November 1, 2016 - Neu! - Weissensee (1972)

Weissensee translates as White Lake, and it is also a locality in the borough of Pankow in Berlin. It is track three on the self-titled debut album from Neu!, formed in 1971 by two guys from Düsseldorf.

This is an instrumental. Picture yourself in a boat on a river lake, enjoying a nice leisurely outing. The bass and drums guide you along gently as little waves lap against the side of the boat. Little breezes dance around the lake. At 1:34, 4:15, and 5:30, a gust of wind passes through and rocks the boat, causing everyone to grab onto something. 

The beauty of this sort of music is in the restraint shown by the musicians. Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother rarely veer from the minimalist center, so once we are lulled into daydreams they are able to surprise us with the gust of wind guitar breaks.