RAMPAGE! I'm in love with this stuff. Thick guitar basslines, tweaked synths, angsty vocals, drums, actual germans... 

End of line...

German EBM (Electronic Body Music) pioneers, Liaisons Dangereuses are goin' for it full throttle on this track. This particular live version was filmed in Manchester in 1982. Acid synthlines abound, making this track a landmark Chicago/Detroit precursor. iSpy my favorite synth duo the Korg MS-20 and MS-50. 

Synth goddess and band co-founder Beate Bartel was also one of the original members of the avant-garde band Einstürzende Neubauten. This next live version was filmed at a music festival in Düsseldorf. Check out pink hair at 1:21!!

For comparison purposes, I've also included a still frame video for the 12" version.

Hot chicks singing over synth punk???! Sexually charged lyrics, punk angst and synthy goodness earn Malaria! (and others like Honey Bane, The Slits and Pylon) a cherished place in my cybernetic heart.  It all happened during a very brief period of time when hot, punk-rocking chicks teamed up with dub producers and took the disco by storm.

SCHEMATIC: A veritable cornucopia of punk disco...

Honey Bane - Guilty (Dub) (1980)

Honey Bane - Guilty (Vocal) (1980)

Pylon - Cool (1979)

The Slits - I Heard It Through The Grapevine/Bassline (1979)

Chew on this dark wave nugget for a while.

SCHEMATIC: Limited edition repress, original female vocal version and more videos...

Flucht was one of my very first blog posts. There is something about this song that works its way into your bones. Josh Cheon of Dark Entries Records in SF just did a limited, hyper-quality repress of the Heute EP including the superior German version of Flucht. For $13, you'd be nuts not to grab one while they're still in supply. Josh also wrote up his great interview with Stephen Kraemer of Zwischenfall.

Flucht (Female Vocal Version) (1984)

The female vocal version of Flucht was actually the b-side of the Sandy Eyes single released on Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule and Italo champ Fuzz Dance.

Sandy Eyes (1984)

This song has a much warmer, almost pre-balearic feel to it and was NOT on the Heute EP.

Atemlos (1983)

Are you kidding me???!!! This song is ridiculous. It is shocking to me how many people who LOVE Kraftwerk have never even heard this song. Just in case there was ANY doubt in your mind as to the genius of these boys from Düsseldorf, this lead song off their 1970 eponymous debut album should clear it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbK1GulvSDQ

I spent two hours combing youtube for every worthwhile version of this song including two additional live performances. One is from Germany in 1975 and the other is a pre-Kraftwerk (Organisation) performance complete with...congas!!! Each offers a unique glimpse into the inner nerd.

SCHEMATIC: V-I-D-E-O-S...

Pre-Kraftwerk (Organisation) Live, 1970

Live in Germany, 1975