the percussion used in this song. The track also includes lyrics from "Boing Boom Tschak." Other tracks on this CD are "Trans Europe Express," "Abzug," and "Metal On Metal." The music starts at "Trans Europe Express," continues through "Abzug," and doesn't stop till the end of "Metal On Metal," leaving no blank gaps in between tracks. The beats used in the three tracks are dope. There's also "Home Computer," "Computer Love," "Autobahn," and "The Robots."

Sometimes, coming up with new versions for songs is risky. But it all depends on the final outcome of the remade song. There are times where a remade song doesn't match or exceed the quality of its original. But even if they aren't as good as the originals, that still doesn't mean they can't be good songs. As long as there can be quality found in remade songs, that's okay. Overall, I like what I heard in this CD.