The Mix

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
This 1991 Kraftwerk collection of often drastically remixed "greatest hits" offers a good, if slightly skewed, overview of the Dusseldorf legends' career. Inspired by the band's continuing influence on modern pop, dance and techno, founders Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter tweak Kraftwerk's sonic foundations with the intention of making their music more club-friendly. While some of the faithful have lamented the tinkering, iThe Mix/i presents a distinct, typically idiosyncratic take on modern club music. It also represents the way Kraftwerk usually sounds in their infrequent live forays; witness the reworking of "Radioactivity" into an unexpected (the band has been notably apolitical) antinuclear statement aimed largely at Britain's Sellafield installation. iThe Mix/i bows to trend in concept only; the execution is pure Kraftwerk. i--Jerry McCulley/i

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From Amazon.com
This 1991 Kraftwerk collection of often drastically remixed "greatest hits" offers a good, if slightly skewed, overview of the Dusseldorf legends' career. Inspired by the band's continuing influence on modern pop, dance, and techno, founders Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter tweak Kraftwerk's sonic foundations with the intention of making their music more club-friendly. While some of the faithful have lamented the tinkering, IThe Mix/I presents a distinct, typically idiosyncratic take on modern club music. It also represents the way Kraftwerk usually sounds in their infrequent live forays; witness the reworking of "Radioactivity" into an unexpected (the band has been notably apolitical) antinuclear statement aimed largely at Britain's Sellafield installation. IThe Mix/I bows to trend in concept only; the execution is pure Kraftwerk. I--Jerry McCulley/I

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Customer reviews

review by: sesoim date: 2008-07-30 rating:
Kraftwerk: New and improved!
This CD, released in 1991, is the CD that really got me into Kraftwerk. The production and sound is excellent, and some of the mixes are superb (Computer Love, although long, is my favourite). br / br /While some of the original 1970s albums sound very dated, the versions here still sound fresh, 17 years on. For some reason the album sounds especially good in your car at night time! br / br /If you've never bought a Kraftwerk album before, start with this one! br /

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review by: tomstickland date: 2007-02-09 rating:
Must have the originals too.
This was my first Krafwerk purchase back in the early 90s and I listened to it over and over again. They suceeded in smoothing out and updating their well known tunes into a consistent mix package. I subsequently purchased the original 70s albums and was at first a bit disappointed with them. However I've grown to love the originals in a way that I can't love The Mix. In many cases they have more groove in their slightly wonky way and you can't help but marvel that they could make such sharp electronic and minimalist music in the 70s, the age of prog rock. The Mix is colder, harder and much more smoothed out. br / br /That said, the album is worth it for Pocket Calculator alone. Other highlights for me are Autobahn, Trans Europe Express with it's mesmerising middle section made of out metallic noises and Home Computer. That's half the album then! The other tracks are fine, the low point for me being Computer Love which just seems to run on and on with the original charm removed. br / br /All said, this is a very good album, but make sure you listen to the originals too.

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review by: date: 2006-04-11 rating:
Not Bad But Not Good
The Mix was/is a strange beast. It was Ralf and Florian's attempt to update their sound. By the time of its release in the Summer of 1991, the world was wise to Kraftwerk and the tumbling costs of musical technology meant that everyone was catching up with them and in some cases surpassing them, e.g. Depeche Mode's Violator released the year before. The main milestone (apart from the updated sound) of the release was that in effect the band were now down to a duo, Wolfgang Flur having left the year after their last proper album Electric Café was released way back in 1986. Karl Bartos had diligently worked on digitising all of Kraftwerk's arsenal of sounds for this album and then he decided to jump ship. Who can blame him? The band had the world at their feet, waiting with baited breath for their next move and all they could release was a rehash of their old material. Considering they go into Kling Klang everyday, it seems strange.pAs for the music; some of the new versions are more successful than others. For instance, Autobahn sounds great in its new guise, as does Radioactivity. However, Pocket Calculator is almost unrecognizable. It would be another 9 years before any new material came out of Düsseldorf, the single EXPO 2000 and another three before a new album, Tour De France Soundtracks appeared in 2003.pIf you want to get into Kraftwerk, get the "classics" first - Computer World, Man Machine, Trans Europe Express. This is interesting, but not essential.pThe live set Minimum Maximum released a year or so ago is also an interesting purchase, a live album yes, but due to the way Kraftwerk "perform", it is in all but name, The Mix 2.

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review by: Tony Banyer date: 2005-08-14 rating:
A Re-Worked Condensed "History of Kraftwerk"
On initial listening , many of the tracks on this Album are "dissapointing" if you KNOW the original versions - which span approx 18 years of Kraftwerk's Musical history.pBut as you re-listen to the album you start to realise that the versions are actually neither GOOD or BAD , but DIFFERENT...!!pThe re-working of Computer Love , shows a song can work as both a Ballad (the Orig.) and a dancier track (This Version).pStill masters of their art , this album may not appeal to Original "Purist" KW fans , but it was actually aimed more at a 1991 audience who had not been around 17 years earlier , and probably would prefer the Newer Re-recorded versions , than the Originals anyway.pWith the single " The Model" (on Man Machine ALBUM) 1st released in 1978 , but didn't hit #1 till 1981 , maybe this album is much the same . pIt grows on you after repeated listenings.pI find it is better not compared to the Original versions but taken as an album in its own right.


review by: date: 2003-12-30 rating:
Hypnotically addictive...
This album should carry a serious health warning: its insidious melodies will etch themselves into your brain... it will demand repetitive, possibly obsessive listening... it's often bizarre arrangements may well lead you to seriously question the quality of your musical appreciation faculties... it will generate a potentially expensive need to buy other less satisfying Kraftwerk albums... and... for anyone over 40, it may well induce serious concerns about your sanity from friends, family acquaintances.br brUpdated, remixed and, with few exceptions, much better versions of Kraftwerk originals packaged into a cohesive and very different "best of" album, "The Mix" is early 1990's electronic dance music at its hypnotic best... but beware, buying this record may result in undesirable side-effects.

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