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Flammende Herzen

Artist: Rother, Michael
Label: Sky Records
Catalog#: Sky 007
Format: LP
Country: Germany
Released: 1977
Tracklist
A1 Flammende Herzen 7:02
A2 Zyklodrom 9:36
B1 Karussell 5:22
B2 Feuerland 7:04
B3 Zeni 5:09
Credits

Artwork [Realisation] – Rike (2)
Drums – Jaki Liebezeit
Engineer [Toning] – C. Plank*
Guitar, Electric Piano [El. Piano], Guitar [Dehgitarre], Bass, Synthesizer, Organ, Percussion [El. Percussion], Music By – Michael Rother
Mastered By – PF*
Photography By [Cover Foto] – Ann*
Photography By [Laser + Foto Ruckseite] – Christian Rabe (2)
Producer – Plank*, Rother*

Notes

Recorded June - September '76
Published By – German News Musikverlag
Recorded At – Conny's Studio
Mastered At – Tonstudio Pfanz

Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Following his time with Neu! and Harmonia, Michael Rother turned to a solo career, releasing a series of albums on the Sky label during the late 70s and early 80s. First up was Flammende Herzen, ("Flaming Hearts"), in 1977. Recorded with Conny Plank, the album also marked the beginning of Rother's relationship with drummer Jaki Liebezeit of Can. Purely instrumental, the album features Rother's signature guitar work. Pure in tone and simple in execution, the title track expertly layers each guitar part, creating a gentle, poignant mood that's eventually boosted by Liebezeit's drumming. "Zyklodrom" follows with a big synth, yielding to strumming guitar, before again bursting open when the drums kick in. Layered with various sonic textures, simple melodies predominate, propelled by a motorik beat. The overall feel to Rother's music is both stirring and uplifting, and indeed, heartening. "Karussell" is similar, but the more minimal landscape and drum machine beat of "Feuerland" is a little starker. "Zeni" closes, driven by Liebezeit's quick beat. In 1978, the album would become the soundtrack to a film of the same name, from director Walter Bockmayer. Rother's next album, Sterntaler, also appeared the following year, while the excellent Katzenmusik saw release in 1979. Both were successful, in fact, the guitarist was voted Musician of the Year by readers of Germany's longstanding Sounds magazine. By the early 80s, though, Rother had signed with Polydor Records and ventured away from the guitar-dominated work of the Sky albums, yet onto continued musical success.
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