Big idea? Kraftwerk combine visuals and music to explore the boundary between man and machine. Credit: AFP/DDP/ALEX BUCHER

Kraftwerk

Despite their differences, science and art evolve in quite similar ways. Long periods of gradual and detailed explorations are occasionally disrupted by sudden jumps that take us to new spaces of scientific understanding or artistic exploration. One such jump, in the evolution of electronic music, was provided by the German band Kraftwerk. As part of their latest world tour, and their most extensive for 23 years, Kraftwerk performed a live show in Frankfurt on 7 April 2004, and will play in the United States, Canada and across Europe before the tour ends in June.

Inspired by the German composer and father of electronic music Karlheinz Stockhausen, Kraftwerk were among the first bands to create modern electronic compositions outside the ‘classical’ music scene. The quartet achieved world fame some 30 years ago with a series of now-acclaimed electronic albums including Autobahn, The Man-Machine and Computer World. This work laid the foundation for the subsequent development and diversification of house, ambient and other forms of modern electronic music. Kraftwerk's music explores human relationships with science and technology, in an attempt to redefine the role of technology in our daily lives.

After their significant contribution to early electronic music, Kraftwerk became less influential for a couple of decades. But their new album, Tour de France Soundtracks, sees a return to their progressive standards as they bring their glamorous electronic sound to the faster beats of modern house music. In their live performances, the music is complemented by dazzling digital visual arts.

The curtain lifts to the sound of The Man-Machine, revealing four figures in black suits who control the music on their laptops. It doesn't matter that they remain motionless, as your attention is immediately caught by combinations of the words ‘Man’ and ‘Machine’ on gigantic screens at the back. The visual style echoes Soviet imagery, with few colours and plain but compelling messages.

As the show unfolds, the music pays tribute to several forms of transportation, with Autobahn and Trans-Europe Express. The band also focus on their own favourite means of transport: the bicycle. Digitally edited footage of the Tour de France leads to songs about aerodynamic design and heart physiology. As the lyrics turn to nutrition, a rain of brightly coloured vitamin pills turn slowly and eventually dissolve behind the artists.

The track Radio-activity is a powerful political warning about the risks associated with the generation and accumulation of nuclear waste. The strong message is supported by fascinating images of chain reactions and intimidating radioactivity warning symbols. The show moves into the world of calculations and mathematics with songs such as Numbers, with its multilingual recitations and projections of numerical sequences, and Pocket Calculator, in which electronic signals of arithmetic operations are converted into playful melodies.

For the encore, the four musicians are replaced by robotic counterparts. Ironically, the robots are much more active than their human equivalents and seem to enjoy moving around to The Robots. Later, on a dark stage, four fluorescent-green silhouettes reveal that the artists are back. They finally disappear one by one, leaving us with the rhythm of Musique Non Stop.

Kraftwerk have certainly evolved. Their stunning visual work is part of a new and original artistic style that supports their message about the role of technology in our lives. The overall concept, however, has stayed the same. The musicians invite us to see not only pure functionality but also beauty in the world of science and technology.

→ http://www.kraftwerk.de