That Motorik Beat

What about my favourite songs by Can and Yo La Tengo: Halleluhwah and Blue Line Swinger? Not sure if they have the motorik beat but they both have an extremely hypnotic beat for sure.

I should totally have gone through more YLT.

Halleluwah is great and hypnotic and I love it, but it's a very different ind of thing. it's a groove, a swing, rather than a bio-mechanical thing.

Anyone mention Quick Canal by Atlas Sound?

Been on holiday for a few week otherwise I'd have suggested a few. One of my favourite sounds.

Keep 'em coming.

Anyone mention Quick Canal by Atlas Sound?

Love this track. I also find it touching that Cox was able to persuade one of his idols (Laetitia Sadier) to sing on it.

Blue line Swinger is not motorik, at least until like minute 5.

The Fall's 'Before the Moon Falls' is p motorik: would 'Reformation' count too?

The loud version of Big Day Coming by YLT might qualify, can't think what else off the top of my head.

I think the "motorik beat" is a red herring. A motorik feeling is just as much about what the bass is doing, the actual sound of the drums (dry and tight), limited harmonic movement, and how the guitar, synths, or vocals are floating on top, as it is about the basic drum pattern. You can play that same drum pattern in a way that doesn't sound motorik at all, or you could make a song with a different drum beat that still sounds very motorik.

+1

i've always thought about it in terms of dancing and being able to play off of different instruments instead of being dependent on a changing beat or vocal changes for changing movements
not that it matters, but there you go

Jumpin jack Flash & Street Fighting Man are kind of motorik. I read a Fall review in the Wire that said the Johnny Burnette Trio's version of "Train kept a Rollin" was motorik too, but I couldn't confirm that.

No, that song is locomotorik

I see that Death in Vegas are already represented but for my money 'Hands Around Your Throat' is more representative of the motorik beat than that track that namechecks Rother.

Also, I think there's a place for Radiohead here; in particular Amnesiac b-side 'Cuttooth'.

A few people have mentioned the Gary Glitter beat, but that's a shuffle. Unless there was an actual motorik Gary Glitter song I don't know about, but I'm assuming people mean the R&Rpt2 beat.

yeah, too much stomping in that one.

locomotorik

irl lol.

Yeah that shd be excelisor'd (by someone other than me)

I guess I don't understand people's obsession with this term. It's a nice way to describe a few Krautrock bands and bands who were influenced by them, but I don't see why it has to be applied to any song with a driving beat. And I really don't get the connection to songs that predate krautrock like Heroes and Villains.

One of the tracks on Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band has Ringo laying down a pretty motorik groove. I don't have the record to hand. Rhythm section on that album amazing across the board.

The last 45 seconds or so of Turtle Turtle Up by Four Tet.

It's kind of mental, you've got all these jazzy, glitchy drum rolls for about 90 seconds, and then it just falls into motorik loveliness.

Orchestral Manoeuvers in the dark - Electricity

was listening to B-52's "Aint it a Shame" and that almost makes the cut, surprisingly...

2. [04:37] Velvet Underground - I’m waiting for the man (1967)

Totally disagree with this one. It doesn't have a backbeat at all, just a steady, even pulse on every beat.

Yeah it's not Motorik, but I can see a case for it being proto-Motorik. The insistent evenness I think is the key.

^yeah I agree with this post. "Waiting for the Man" is too much of an important first step, even though it probably predicts "It's a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl" more than anything Neu! did

contemporary motorik beat: beak, the band of portishead's geoff barrow (btw they have a new album out). somehow i have the impression they bring something new to the table. they are obviously heavily influenced by neu etc, but they have their sound and lots of interesting ideas. the motorik beat is also played by the bass here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoKWLo_f-rA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI2o-BuQ8eE

Can I nominate this as the post-speeding-down-the-autobahn version of the motorik, very definitely in an unexpected place (the very underrated Francisco's 'Cosmic Beam Experience')?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IouesruWdVI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LsPyuUHeNU

Beak! Bought >> and it is pretty awesome. It is just krauty grooves for the sake of it, seemingly, but oh wow.

^^ it is awesome

Kraftwerk, "Ohm Sweet Ohm"

... could this be deliberate on their part?

!

Portishead - Chase the Tear

http://thequietus.com/articles/01702-motorikpop-a-secret-history-spotified

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr7mo4AdqBE

Röyskopp, Alpha Male

(close enough)

Espanto - Rock'n Roll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIJ1if08VM

"I Feel Love" with a motorik beat + fuzz guitars? this is glorious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77zfF3u98Q

yessss

The vid's rip doesn't really do it justice. On my copy the drums are so big. Caveman style.

more more more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15-60-75 - Animal Speaks (????? might only be motorik in my memory)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q4aM61Lcnk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDHUtZ4WoE4

thank you for posting that! it led me to read this, and the special note to drummer is so awesome, esp "anyway, you get the idea, you'll do great"
http://www.rhyschatham.net/g3english/GuitarTrioScore.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRUkLnsRWBc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4PGlThRRMQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgcSWqlWoD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhlSvVxLYjw