New Deutsch

• Artist: Various Artists
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 12, 2003
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Here is your dance-punk. For several active producers and groups in 2003, if not entire label rosters (such as Clone, Ersatz Audio, Interdimensional Transmissions, and even DFA), New Deutsch might be akin to finding out about several not-so-distant elder relatives. You can't blame these people for not knowing this part of history -- to most people outside (and most likely inside) Germany, almost every single group present on this disc was a nonentity prior to this compilation. Put together by Thomas Bär and DJ Hell -- whose Gigolo label is paying off a sizeable creative debt here -- New Deutsch functions as the Nuggets for German new wave/post-punk, with synthesizers and rhythm boxes replacing guitars and psychedelics as key components. Though it's obviously important to note that the whole thing is filled with energizing dance music played with rigid punk spirit, it's equally significant that the included German chart hits are often indistinguishable from the limited-pressing underground truffles. To budding post-punk and industrial historians, names like der Plan, D.A.F., and maybe even Pyrolator will be well-known, but it's not just these groups that offer up the best material. Two Grauzone tunes come out on top, while being quite different from one another: the echo-heavy "Film 2" is little more than a battering, rubbery machine rhythm and odd mouth noises, on par with the best Cabaret Voltaire. Later on, the swaggering new wave of "Eisbär" (a 500,000-plus seller in Europe) comes along, with a straight-ahead human drums/human bass rhythm interrupted by the occasional slash of guitar. Twenty-four cuts in all, with few duds in the crop. This is essential listening for a number of people, whether you're into the first or nth wave of post-punk, or if you think that Germany's contributions to '80s pop were limited to Kraftwerk and Nena. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
VEB Heimat			(2:25)
Neon			(2:06)
Film 2	Stephan Eicher, Martin Eicher	Grauzone	(3:37)
Commerce Extérieur Mondial Sentimental	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher, Moritz "RRR" Reichelt	Der Plan	(2:40)
Ich Komme Aus Der DDR			(4:57)
Suicide Commando	Daniel Darc	No More	(3:18)
Herzlos			(2:00)
Erde 80		Christof Glowalla	(4:55)
Kinder Aus Asbest			(3:11)
Engelstür			(2:24)
Tanz Mit Mir	Gabi Delgado	D.A.F.	(3:09)
Zauberstab			(3:59)
Plastik		Keine Ahnung	(4:28)
Die Gesunden Kommen			(3:39)
Ein Jahr (Es Geht Voran)		Fehlfarben	(2:54)
Leb Doch	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher, Moritz "RRR" Reichelt	Der Plan	(2:09)
Max	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher	Pyrolator	(3:16)
Spiel Ohne Worte			(3:24)
Die Haut Der Frau	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher	Pyrolator	(3:08)
Eisbär	Martin Eicher	Grauzone	(4:14)
Ein Weihnachtsmann Kommt in Die Disko	Kurt Dahlke	Pyrolator	(4:20)
Zeittunnel		Die Hornissen	(2:37)
Gold und Silber	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher	Pyrolator	(2:51)
Arbeit, Liebe, Brot, Einfachheit, Tod	Kurt Dahlke, Frank Fenstermacher, Moritz "RRR" Reichelt	Der Plan	(2:53)

Credits

D.A.F. (?), Munich (Mastering), Pyrolator (?), William S. Burroughs (?), Jon Savage (Liner Notes), DJ Hell (Compilation), No More (?), Adam Howe (Stylist), Norbert Schoerner (Photography), Absolute Körperkontrolle (?), Thomas Bär (Liner Notes), Thomas Bär (Compilation), Bereich 03 (Mastering), Bild Zeitung (Liner Notes), Moritz R. Der Plan (Liner Notes), Moritz R. Der Plan (Text), Die Hornissen (?), Christof Glowalla (?)