by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Compost Records write: “Rainer Buchmüller aka Fred und Luna sadly passed away in January 2024 after a long illness. He was a kind-hearted person, gifted artist, friend and companion. We mourn him deeply. A few days before his death, Rainer Buchmüller had sent us the track listing for Vol. 3 (and already ideas for Vol. 4), with the request to publish this posthumously, he would be very happy if his fans and all those who will be would receive a “sign of life” from him.

The tracks are all German – of course – and are drawn from the 1970s and 1980s, and Buchmüller builds on the first two volumes of the series with a third that pushes the envelope of ‘krauty’ elements still further.

What’s the music like?

This compilation is a lot of fun, the chosen tracks displaying invention, wit, charm and enough rhythmic drive to get any stubborn dancefloor on the move.

The highlights are many, beginning with Christian Nainggolan’s Nachtraucher, a really good percussive heavyweight. The grooves are infectious, no more so than on Die Wilde Jagd’s Austerlitz, an excellent, sabre tooth groove. Water Map, a Fred und Luna collaboration with Organza Ray, is a propulsive winner, with its bubbling bass, spoken word and shady trumpet.

Sula Bassana’s Space Taxi is suitably cosmic, while Die Orangen’s Lost In The Center harks back to a slow 80s electro boomer. Meine Muse, from Philipp Johann Thimm, is ghostly, while Puma & The Dolphin’s Nuances is excellent, typifying the original rhythms and humour running through this compilation.

Does it all work?

It does – a wide variety of styles and approaches make this a consistently rewarding compilation.

Is it recommended?

It is. Rainer Buchmüller had very sound instincts when it came to choosing a compilation, and this third volume of Future Sounds of Kraut complements the first two beautifully. Make sure you catch all three!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,447 – Sunday 16 February 2025