Ash Ra Tempel-Join Inn (1973)

Ash Ra Tempel are the quintessential krautrock. Their musical style wasn't based on structured or pre-planned compositions; this band was the complete opposite: pure improvisation. What might sound like a chaotic mess of each instrument playing on its own, in Ash Ra Tempel functioned like a perfectly oiled machine. Formed in Berlin in 1970, Ash Ra Tempel are one of the most formidable groups to have ever existed, a colossal and powerful force, almost superhuman in some ways, with three virtuoso musicians led by guitarist Manuel Gottsching. The lineup also included former Tangerine Dream drummer and synthesizer player Klaus Schulze and bassist Harmut Enke. All their albums are considered classics of krautrock and progressive rock. But "Ash Ra Tempel" and "Join Inn" are their best works. The term "jam band" is generally synonymous with spontaneous stoner jams like the Grateful Dead, but Ash Ra Tempel is undoubtedly the band that has best navigated this field; they never worried too much about rehearsals, so by nature their compositions were not premeditated. Their first album, “Ash Ra Tempel” (1971), contains two extensive tracks where the cosmic and atmospheric soundscape has a distinctly psychedelic feel. Side A features the energetic and dramatic “Amboss”, while side B is much more atmospheric, with “Traummaschine”. “Join Inn” (1973) has an identical structure but is definitely much more accessible. The sound is also more readily digestible, and unlike the first album, Schulze takes center stage, imbuing the pieces with a more ambient style. “Join Inn” is somewhat similar to the debut album, with one side featuring a powerful power trio jam, “Freak’n’Roll”. This long suite unfolds with gentle interludes, building to a climax with blistering guitars and a powerful rhythm section featuring incredibly precise and powerful drumming and a dominant, energetic bass. The second side... The 25-minute ambient experiment “Jenseits” features spacious sounds and grand tones beautifully achieved by Schulze's synthesizers and Rosi Muller's haunting yet exquisitely beautiful vocals. “Ash Ra Tempel” and “Join Inn” are undoubtedly two of the most devastating recordings of all time.