Florian Schneider  (4/7/47 – 5/6/20) In 2009, I wrote a piece about Kraftwerk 's reissued discography, The Catalogue: Four Decades of Masterworks . Without delving into each album individually and distilling every seminal and necessary fiber, the goal at the time was to articulate the group's impact on modernity, which, in my mind, put them in the daunting position of having to constantly evolve alongside technology. Citing the group's 1991 LP The Mix , I wrote the following: "I look at 1991’s The Mix , their re-imagined or updated selection of songs that had, up to that point, been their best known. As both a response to the availability of new technology, and as an alternative to putting out some staid 'best of' compilation, The Mix was Kraftwerk appealing to a new era when guitars were back in vogue and hip-hop had reached its golden age. The Mix comes off as attempt to harness the present, confessing that, even in as primitive a digital era as 199...

Post-post-post-punk band, Disappears , contributed a cover of Kraftwerk 's universally loved "Trans Europa Express" for a split 7" being put out by the label, Sonic Cathedral.  I'm posting it because I really dig the cover.  Give it a listen here: Info on the split release and links to some songs off the latest album from Disappears, Era , (released by Kranky in August), can be found below and were generously provided by Rarely Unable. DISAPPEARS UPCOMING TOUR IN SUPPORT OF NEW ALBUM ERA ; PLUS KRAFTWERK COVER ON NEW SPLIT 7" Disappears could well be one of the most prolific bands on the planet, certainly their frequent output of albums, 12" records and 7" singles would back up this theory. Following the release of their fourth annual report, Era (released on Kranky in August), Disappears are setting their sights for the UK with three shows confirmed amidst a broader European run.  Era sees the band further refining their love of d...