Kopfuss Resonator – Spect-® Module

Spect-® Module is the debut album from Kopfuss Resonator, a German duo consisting of Mark Pfurtscheller and Timothy Färber. The origins of the group can be traced back to 1994, when Mark and Timmy Färber first collaborated as a techno-trance live act under the name Spect-R. Subsequently, they released a couple of vinyl singles on Monokultur and Polytox in order to satisfy the demands of local DJs. In 1995 the duo—as part of the collaborative project Hiscore—broke into the rapidly blossoming psychedelic trance scene with True Freedom, an acknowledged classic known from the Accidental Occidentalism compilation released on Symbiosis Records (UK). These events precipitated worldwide recognition and their first international bookings, which in turn led to the group taking the final step in focusing the name and concept of their collaborative project. Putting the name Spect-R to rest, the group rebranded themselves as Kopfuss Resonator, a fitting name inspired by “a traditional African dish, a soup that consists of a sheep’s head (kopf) and feet (fuss).” The story behind the name of the group may be somewhat peculiar, but the resulting title—translated as “Head-Feet Resonator”–perfectly describes the intent of their music.

As Kopfuss Resonator, Mark and Timothy had their first major success with Whipbird, a collaboration with DJ Jörg released as a vinyl single on Nephilim Records in 1997. The next step was obvious: a full-length album. After a year in development, Nephilim Records released Spect-® Module—named in honour of Mark and Timothy’s early project—in 1998. The timing should have made for a warm reception—X-Dream released Radio the same year, triggering the shift toward progressive, minimal, and techtrance that would peak in 2001—but the Kopfuss Resonator debut does not seem to have struck a chord with trance listeners. It may be that the tone of this album extends too far into the cold German techno aesthetic for listeners accustomed to bold melodies and upbeat atmospheres. On the other side, Spect-® Module may have been too weird and trance-like for techno fans. As a result, the album did not seem to fare well—it was typically seen resting in-stock years after its release, and even now, it is one of a handful of sealed pre-millennial releases I can find in local shops. With low ratings online and disinterest from the buying public, one might think this is an album of questionable quality, but I would argue otherwise.

The eye-catching cover design deserves to be mentioned. The outer sleeve is decorated with a strange device composed of gears and wiring—it almost seems to simulate some strange form of life. Freak51 describes the inside liner notes as expressing “a wonderfully mechanical world-view.” Not only does the artwork impress, but it also perfectly compliments the music.

The elastic mechanical groove on the opening number VPM Groove is strongly reminiscent of the sound of another famous German techno-trance act: Der Dritte Raum. The natural flow of the arrangement seems to play off Kopfuss Resonator’s roots in live performances; it is not difficult to imagine the group up on stage sternly manipulating rows of hardware—twisting knobs, flipping switches, and mashing buttons. This lightweight track serves as a fine introduction to the sound of the album.

After the initial work-out, Redsprite carves a deeper furrow with intricate drum programming and a slightly more menacing approach. While the general mood of the song is tastefully restrained, it features an electric climax with a well-chosen sample from Young Frankenstein: “Tonight, we shall ascend into the heavens. We shall mock the earthquake. We shall command the thunders, and penetrate into the very womb of impervious nature herself!” With sparks shooting into the air, the mechanism seems to come alive. Nervous drum loops cycle into new patterns, and the track smoothly glides toward a satisfying finale.

Reboot is fat and ponderous by comparison, abandoning the electric motifs of the former song for a thematic examination of the crude oil refinement process. The beat is coated in thick coils of black sludge, lazy breakbeat loops, and an eerie and menacing haze. The mood is tense—a sense of expectation manifests in a shrill high-pitched whine that permeates the later moments of the song. Too bad it ends when it does; it seems to be done before its time is up!

Kein Traum (“no dream”) is an acid-filled blend of electro-breaks and industrial power, sounding very much like an early precursor to the Midi Miliz side project Der Interpret. It serves as an intriguing intermission.

Few tracks are as sinister as Module One, a stunning odyssey into a tortured realm of sound beyond sanity. This is downright filthy—clearly the product of deranged minds. As the twisted sample seems to say, “I am bent!” Listeners are liable to be scraping shrapnel from their ears after hearing the cold industrial brutality of this intense foray into hard acid techno. Module One is brilliant!

Whipbird is a brooding fusion of psychedelic techno and German acid trance. It begins with two minutes of ambience: distorted kicks echo into the distance as stark tones invoke a sense of dread. The energy levels relentlessly spiral upward once the beat begins. With every passing moment brash acid lines rip through the stratosphere in dazzling configurations. The storytelling factor on this classic is easily perceived; Whipbird has earned its place in history. Magnificent!

Cold Fusion serves as a transition from the energetic high of Whipbird to the remainder of the album. It takes the form of a muddy slouching groove laced with obtuse leads that shudder and melt away. The production value is nowhere near as fine as the rest. Filler.

Tommis Machine possesses an eerie and mysterious feel aptly summarized by the sample: “something for your mind.” Rumbling beats churn and shuffle as squelchy melodies slowly trickle from the speakers. It reaches something of a peak in the very last minute, but remains tasteful and reserved for the duration. Solid stuff.

“I want you to take yourself back to that place. Here, close your eyes and go to that spot… and look again up at those pink clouds… and go there. Pick one, and go there…” So begins the legendary Go There, one of the most fiercely hypnotic and invasive psychedelic techno anthems of all time. Freak51, who made the original review on Psynews way back when, comments: “Who is this? Blavatsky? Some ancient mystic gypsy woman intones this again and again over the hardest, heaviest, most merciless percussion riffs I have ever heard in trance.” Later on, a reviewer by the name of Raven (a curiously prescient moniker, given the contents of the next Kopfuss album) says “in the middle the song peaks and you don’t just GO there, you are fucking KICKED there!” That sounds about right!

Antigravity is a short and simple tune to close the album. Nothing special, but it does the trick.

Spect-® Module is a very well-rounded and artistically mature album that successfully explores various permutations of the techno-trance fusion. Whipbird, Module One, and Go There stand out from the other offerings as eternal classics of German engineering, but there are several other songs that sound quite good. Best of all, this is an album that really holds together—the component parts fit into a master plan. Do not let the bad press dissuade you from investigating this aging relic—Kopfuss Resonator’s first album still retains the ability to provide a transformative listening experience. Few other artists deal in anything similar, although a connection can be made to Spies, Metal Spark, Der Dritte Raum, and many of the artists featured on Yohimbe’s Polarity mix tape from 1999, from which I first heard of Kopfuss Resonator. Additionally, I would be surprised if The Delta, Midi Miliz, and Spirallianz weren’t in some way influenced by this bristling underground classic. This is highly recommended for listeners keen on hearing an experimental early classic of German techtrance.