Kraftwerk emerged back in the ’70s with their groundbreaking Pop/Synth Top40 song, “Autobahn”. The song captured the evolving times of Rock with an uncanny ability to be able to do so before many others had in the ’80s. Before that great album, the band had already released three LPs beginning with Kraftwerk in 1970 and followed by Kraftwerk 2 (1972), and Ralf and Florian (which arrived in the US AFTER the success of Autobahn).
Over time, Kraftwerk developed a strong and devoted fanbase. From Autobahn on through Computer World (1981), the band was to be envied for their successes.
(I love all things Kraftwerk. But I have an immense preference for The Man Machine (with “The Model”). The divide between that album and all other Kraftwerk albums is huge!)
On May 26, the UK marketplace will release a whopping 8CD Box set (via Parlophone) of all the Kraftwerk successes played in concert settings as full albums. They will represent fairly recent recordings between the period of 2012 through 2016 of albums that include complete concert sets of Autobahn, Radio-Activity, Trans Europe Express, The Man-Machine, Computer World, The Mix (a 1991 compilation), Techno Pop, and Tour de France. The Box is being called 3-D The Catalogue.
There will also be digital formats available, as well as a 9LP box, and a cool 4BD (Blu-ray) with video AND 5.1 mixes (Dolby Atmos) of the individual tracks! This Box will be presented in a 12″x 12″ container and will include a 228-page book. The discs will be held within an 8-panel digipak.
The CD box offers a “headphone Surround 3D” disc of The Mix.