Tago Mago

The influence of these seminal '70s Krautrockers on the alternative music of the '80s and '90s has been quiet but enormous. Blending the ethics of acid rock with a more forward-looking penchant for subtle sonic experimentation and atmospherics, Can dismantle traditional song structures to pursue lengthy explorations of pulsing polyrhythms, floating, associative guitar lines, keyboards, tape loops, hard, sometimes danceable grooves, and enigmatic, often indecipherable singing.
TAGO MAGO is one in a triumvirate of essential Can albums (also including EGE BAMYASI and FUTURE DAYS). The least "ambient" of the three, TAGO MAGO retains much of the group's early hard-edged, guitar-based sound while still creating tapestries of rhythm, space, and texture. Shimmering pieces such as "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea" alternate with full-fledged journeys into electronica ("Aumgn"), while the nearly 20-minute psych-groove opus that is "Halleluhwah" serves as the album's centerpiece. This disc is a crucial addition to any "alternative" record collection.