Dieter Moebius

Swiss-born, Berlin-based Electronic music pioneer, born January 16, 1944 in St. Gallen, Switzerland; died July 20, 2015. From his early work with the Krautrock band [[artist:40226]] to his later solo recordings, Dieter Moebius remained one of the prolific voices in contemporary Electronic music. In 1969, he was befriended by [[artist:17135]] and invited to join [[artist:153080]], a band Schnitzler was forming with [[artist:105272]]. The trio released their debut LP "[Klopfzeichen](https://www.discogs.com/master/22228-Ensemble-Kluster-Klopfzeichen)" in 1970; in the wake of their third album, 1971's "[Kluster und Eruption](https://www.discogs.com/master/22686-Konrad-Schnitzler-Eruption)", Schnitzler left the group to pursue a solo career, and Moebius and Roedelius continued on as a duo, modifying the name to "Cluster". Working with producer [[artist:40135]], Cluster began to move increasingly towards more structured soundscapes — with 1974's "[Zuckerzeit](https://www.discogs.com/master/9967-Cluster-Zuckerzeit)", they even pursued an Electronic Pop sound similar in spirit to [[artist:4654]]. Moebius and Roedelius also teamed with [[artist:12636]]'s [[artist:37955]] in [[artist:190641]], releasing a pair of LPs which caught the attention of [[artist:634]], who in response collaborated with the trio on a session (released much later under the name Harmonia 76), a turn towards ambient textures (and influencing the sound of the 1976 Cluster album "[Sowiesoso](https://www.discogs.com/master/10002-Cluster-Sowiesoso)"). Roedelius and Moebius subsequently worked with Eno on 1977's "[Cluster & Eno](https://www.discogs.com/master/10030-Cluster-Eno-Cluster-Eno)" and 1978's "[After the Heat](https://www.discogs.com/master/12000-Eno-Moebius-Roedelius-After-The-Heat)" as well; in the wake of 1981's "[Curiosum](https://www.discogs.com/master/10125-Cluster-Curiosum)", however, they dissolved Cluster, with both pursuing solo endeavors. Moebius' first subsequent effort was 1981's "[m=28459]", a second collaboration with Plank (their debut, "[m=28456]", had appeared a year earlier); together, they produced a record which over time gave way to the proto-ambient textures of 1986's "[m=28466]", their final work before Plank's death. Concurrently Moebius also teamed with [[artist:214519]] for 1982's "[Strange Music](https://www.discogs.com/master/28435-Moebius-Beerbohm-Strange-Music)" and 1983's "[Double Cut](https://www.discogs.com/master/28441-Moebius-Beerbohm-Double-Cut)"; meanwhile, he made the solo album "[Tonspuren](https://www.discogs.com/master/28438-Moebius-Tonspuren)" (also from 1983). Apart from teaming with [[artist:664900]] e.g. for theit album "[Ersatz](https://www.discogs.com/master/28446-Moebius-Renziehausen-Ersatz)", during the early '90s he also reunited with Roedelius to revive Cluster.