On The Man-Machine, Kraftwerk deliberately blurred the line between musician and machine.
The group worked in its Kling Klang studio in Düsseldorf with electronic rhythms, synthesizers and extremely precise arrangements. On the cover, the four members are shown in a rigid, almost identical way, as if they themselves are part of the system.
The future as pop music
Tracks such as The Robots, Neon Lights and The Model sound cool and controlled, yet they are remarkably melodic. That contrast was Kraftwerk’s strength: technology was not only a subject, but also the instrument used to make catchy pop music.
In 1978, it sounded futuristic. In hindsight, what is most striking is how much later synthpop, electro, techno and hip-hop can already be heard in it.
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