YELLO –

Yello is a top notch band. Top notch examples of taken to the edge of technology, combined with live performance work.

We're talking 1980! Look at what else was happening at this time and compare. From the start - streets ahead. Solid Pleasure was released in 1980 and was reissued in 2005 in part of Yello Remaster Series with rare bonus tracks. The 2005 re-release was isuued with bonus tracks:

"Thrill Wave" (Blank, Meier), from soundtrack LP Jetzt und Alles (Germany 1981)

"I.T. Splash" (Blank, Meier) from Yello's first 12" single (Switzerland 1979)

"Gluehead" (Blank, Meier) from Yello's first 12" single (Switzerland 1979)

"Smirak's Train" (Blank, Chico Hablas) from soundtrack LP Jetzt und Alles (Germany 1981)

"Bostich (N'est-ce Pas)" (Blank, Meier) from 12" single (1981)

What’s happening in the .....

Bimbo

Listen to the drums - synthetic and the chromatic scale on the old analogue synth at the start behind the slow rap. (Words in English)

It has a riff driven bass lines with rapping over the top. Listen carefully and you'll hear a delicate little 'glassy' sound above all this rhythm stuff. Dieter kind of ‘relishes’ the sounds of the words and he has recorded is rap twice – once on the left and at the same time on the right.

It sounds like quite a commercial sound for the time. It has a Zappa like sense of humour in use of voice.

The hook changes key and then goes back to the original key for another verse followed by this ‘doubled’ rap and voice above.

Then there is a solo break that uses a synth sound which rapidly alters the amplitude so that it wavers up and down in volume very quickly. (Like a vibrato)

Back to the hook with the sung voice and then back to the ‘rap’ sound with a syncopated melody high up on the synth. (Syncopated means 'off- beat')

The hook this time is slightly different in that the backing is in one key and the vocals in another for a short period.

Fade out at the end - probably seen as their single

They sound young.

Night Flanger

This provides a change of sound and is heavier. It has real drums and bass alongside electronics. (a very low pitched snare drum similar to Pink Floyd snare) It reminds me of Holger Hiller vocally in some respects. (He was also around at the time) Again, it's riff driven but heavier in sound than track 1. It has minimal scoring with drums, bass line and the voice plus these ‘bubbly’ synth sounds on the off beat.

Next, there are some pad chords (filling sounds) played by the synth behind the vocal in the hook line.

There’s a beautifully played guitar solo in the middle. It has been recorded with a lovely tone. It's stringy and mellow. (Lots of British Electronica totally turned their backs on guitar in the 80's - a mistake) It really adds an 'expressiveness to the electronic sound.

The guitar sound is very well placed ‘spatially’ in the mix at this point.

Reverse Lion

This has a bass riff with synth sounds and backwards samples plus special effects going on. There is a kind of polytrhythm set up when a drumkit comes in. It sounds as though it’s in a different time and then they merge. Some of the synth melodies are also in a different key to the backing. So we have a kind of polyrhythm and polytonality going on. This track acts as a link to ......

Downtown SambaMagneto Massage Assistant's Cry

Not exactly a samba but using elements. (Rhythmic) plus whooshing sounds at start and the drums start to play kind of in a different time signature to the opening which kind of displaces the sound for a short while.

It contains elements of Latin American percussion next and a sax section. It shows a great sense of humour. In the main section, the bass plays a typical Latin American bass line (with cross rhythms) and all sorts of mayhem going on above. (including Spanish speaking voices - Mexican I think)

This all clears away for a dramatic swirling chord with some deep bass thuds. Very 'Doctor Who' - this is not commercial. More Pink Floyd type of sounds. Basically a drone effect with samples fading in and out and a low beat on a bass drum in the background. The beat starts to come forward and the drone becomes more focused onto a note. Almost BBC workshop type stuff. A new drone introduces a 'chant' on voices that imitates the sound of ‘Plainchant'. It uses a high voice, middle voice and low voice singing the same melody in unison. Very dramatic. Background samples introduced. Drone moves higher. Then we get harmony in the voices.

This is almost DSOTM like in intensity. Spoken voice. Illustrating screams in the background. This is a real electronic soundscape. The sequence builds in intensity and suddenly changes into ‘showtime’ with an American style snare solo to lead straight into ......

Bostich

Amazing mono-tone rap. Gotta be heard to be believed!! They have performed this through all of their career. Brilliant. They returned to this piece over their career. I also love the way that they leave space in the music. It would have been so easy to crowd this out with ‘filling’ so that there are big weighty chords to make it sound more impressive. This is a very ‘transparent’ sound that you can hear right into.

Rock Stop

This starts with a reggae opening with electronic sounds. However, it uses a typical 50's rock sequence. It contains a hammy guitar solo and again, shows great humour. Surprisingly there is no bass guitar sounds. It's synth led and quite ‘corny.’

Coast to Polka

This is almost like an 'oom pah' band played on electronic instruments. The tuba sound is almost real sounding. There is a synth solo up top with again, all sorts of samples jumping in and lots of electronic 'phasing'

Blue Green

This is more serious in contrast to the 'comic' 'Coast to Polka'. Congas, drones, guitar, wind sounds. The bass line is played by synth, as a continuous dotted rhythm. It almost reminds me of Jean Michel Jarre's music as far as the body of the sound goes. The guitarist's phrasing is really good over the top of swirling synths. An extended, improvised guitar solo with synths and vocals sung in octaves underneath.

Eternal Legs

This is quite 80's sounding. You can hear the influence that this stuff had on British Electronic music such as Human League. More commercial at that time. There is a 'sawtooth' synth solo that reminds me so much of Pink Floyd keyboard solos that move above a fixed bass line. It breaks down into electronic/industrial sounds. After another verse, another Pink Floyd type of synthesiser solo over the thudding bass which is joined by some synthesised clapping and a glissando (slide) on a synth). It breaks down into machine sounds leading to ......

Stanztrigger

Contains industrial sounds and samples. It starts with a soundscape and a bass drum rhythm underneath. Sounds come and go into the mix. The beat keeps going. There is some very strong left/right info, so can be uncomfortable for headphones. A mad track with lots of samples.

Bananas to the Beat

There is a Latin American beat with a comic vocal line. A Strong synth bass and no instrumental chords. The voices provide harmony with the hook line, concerning bananas!! Funnily enough, this could have been a commercial type number, but it's not. It's sort of off the wall. Good hook line though.

Thrill Wave

Back to serious business with a faded in synth drone. If you listen really carefully, there are harmonics in the sound that appear as it grows. (Higher ‘whistle’ type sounds) It gradually builds in texture and dynamic and then fades away. Imitating the building up and fading of a wave?

I.T. Splash

This number is heavy bass riff led. It contains reverb ridden vocals. A Latin American type beat on the kit with traffic noises! Wailing guitar. There’s an off beat bass drum as well which becomes a regular ‘dance beat’ bass but the snare and toms really go at it so it’s not as typical dance number. It is at the correct speed for disco music though. ;-)

Gluehead

Almost manic!! No bass. Drums, distorted guitar snips, and distorted vocals. Compared to later, their voices do sound young! The voices seem more part of the mix than at the front. Lots of wailing and distortion.

Smirak's Train

You can hear the train coming at the start in the music. They kind of imitate a train engine in what they play. (A modern train) There are ostinato rhythms (keep repeating) All based on the one note - similar to a technique used by Frank Zappa in some of his extended solos. Lots of echo on the guitar sounds so they repeat and fade away in the mix. More like an improvisation over a drone with synths (and voices) drifting in and out of the mix.

Bostich (N'est-ce pas)

This starts with a miltary opening before we get back to the mono-tone rap again. It is a different mix to the first one. There are elements of 'The Race' from a later album in this mix with the shouting voice - 'Everybody'.

This album contains elements of what was going to happen with Yello. The brilliant use of sampling technology. The use of the mono-tone voice. Sparing use of electric guitar. The Latin American percussion.

It takes me right back to the experimentation of the 80's with electronics and getting away from Punk. It's not a massively commercial album but has some really interesting material that perhaps they could do because Dieter was so rich and didn't need the money!! It led the way for what was to come.

Try saying this really fast:

Standing at the machine every day for all my life I'm used to do it and I need it It's the only thing I want It's just a rush, push, cash.

These are the words from the fast 'rapping' that Dieter does on Bostich. Every syllable has the same length note so it isn't said as we say it in English since the stresses are in odd places such as the word 'machine.'

It's really hard to do if you speak English!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yello

Dieter with his family, at home.