Berlin School

Maybe it was written in the stars but a revival of the so-called ‘Berlin School’ of electronic improvisation seemed inevitable. Pioneered by a cadre of psyche rockers orbiting Tangerine Dream’s Edgar Froese, the style is tied to its birthplace, though it’s also referred to as Kosmische Musik. Initially a subset of kraut rock, Kosmische evolved away from the standard instrumentation of rock, instead leaning heavily into electronic experimentalism, initially with organs and tape treatments, and later with synths such as EMS’ VCS3 and Moog modular systems.

It was a Moog 960 sequencer that first gave the Berlin School its signature sound – a chugging eighth-note rhythm first established by Tangerine Dream on their Phaedra LP.

Ex-Dreamers Klaus Schulze and Michael Hoenig further developed the style in the 70s, even while Tangerine Dream themselves churned out a classic catalogue of astral atmospherics. The UK experienced a minor revival in the mid-80s/early 90s, with acts like Wavestar, Ian Boddy, Mark Shreeve, and Andy Pickford all displaying a clear influence.

Yet Berlin