Holger Czukay – On The Way To The Peak Of Normal

I have listened to various of Czukay's solo works, nameley I remember "Der Osten ist Rot" and didn't appreciate it much. It's like an aged b/w movie, one can listen to it with an historical ear and appreciate what milestones they were at the time, but the thrill is gone and something tastes stale.
When this record played the first tune at a friend's, I loved it and minutes later bought it then and there, and I do recommend it very much.

When looking at the credits I came to understand that this ist probably one of the records where the hidden mastery of Conny Planck, who I absolutely adore, is most palpable.
As you likely might know, Planck and his studio is one of the two sound-engineers that lay at the foundation of what came to be named Krautrock. Here his artistry is not only in the sound recording quality (how come???) and the mixing, it is like as if he co-created the songs, you can hear him work.
Without his unexpected additions, twist and lay-unders (if that's a word), it'd be just a mildly interesting piece of music, to put it nicely. That way it counts among what I consider the most audiophile records I can name, one of those one cannot grasp on later CD-issues or from streams.
Plus, odd tit-bit, the cedits for the sleeve design go to Planck's son, then a child.

In essence, this record would have to be called "Holger Czukay & Conny Planck", if it wasn't for Planck evidently here and elsewhere having decided to remain in the shadows of back-stage.