Ashra - New Age Of Earth (1977)

Between the years of 1974-79, Manuel Göttsching could do very little wrong in my eyes - whether it's creating a Berlin school masterpiece out of just a tape recorder and a Gibson SG, or forging out some of the most beautiful music ever to come out of the German electronic scene. That's where this album fits in.

Basically, if you like Virgin-era Tangerine Dream, you'll love this album. Maybe not at first, but you will eventually.

"Sunrain" and "Deep Distance" are the sort of pieces you'd expect to hear: sequenced, almost ambient and somewhat catchy (but in a good way). "Ocean of Tenderness" and the essential "Nightdust" are more laid back, ambient and relaxing.

"Nightdust", taking up the whole second half, is a must-hear. During the first 15 minutes, you're suitably chilled out and then MG comes in with an absolute pearl of a guitar solo. MG has always been great at balancing synth and guitar very efficiently, and this last section is a prime example. If you've heard "Exposure" by Robert Fripp, it's effect is similar to Fripp's effect on Peter Gabriel's "Here Comes the Flood" - somewhat eery, but remarkably effective.

Nothing short of excellence. ASHRA New Age Of Earth music review by coldsun

Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Sunrain (7:26)
2. Ocean of Tenderness (12:36)
3. Deep Distance (5:46)
4. Nightdust (21:52)

Total Time: 47:40
Line-up / Musicians

- Manuel Göttsching / keyboards, synthesizer, guitar

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Ashra - Tropical Heat (1991)

What a lost of time. This album shows a radical direction taken by the band (even if we can hear a few controversial stuffs on "walkin´ the desert"). The musicians exchange their old materials for new technological and digital equipements. Consequently the sound is cold, heartless and sometimes we just wonder where are the musicians and all these warm electric organs and vintage analog synth... After "New Age of Earth" it´s clear that the musical level of the band dicreased. In this effort, the melodies and harmonies are so easy and self indulgent . Only the title track deserves a certain attention with a catchy, funky and groovy guitaristic section by Gottsching. The rest is as dull as what Tangerine Dream have produced during the same period. However, contrary to their colleagues of TD, Gottsching and his team tried with a certain success to renew with their golden spacey synth era during the emd of the last decay. I give more than one point because this band deserves a certain respect. ASHRA Tropical Heat music reviews and MP3  Review from progarchives.com

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Mosquito Dance (8:44)
2. Tropical Heat (4:51)
3. Pretty Papaya (6:07)
4. Nights in Sweat (8:33)
5. Don't stop the Fan (5:26)
6. Monsoon (5:14)

Total Time: 38:55

Line-up / Musicians

- Manuel Göttsching / guitar, keyboards
- Lutz Ulbrich / guitar, keyboards
- Harald Grosskopf / electronic drums

Ashra - Don't stop the fan

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Ashra- Correlations (1979)

First i apologise in advance for my english, i know it´s not that good, but i´ll do my best! When i first read the user's reviews for Correlations i hesitated to get it, but i managed to arm myself with courage and a firm sense of adventuring and i ordered it. After a few spins i found that i had done a very good thing. Manuel Göttsching found the perfect balance between a heady spaced-out journey and a wild trip to the disco. Ice Train opens and you just can't help to smile to the sound of that funky guitar, jamming all over the pulsating rythms of the galaxies, it's like a space trucker journey through the starways. And just what is the destination for this journey? Judging from the atmosphere and heavily danceable grooves of Club Cannibal, i think that the answer is to a space-stripper bar. Sorry, i´m so immersed in the atmosphere of this record that i cannot help myself from describing the textures and images that it emanates. Oasis is just what the title suggests, a pleasant, relaxing stop in our trip. It really carries a huge New Age of Earth vibe. Bamboo Sands starts relaxing and very floydian and then it metamorphoses and you know what? We´re back to the grooviness! Boy, this is a fun record! The masterpiece of the album is without any shadow of a doubt Morgana de Capo, it´s a great spacy tune, and it will carry you to the heart of a blazing supernova, indeed one of Göttsching best efforts. The only dissapointing spot on an otherwise magnificent record is Pas de Trois, don´t get me wrong it's a good tune, but it overstays its welcome, it´s too long and meandearing to be memorable. The final stroke is Phantasus a good album closer, floydian from start to finish...really nice and mellow. Well that's it for my review, i felt that i had to do my part in defending this misunderstood classic. Keep gazing to the stars!! Cheers!!ASHRA Correlations music review by MonolithicAngel (Review from progarchives.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Ice Train (7:40)
2. Club Cannibal (5:24)
3. Oasis (3:46)
4. Bamboo Sands (5:40)
5. Morgana da Capo (5:29)
6. Pas de Trois (8:58)
7. Phantasus (5:11)

Line-up / Musicians

- Manuel Göttsching / guitar, synthesizer, sequencer
- Lutz Ulbrich / guitar, synthesizer, piano, mellotron
- Harald Grosskopf / drums, synthesizer, percussion

Total Time: 42:08

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Ashra - Walkin' The Desert (1989)

Manuel Gottsching and Lutz Ulbrich combined talents in 1989 writing and performing live most of the music contained on this CD for Berlin's E-88 World Cultural Festival. On June 4th, 1988 this music was performed live at Berlin's Planetarium and finally we are able to hear the studio output created for this show. ASHRA combine multilayered guitars, keyboards, and sampled sounds producing a rich yet mesmerizing soundscapes. In the progressive tradition, "Walkin The Desert" experiments with a numerical mix of instrumentation used... ie. "1st Movement" uses only 2 keyboards, "2nd Movement" 6 voices, "3rd movement" 4 guitars, "4th movement" 12 samples and finally the last track "Dessert" employing 8 tracks. The powerful result is a startling, yet faintly familiar sound made up of arid keyboards, charming crystalline sequences and finally, the resounding bent-sustain guitar notes that ASHRA fans have grown to worship. Incredibly since the rise in popularity of today's "Electronica", the music of ASHRA is being currently re-discovered by the youngsters. More than simply satisfying, "Walkin' The Desert" is a stunning example of ASHRA's creativity and represents another breathtaking chapter in the expanding music output for this band. ASHRA Walkin' The Desert music reviews and MP3 ( Review from progarchives.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. 1st Movement: Two Keyboards (8:18)
2. 2nd Movement: Six Voices (8:42)
3. 3rd Movement: Four Guitars (10:29)
4. 4th Movement: Twelve Samples (13:50)
5. Dessert: Eight Tracks (4:28)

Total Time: 45:47

Line-up / Musicians

- Manuel Göttsching / guitar, keyboards
- Lutz Ulbrich / guitar, keyboards

ASHRA walkin the desert - first movement - two keyboards

Ashra - Third Movement-Four Guitars

Ashra - Dessert: Eight Tracks (1990)

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Ashra - Belle Alliance (1980)

As where Correlations - though seemingly admired by many - absolutely displeased me, this album instantly became one of my best loved ones. Side one may be more rock oriented, it certainly has a great sense of humour "Screamer", some very sunny spells "Boomerang" but most of all... Side 2 has some of the most beautiful electronic music ever! "Kazoo" is a gently hypnotic theme and "Code Blue" is the best Ashra track since "Ocean of Tenderness" on New age of earth. Starting of with a majestic organ, gradually flowing into a minimalist masterpiece with very subtle cymbals and percussion by Harald Grosskopf. "Mistral" has Göttsching playing a Santana-like theme, beter than Santana ever could have done. This album and CD are still played on a weekly basis (side 2). This is absolute beauty! ASHRA Belle Alliance music review by Lieven (Review fro progarchives.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Wudu (2:29)
2. Screamer (4:26)
3. Boomerang (3:29)
4. Aerogen (3:54)
5. Sansalito (4:24)
6. Kazoo (5:42)
7. Code Blue (15:03)
8. Mistral (3:41)

Total Time: 43:08

Line-up / Musicians

- Manuel Göttsching / guitar, synthesizer, sequencer, bass
- Lutz Ulbrich / guitar, keyboardss, voice, bass
- Harald Grosskopf / drums, percussion, synthesizer, voice

Ashra - Aerogen

Ashra - Boomerang

Ashra - Mistral

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Ashra - Blackouts (1977)

Fronted by guitarist Manuel Gottsching ,Ashra was his solo project continuation from the previous classic Ashra Tempel. This album  features only himself on all instruments.

This is mostly a very enjoyable mix of spacey/ rhyhtmic guitars and sequencers with mostly short tracks. The lengthier Lotus stretches things out and on occasion resembles Tangerine Dream.

All in all a very effective album and definitely one of the best. Especially recommended to anyone who loves the works of say Tangerine dream.

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. 77 Slightly Delayed (6:42)
2. Midnight On Mars (6:50)
3. Don't Trust The Kids (3:30)
4. Blackouts (4:18)
5. Shuttle Cock (8:25)
6. Lotus Part I - IV (16:58)

Total Time: 46:46

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