The themes of Trans-Europe Express were influenced by friends who suggested writing songs about the Trans Europe Express to reflect Kraftwerk's electronic music style. Critics have described the album as having two specific themes: celebration of Europe and the disparities between reality and image. Musically, the songs on this album differ from the group's earlier Krautrock style with a focus on electronic mechanized rhythms, minimalism, and occasional manipulated vocals. Read more on Last.fm.
Kraftwerk ("power plant" in English) is an electronic band founded in 1970 in Düsseldorf, Germany. They pioneered electronic music in the 70s and are considered the most important and influential band of their genre, often described as "the godfathers of electronic music". Kraftwerk's sound is minimalistic and strictly electronic; it combines driving, repetitive rhythms with catchy melodies and vocals usually sung through a vocoder. The current line-up consists of Ralf Hütter (the only original member) Read more on Last.fm
The first track and entire B-side rank among the greatest music of the 1970s, and electronic music in general. Not crazy about “Hall of Mirrors” or “Showroom Dummies” – they’re cool conceptually, but any Kraftwerk track that focuses too heavily on vocals sounds horribly dated to modern ears. Don’t let that deter you from hearing this album if you never have, though. Its reputation as one of the monolithic records of early electronic music is well-deserved.