During the mid-'70s, Germany's Kraftwerk established the sonic blueprint followed by an extraordinary number of artists in the decades to come. From the British New Romantic movement to hip-hop to techno, the group's self-described "robot pop" -- hypnotically minimal, obliquely rhythmic music performed solely via electronic means -- resonates in virtually every new development to impact the contemporary pop scene of the late 20th century, and as pioneers of the electronic music form, their enduring influence cannot be overstated. Read more

Links:
Kraftwerk - Tour De France, is the album of the week at BBCi, you can also listen to the whole CD.

Reviews:
Telegraph
Guardian

German reviews:
zeit.de html/MP3
Frankfurter Rundschau
Phlow.net

dotmusic

In a rare interview, John Wilson talks to Ralf Hütter, founder member of the German avant-garde group, Kraftwerk about the group's considerable influence on contemporary music. Hear it

Download the new version of Kraftwerks "Tour de France"