Episode 566 is POPOL VUH. They are categorized as a Krautrock band but the German word term for it, “kosmische Musik,” fits better as they are cited as pioneers of “space music.” And electronic music too, as their first two albums featured the Moog synthesizer. But then leader Florian Fricke set that aside for piano and guitars, creating ambient soundscapes and textures with ethereal, at times spiritual, dimensions and non-European percussion and vocals. Fricke was close with Werner Herzog and composed soundtracks to several of his films. Among the Krautrock groups, Popol Vuh’s approach was closer to Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel (as contrasted with Kraftwerk and Neu!). But the artist I find most similar in sound is Mike Oldfield. Like Oldfield (and Manuel Göttsching) Fricke mastered that lovely high pitch warbly guitar tone. Popol Vuh was a progenitor of world music and New Age, but I must make clear that I would not identify Popol Vuh with either of those genres as they came to be known. I adore 1970s electronic/ambient music but get turned off by the “New Age” style it evolved to by the 1990s (I’m looking at you Tangerine Dream).
Favorite album: Einsjäger und Siebenjäger
Favorite song: Hosianna Mantra
Compared to expectations: ↑
Recommendation: Most everything is good here. The early electronic albums have their appeal, but I like the mid-1970s spiritual stuff the best. Least are the late 1990s albums which start to sound New Age-y.
Opus Project 