Sometimes the worst moments in life can unleash a surge of creativity, and David Bowie is a prime example. In 1976, amidst a personal low and struggling with cocaine addiction in Los Angeles, Bowie moved to Berlin with his friend Iggy Pop. There, they immersed themselves in the local music scene, drawing inspiration from bands like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream to revitalize their sound.
This period led to the creation of “Low,” an album named after Bowie’s low points. Produced by Tony Visconti, known for his work with T.Rex and Thin Lizzy, and featuring contributions from Brian Eno, a seminal figure in experimental music who has worked with U2 and Devo, “Low” represented the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. Though initially divisive, the album was largely seen as bold, innovative, and ahead of its time.
What can we listen to?
The A-side of “Low” serves as an introduction to this new sound, while the B-side focuses entirely on experimenting with new techniques and textures. The A-side features avant-garde instrumentation that leans towards a pop/rock sound with spacey elements, highlighting the use of synthesizers, time effects, and a “robotized” drum sound that caught the attention of many producers. Carlos Alomar’s guitars add a Latin influence in “Sound and Vision” and enrich tracks like “Be My Wife” and “Always Crashing With the Same Car” with rock essence.
This first side feels like a band of top musicians creating a record in outer space, driven by a groovy bass line and atmospheric synthesizers, with David Bowie’s vocals grounding the tracks for human comprehension, as heard in “Speed of Life,” “Breaking Glass,” and “What in the World.” The electronic presence is notable in tracks like “A New Career in a New Town,” reminiscent of Kraftwerk, with percussive sounds that offered an intriguing combination at the time.
Low, a mostly instrumental album
