Ikarus-Ikarus (1971)

Ikarus was a short-lived German band formed in Hamburg in the late 1960s. Their roots lay in the cover band Beatique in Corporation, which specialized in versions of rock and pop classics from the 1950s and 60s. After winning an award that included them on the MCA label compilation album "Pop and Blues Festival 70," they changed their name to Ikarus and simultaneously shifted their style towards more experimental territory. Their lineup consisted of singer Lorenz Kohler, bassist Wolfgang Kracht, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Jochen Petersen, drummer Bernd Schroder, guitarist Manfred Schulz, and keyboardist Wulf Dieter Struntz. The vast majority of these musicians had classical conservatory training. Although Ikarus were German and situated amidst the emerging krautrock movement, they were more in tune with the British scene than with the German movement. Instead of the expansive psychedelic atmospheres typical of krautrock, they sought sounds more oriented towards progressive blues rock. Their only album, released in 1971, contained four long, distinct tracks, demonstrating Ikarus's eclectic musical mastery. The opening track, "Eclipse", is a progressive heavy rock song with a dominant organ, symphonic arrangements, and great guitar riffs. "Mesentery" is much more complex, with passages reminiscent of Van Der Graaf Generator and moments of intense heavy rock. Meanwhile, "Early Bell's Voice" is a more conventional progressive composition with mellotron, drums, and saxophone in a rich instrumental interplay and expansive symphonic developments.