Kraftwerk - The Catalogue

The undeniably drool-worthy Kraftwerk box set five years in the making is set to be released in North America in november.

Some unreleased stuff, tons of new artwork, and best of all, all eight official albums (the first three seem to have been erased :( ) in perfect digital Kling-Klang sound. $120.

Autobahn

Radioactivity

TEE

The Man-Machine

Computer World

Techno-pop (formerly electric cafe)

The Mix

Tour de France Soundtracks

!*JIzZZSS*!

I'm curious to hear how different they sound compared to the cds/lps I already own, but I doubt that I'm going to get this. I believe that I read somewhere that there will be alternative and extended mixes of some of the songs.

I couldn't see spending so much to buy their catalogue again, when the difference will probably be relatively small. Kraftwerk has always been known for having great sound quality on their releases. I'm sure these new ones will sound better than the originals, but the originals sound good enough for me...

true, kling klang has always been an amazing studio in terms of the quality of sound, however, i can imagine both autobahn and radioactivity sounding incredibly improved. later ones perhaps not. and yes extended mixes will be included.

Wicked. I don't know what else to say other than that, haha.

Well that's something, other than warp 20 box set.

Hope it is available in LP.

I only have the man machine, so I'm in.

  On 10/8/2009 at 10:29 AM, Otto Krat said:

Well that's something, other than warp 20 box set.

 

Hope it is available in LP.

right. i forgot to add that. the CD version will be $120. there will be an ultra heavy vinyl release but I imagine that the price would be higher.

I've had The Catalogue on FLAC for a long time, taken from the promo-only Kling Klang/EMI issue in 2004. Assuming they are the same remasters, the sound quality is, generally speaking, massively improved. Comparing the old and new Computer World is like comparing night and day. There is a tiny amount of artefacting here and there from the cleanup process but you have to listen really closely to pick it out. Well worth investing in. Can't wait to get my hands on the new vinyl.

Also, Ralf has stated in several interviews that the first three albums are also being dusted off and issued separately with new documentation, period photos etc. I'm probably more excited about that than the later albums!

Tempting for sure, though I've never had a problem with how my TEE, Man Machine and Computer World discs sound. If anything, I'm sure the packaging will be minimally awesome.

I'm assuming these will be the English versions?

The Catalogue and Der Katalog are both availible.

This is interesting for me as I don't have any Kraftwerk release.

Digital re-masters are digital rip-offs. Kraftwerk, please create some new music. We already own any of this stuff that matters.

Speak for yerself

  On 10/8/2009 at 7:18 PM, chunky said:

Digital re-masters are digital rip-offs. Kraftwerk, please create some new music. We already own any of this stuff that matters.

I don't know if I'd want anything new really, not sure what it would end up sounding like and I would hate to see them tarnish the classic and influential stuff they've done. Plus one of the founding members (Florian) is out now anyway, wouldn't be the same...

Are these remasters actually coming with any bonus material (demos/remixes/etc?) or is it just bonus sleeve notes, pictures and the remastering?

  On 10/8/2009 at 7:44 PM, The Green Kingdom said:

  On 10/8/2009 at 7:18 PM, chunky said:

Digital re-masters are digital rip-offs. Kraftwerk, please create some new music. We already own any of this stuff that matters.

I don't know if I'd want anything new really, not sure what it would end up sounding like and I would hate to see them tarnish the classic and influential stuff they've done. Plus one of the founding members (Florian) is out now anyway, wouldn't be the same...

they are reportedly also working on a new album due out in 2010. without florian....

also like i said in the OP, there will be unreleased material as well. extended mixes and new cuts.

  On 10/8/2009 at 7:44 PM, The Green Kingdom said:

  On 10/8/2009 at 7:18 PM, chunky said:

Digital re-masters are digital rip-offs. Kraftwerk, please create some new music. We already own any of this stuff that matters.

I don't know if I'd want anything new really, not sure what it would end up sounding like and I would hate to see them tarnish the classic and influential stuff they've done. Plus one of the founding members (Florian) is out now anyway, wouldn't be the same...

florian isn't touring any more

dont kill the messenger but Florian LEFT the band...

http://kraftwerk.technopop.com.br/news_recent.php

well shit

ripped this open this morning. fantastic gift from my mum. GREAT SOUNDING. Holy shit. Kraftwerk pretty much understood where things were headed. Fantastic LP sized booklets for each album with amazing rare pics of the band and the robots.

RECOMMENDED!

it's... revisionist beautiful

the trans-europe express and menschmaschine packaging nearly made me weep. really, you can't argue with that.

also, props for keeping/restoring emil schult's pic on the autobahn packaging

are there separate german/english releases for this? you can't beat a bit of kraftwerk in the original german

It's great. I compared my old radioactivity to this new one and I felt in fact less artifacts and deeper bass, and just a fuller mix.

Also Kraftwerk's whole odd aesthetic is very revisionist. They were always into improving and re-imagining. How do you explain The Mix? For some odd reason it works with Kraftwerk. With any other band pulling shit like this, i.e. re-naming albums, new photos, new track divisions, I would be upset, but Kraftwerk.... i dunno, it just works.

In my opinion, that whole kind of revisionist thing works well with Kraftwerk because they don't treat themselves as a band but as an organisation. Some kind of active, evolving, ever-improving system.