Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Just like with Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh and quite a few Kosmischers, their earliest steps are psyche in its unalloyed, raw ore form. This just won't do for most. Cluster, back when they were Kluster, made most Industrial acts look chirpy, with Bible recitations over the most primordial and painful of electronics (the Bible passages were part of a deal they made with some Christian cats to fund the records). The effect works wonders for me. I almost invariably (Vuh's Affenstude excepted) prefer the early uncompromising Kraut to the later cleaner strains. That said, Cluster's Zuckerzeit is my most-played album of theirs. I love how the beats are just slightly out of sync, and all the day-glo melodicism of the whole thing. It's arguably more singular than the earlier cavernous electro-Troglodyte music in its own way. Their first album since they dropped the K and picked up a C is quite intense. Really, even after their heyday, they were always worth listening to- i.e. 2009's Qua. More consistent than your Tang Dreams, for sure. Czech out Harmonia if you haven't, of course, and the rarely talked about Liliental.