| French Skyline | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1978–1979 | |||
| Genre | Experimental Electronic Ambient Krautrock | |||
| Length | 44:40 | |||
| Label | Sky | |||
| Producer | Klaus Schulze & Craig Wuest | |||
| Earthstar chronology | ||||
| ||||
French Skyline is the second full-length album by the American electronic band Earthstar. It was their first release for Hamburg, Germany–based Sky Records.[1][2]
French Skyline was recorded in 1978 and 1979. The opening track, "Latin Sirens Face The Wall," was recorded at Klaus Schulze Studios in Hambühren, West Germany, and was engineered by Klaus Schulze. Bass and strings were recorded at Aura Sound Studios in New York City. All other tracks were recorded at Deponté la Rue Studio in Paris, France. Additional recording took place at four different studios in Germany and New York State. The album was released by Sky Records in 1979.
French Skyline strongly shows Klaus Schulze's musical influence on Craig Wuest and Earthstar.[3] Wuest's idea was to create a wall of sound, as described by the New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock: "...his desire apparently is to create music that doesn't necessarily suggest a particular instrument, rather creates a new texture. Therefore, though there are credits for flute, guitar, bass, violin, viola, French horn, sitar and vocals, it's pretty hard to distinguish any of these."[4] French Skyline was also the first of three albums on which Wuest made heavy use of the Mellotron and the rare Birotron, a variation on the Mellotron that can sustain notes beyond eight seconds.[5]
Klaus Schulze's presence is almost certainly a large part of the reason French Skyline is Earthstar's most successful album in terms of sales. Sky Records licensed a reissue on CD by Musique Intemporelle in 1999 without the approval or knowledge of Earthstar.
In December 2023, Made in Germany Music officially reissued French Skyline as part of the 5-CD set Collected Works.[6]
- ^ Huber, Markus (2007). "The complete Sky discography". Elmulab. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- ^ "Sky Records Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (1999). "Earthstar - French Skyline". review. E-Mix Magazine. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ Rea, Dennis; other uncredited contributors (2005-01-20). "New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock, EA-EL". Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
{{cite web}}:|author2=has generic name (help) - ^ "Planet Mellotron Reviews: E1". Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ "Earthstar - Collected Works". MIG - made in germany music. Made in Germany Music, GmbH. Retrieved 20 December 2023.