Legendary German electro pioneers Kraftwerk this fall will release newly remastered editions of eight of their classic albums — spanning 1974 to 2003 — and also compile them in a special collector’s box set entitled 12345678 The Catalogue.
The nearly 40-year-old band — whose influence on past, present and future electronic music is simply without parallel — will issue remasters on Oct. 6 of Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans-Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986; originally released under the title Electric Cafe), The Mix (1991) and Tour de France (2003; originally released under the title Tour de France Soundtracks).
According to a statement issued by the band’s record label:
In 2009, Kraftwerk have upgraded their Kling Klang masters with the latest studio technology and these eight 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.
The individual albums will be released without any bonus tracks in three formats: on CD with special slipcases and expanded artwork, on heavyweight vinyl with large-format booklets and as digital downloads. The box set will be CD-only, and will feature “mini-vinyl” card wallet packaging and large-format booklets.
Three of the titles, however, aren’t being released individually in the U.S., due to clearance issues. Fans who want the new editions of Computer World, Techno Pop and The Mix will either have to buy the entire box set or track down European versions of those particular albums, which will be released separately on that side of the Atlantic.
