Ever heard of a band that traveled to Egypt on a Goethe Institute tour, recorded street sounds in Cairo bazaars, then came home to Berlin and created one of the most mind-bending krautrock albums of the ’70s? This week, we’re digging into Malesch by Agitation Free—a 1972 experimental masterpiece that won our listener poll despite none of us having ever heard it before. This is pure discovery territory.
In this episode, we explore how a Berlin rock band named themselves after playing a free show, lost their drummer to Tangerine Dream, then embarked on a two-week Middle Eastern tour that changed everything. Armed with field recorders and cutting-edge EMS Synthi A synthesizers, Agitation Free created an album that sounds simultaneously prehistoric and futuristic—cosmic krautrock fused with Egyptian street recordings, primal percussion, and space-age electronics.
We discuss what makes Malesch so challenging yet compelling: the lack of traditional song structures, the subtle integration of Middle Eastern influences without clichés, the innovative use of early synth technology, and why this album works better as immersive background music than active listening. Is this metal? Barely. Is it original? Absolutely. Does it connect to modern bands like Blood Incantation? More than you’d think.
If you love Tangerine Dream, Can, Cluster, early Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead jams, or experimental krautrock that defies easy categorization, this episode is for you.
Episode Highlights
0:00 – Intro & Poll Results – How an obscure 1972 krautrock album beat out Humble Pie for our January 70s poll
4:32 – Band History – From “Agitation” to “Agitation Free” and the Tangerine Dream connection
6:10 – The Middle East Tour – Goethe Institute sponsorship, field recordings in Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Greece
9:21 – “You Play For Us Today” – Opening the album with phrases captured from a Middle East Airlines pilot
13:17 – What Works – Atmospheric mood-setting, early synth innovation, and why this sounds like nothing else from 1972
19:00 – “Pulse” – The buzzing, bee-like synthesizer showcase that’s both annoying and mesmerizing
21:10 – Krautrock Context – How German post-war youth created experimental music that influenced decades of rock
22:26 – The Blood Incantation Connection – Modern death metal’s surprising embrace of ambient krautrock
24:03 – The Jandek Tangent – Why Malesch is challenging but not that challenging
28:05 – What Doesn’t Work – Fragmented structure, lack of consistent grooves, and the “convincing metalheads this is metal” challenge
30:39 – “Malesch” – The eight-minute title track that’s the album’s most mesmerizing moment
34:01 – Final Ratings – Worthy Album vs. Decent Single debate
37:40 – Band Legacy – Still active in 2023, Christopher Franke’s Tangerine Dream career, and the Vertigo swirl label collectibility
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