Kraftwerk celebrate Europe's romantic past and shimmering future with a glistening panorama of elegance and decadence, travel and technology. The infinite vistas of 'Europe Endless' and 'Endless Endless' bookend the album, which includes the unsettling Kafka-esque fable 'The Hall Of Mirrors' and the hilarious 'Showroom Dummies' - Kraftwerk's elegantly ironic reply to critiques of their deadpan manner.

But it is the streamlined rhythmic locomotive of 'Trans Europe Express' which dominates with its doppler-effect melodic swerves  pneumatic, piston-pumping rhythm. Along with its sister track, 'Metal On Metal' which New York DJ Afrika Bambaataa would re-construct five years later for his own seminal 'Planet Rock', this milestone in avant-pop modernism later becomes a crucial influence on the early pioneers of hip-hop & sampling, electro and industrial music. Poetry in motion.

In 2009, Kraftwerk have upgraded their Kling Klang masters with the latest studio technology and these magnificent recordings still sound like nothing else in the history of music. Kraftwerk are unique, pristine, profound and beautiful. Decades may pass, but their streamlined synthetic symphonies stand outside time, as fresh as tomorrow, transcendent and sublime.

"Conceptually, Kraftwerk were as prophetic as Orwell; musically, they helped jump-start hip-hop with an electro shock and set the stage for techno, especially after Afrika Bambaataa borrowed the melody of 'Trans-Europe Express' for his 1982 smash, 'Planet Rock.' One of their inheritors, techno king Carl Craig, probably said it best: 'They were so stiff they were funky.'" - Rolling Stone

Performed by the quartet of Hütter, Schneider, Flür and Karl Bartos, the classic Trans Europe Express is one of the most inspired electronically-based pop records of all time. A beautiful spacey suite of electronics and deadpan vocals, the 1977 release stands as arguably the quintessential Kraftwerk experience.

1.  Europe Endless
2.  Hall of Mirrors
3.  Showroom Dummies
4.  Trans-Europe Express
5.  Metal on Metal
6.  Franz Schubert
7.  Endless Endless