Guru Guru –
Rotate! (Trance Music)
A 50th anniversary and an album of new material from
original Guru Guru member Mani Neumeier (drums and vocals), together with
longtime cohorts Peter Kühmstedt, Roland Schaeffer, and Jan Lindqvist. Of
course, they’re best known for their early, mostly instrumental albums, usually
recorded for the legendary Brain label and
considered to be some of the finest albums recorded during the first wave of
Krautrock - and were major influences on a variety of artists, including
Spaceman 3, Ruins and Nurse With Wound.
Guru Guru circa 2018 aren’t quite the sonic revolutionaries they
were in their prime, but Rotate! does more than enough things right - and
nowadays, for the majority, they’re probably an easier band to get a handle on.
Without a doubt, tracks like the splendidly titled jazz-space-rocker ‘Rollo
Riff’ and the percussion heavy title cut are still far from an easy listen, but
even at their most challenging, they possess grooves that get under the skin.
They’re really quite addictive.
What’s also appealing is the variety of styles they employ - and
the humour with which they’ve been tackled. Examples are plentiful: ‘Digital
Analog’ is positively playful before transforming beautifully into a spacey
Middle Eastern inspired jam. Which leads nicely into ‘Paramashivam’, almost a
second part to the previous track, though the vibe is completely changed. ‘I Am
A Spaceboy’ might be the most perfectly titled of all the songs on Rotate! It’s
slow, bluesy groove maybe a little unexpected, but with its gurgling synth
washes and sci-fi mutterings, it’s makes for a faultless finale.
Rollo
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