Dschinn was a short-lived German Krautrock band that formed in the spring of 1970, released a single self-titled album, Dschinn (1972), and then shortly thereafter disbanded. I really enjoyed listening to My Solid Ground the other night, and Dschinn was suggested to me by Apple Music while listening to My Solid Ground’s album. Though the album wasn’t a commercial success, today it’s very highly regarded with fans of Krautrock and prog rock from the early 1970s. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Freedom” starts out with some very eerie and nearly grating sounds from a haunted house that gradually become spacier in nature. Oh wow, a really groovy hard rock track drops into place. I’m sort of reminded a bit of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” combined with some licks and psychedelia reminiscent of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Noel Redding’s hard rock/prog rock outfit called Road. I’m really digging the riffing from distorted guitar and the groovy bass line in this track. Something interesting I noticed in my preliminary research of the band is that they had two different drummers, which seems apparent with the strong, locked-in drumming that really drives the tune forward. Oh wow, those eerie space effects come back in at the end of the tune. Great track, and I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Oh wow, “Fortune” starts out with some groovy riffing that gradually picks up a bit of a mellower psychedelic rock sound as the distortion from the electric guitar seems to pick up a squishier tone, and the percussion picks up some flavors that sound vaguely influenced by raga for a moment. Oh wow, the vocals in this track have a really interesting quality that remind me of some psychedelic prog rock groups like Family or Pussy. I’m really digging this track so far. Oh wow, I really dig the dynamic sound creating by the drums duo, the evolving bass line, and the super sweet licks from the guitar. Wow, great track.
“I’m in Love” starts out right away with some really groovy psychedelic flavors that remind me of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Wow, the drums feel incredibly dynamic as the track continues along. Holy smokes, the song is only a couple minutes in and already there’s been at least three different, high-octane movements. There’s a sort of relaxed feeling from the bass, guitar, and vocals at some points that contrast really nicely with the drums that sound as though they’re singlehandedly driving a transcontinental railroad. Holy smokes, the guitar solo at the end of the track is super groovy. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Train” starts out with drums that sound like someone’s knocking on a door, and which is promptly joined by some super groovy harmonica that nearly resembles a train whistle. Oh wow, the grooves in this track have a really groovy and steady feel for the first part of the song. Holy smokes, in the next movement while the drums keep the track grooving steady for the most part, the bass and guitar work pick up a really interesting syncopation that has pulled me even further into the listening experience. Oh wow, the harmonica comes back and the music sounds like it’s ballin’ the jack down the tracks that are framed out by the drums. Wow, another great track.
Oh wow, “Let’s go Together” starts out with a really groovy and almost funky rhythm from multiple different percussive instruments. Oh wow, the bass backs up the different rhythms from the drums really nicely in this one, while the harmonica comes back to bring a sort of smoothness that feels as though this musical train that the band is conducting is gliding down the tracks at this point. Super sweet track.
Oh wow, “Smile of the Devil” starts out with some really smooth, clean, and nearly galloping guitar work that has a flavor reminiscent of the psychedelic styles of the mid-to-late 1960s along the west coast of the US. There’s almost some bluesy undertones that I’m really digging. Oh wow, the mellow flavors combined with the somewhat dark instrumentation reminds me a fair deal of The Doors. Oh wow, there’s a really mellow percussion breakdown for a moment, which is then followed by some really sweet licks from the bass and electric guitar. Wow, awesome track.
“I Wanna Know” gets grooving right away with some heavier flavors in the riffing from the fat bass and distorted electric guitar. I’m really digging the vocals in this one, which remind a fair deal of classic rock/hard rock vocals from groups like Faces, Fludd, or even Led Zeppelin. Super groovy tune.
Oh wow, “Are You Ready” starts out with a high-octane drum beat that reminds me of punk rock at the very start, which is soon joined by some sort of strange, psychedelic guitar and a fat, grooving bass line that create a really sweet psychedelic prog rock sound. Oh wow, the tempo of the track is amped up a ton and the band gets into a tight, heavy psych jam of sorts that I really dig. Oh wow, the track mellows back down into the main chorus from earlier in the track really nicely. Holy smokes, the band enters that tight psychedelic jam again as the track comes to a close. Wow, super sweet track.
“For Your Love” starts out with some really groovy and nearly mellow jamming off of the heels of the previous tune, and almost immediately has a sort of conclusory feeling to the playing. Oh wow, I really dig the staccato’d distorted guitar strumming that accentuates the groovy bass line really nicely. The band feels like they’re releasing a lot of tension in this track as the playing stays in that psychedelic area while feeling a bit looser compared to previous tracks. Wow, great track and a super sweet way to finish the album.
Wow, this album is pretty sweet. Though I wouldn’t necessarily consider the album to really be Krautrock, it certainly does contain a mixture of hard rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic flavors that all lead to some super sweet grooves throughout the listening experience. There’s also a bit of darkness and psychedelic blues that remind me a bit of The Doors and The Jimi Hendrix Experience during certain tracks. The album flows really nicely, to a point where it seems possible to trace a musical narrative not necessarily told through the vocals/lyrics. If you enjoy psychedelic prog rock and hard rock from the early 1970s, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A