Berlin-based musician and ‘E2-E4‘ mastermind Manuel Göttsching has passed away at the age of 70.
Manuel Gottsching emerged from the midst of electronic Krautrock heroes Ash Ra Tempel. In 1981 he sat down to records a continuous piece of music that resulted in ‘E2-E4‘, an improvised one-track album featuring keyboards and noodly guitar over insistent synthesizer patterns and metallic percussion that foresaw the coming of minimal techno as early as 1981.
Released in 1984, ‘E2-E4‘ evoked the classical minimalism of Terry Riley and Steve Reich into a minimalist groove that subsequently became a staple of Larry Levan’s at the Paradise Garage in New York City. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.