Roedelius

Prolific German pianist and composer Hans-Joachim Roedelius was fundamental to the development of so-called Krautrock and “kosmische” (cosmic) music. Born in Berlin in 1934, Roedelius suffered under Nazism; after WWII, an attempt to defect from East Germany in 1953 cost him two years in prison. After finally reaching West Berlin in 1961, he worked odd jobs before forming the crackling self-described “actionist” improv trio Kluster with Dieter Moebius and Conrad Schnitzler in 1970. Following the latter’s departure, Roedelius and Moebius continued as Cluster, recording psychedelic synth-pop—including the audacious Zuckerzeit (Sugar Time) and the tenderly melodic Sowiesoso (Anyway). He also joined Moebius and Neu! guitarist Michael Rother in the short-lived trio Harmonia. Roedelius adopted a more minimal approach on some four dozen solo releases (in addition to almost as many collaborative recordings), beginning with 1978’s arid Durch die Wüste (Through the Desert) and extending through his Farfisa-focused Selbstportrait series of ambient, atmospheric and nearly subliminal solo works that Roedelius continued into the 2020s.