PopTips

Kraftwerk's Retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art

Continuing a mystique that began in 1970, Kraftwerk performed a series of retrospectives at New York's Museum of Modern Art, proving that aging men in full-body suits can be cool.

Kraftwerk at MoMA

Thoughtful Dancing: Mouse on Mars's "Parastrophics"

Mouse on Mars's tenth record, “Parastrophics,” finds an illusive musical spot, to which the now legendary German electronic duo has consistently returned for going on twenty years: a place both provocative of thought and, unexpectedly, dancing.

MoM's Parastrophics

Bear Family Records's Two Nominations: Between the Cracks at the Grammys

Bear Family Records, a small German record company that reissues old recordings for audiophiles and collectors, recently waded into a large spotlight: One of their releases, “Bristol Sessions,” stands nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Bear Family

Tracky Birthday's "New Album"

Categorizing Stuttgart musician Tracky Birthday's “New Album” is difficult. In his words: “But in general I dislike genre tags because so far I haven't found a fitting one to describe my music, and one of the questions I fear the most is 'so what kind of music do you make?'” Still, I asked.

Tracky Birthday

Uncomplex Delicacy: Talking with Berlin's Yukon Orange

The Berlin duo Yukon Orange make a deceptively simple, humorous electronic pop music with synthesizers and voice, whose delicacy sneaks up on you. Germany.info recently interviewed them.

Yukon Orange

Just Doing Music: A Conversation with Hans-Joachim Roedelius

Musician Hans-Joachim Roedelius was fundamental in inventing electronic music in late 1960s Berlin. In the interim 40 years, part of which he spent with seminal experimental band Cluster, he released mountains of music. Last week, he sat down with Germany.info to chat.

Roedelius

A Warm Cup of Noise in Neukölln

“ohrenhoch – The Noise Shop,” a sound gallery in Berlin's Neukölln, offers its visitors a taste of noise and even an opportunity for their kids to learn the secrets behind experimental and avant-garde electronic music. Stop by for sounds and special tea every Sunday.

ohrenhoch - The Noise Shop

Electronic Music Pioneer Conrad Schnitzler Dies at 74

Electronic musician Conrad Schnitzler passed away from stomach cancer on August 4, 2011. Schnitzler cut new paths for a brand of music whose style was as innovative as its legacy was lasting, among other things helping to lay the foundation for a popular type of music called Krautrock. He was 74 years old.

Conrad Schnitzler: 1937 – 2011

Between Notes: A Conversation with Jazz Bassist Pascal Niggenkemper

German jazz bassist Pascal Niggenkemper has been playing music his entire life. But it was the space between notes, opened through jazz music, which ignited his muse and eventually landed him in Brooklyn. We sat down with him recently to talk about life, jazz and concerts on couches.

Pascal Niggenkemper

Step into German

“Step into German”, a pop music website created by the Goethe Institut in San Francisco and the American Association of Teachers of German, makes learning German more fun for middle and high school students. With lots of videos and audio features, it's also a great way to discover German bands.

Step into German

POPCAST – Music from Germany

At the beginning of every month the Goethe-Institut and Zündfunk showcase the latest rock, pop, hiphop, and electro music by riveting off-the-charts bands. It can also be downloaded by subscription.

Popcast

Let's All Roll Up Our Sleeves and Increase the Gross National Product

With "Bruttosozialprodukt" (gross national product) the group Geier Sturzflug, part of the Neue Deutsche Welle, made it to the top of the charts for several weeks in 1983 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

GDP Pop Hit