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An [[art rock]] record influenced by [[Krautrock|German bands]] such as [[Tangerine Dream]], [[Neu!]], [[Harmonia (band)|Harmonia]] and [[Kraftwerk]], ''Low'' features Bowie's first explorations in [[electronic music|electronic]] and [[Ambient music|ambient]] styles. Side one consists primarily of short, direct [[avant-pop]] song-fragments, with mostly downbeat lyrics reflecting Bowie's state of mind, and side two comprises longer, mostly instrumental tracks, conveying musical observations of Berlin. Visconti created the distinctive drum sound using an [[Eventide H910 Harmonizer]], a [[pitch-shifting]] device. The cover artwork, a profile of Bowie from the film ''[[The Man Who Fell to Earth]]'' (1976), was intended as a visual pun, meaning "low profile". |
An [[art rock]] record influenced by [[Krautrock|German bands]] such as [[Tangerine Dream]], [[Neu!]], [[Harmonia (band)|Harmonia]] and [[Kraftwerk]], ''Low'' features Bowie's first explorations in [[electronic music|electronic]] and [[Ambient music|ambient]] styles. Side one consists primarily of short, direct [[avant-pop]] song-fragments, with mostly downbeat lyrics reflecting Bowie's state of mind, and side two comprises longer, mostly instrumental tracks, conveying musical observations of Berlin. Visconti created the distinctive drum sound using an [[Eventide H910 Harmonizer]], a [[pitch-shifting]] device. The cover artwork, a profile of Bowie from the film ''[[The Man Who Fell to Earth]]'' (1976), was intended as a visual pun, meaning "low profile". |
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RCA refused to issue ''Low'' for three months, fearing it would be a commercial failure. Upon release, it divided critical opinion and received little promotion from RCA or Bowie, who opted to tour as Pop's keyboardist. Nevertheless, it reached number 2 in the UK and number 11 in the US. Two singles were released: "[[Sound and Vision]]", a UK no.3 hit, and "[[Be My Wife]]". The success prompted RCA to release ''The Idiot'' in March 1977. In mid-1977, Bowie performed on Pop's follow-up album ''[[Lust for Life (Iggy Pop album)|Lust for Life]]'' before recording his next album, ''[["Heroes" (David Bowie album)|"Heroes"]]'', which expanded on ''Low''{{'}}s musical approach and features a similar mix of songs and instrumentals. |
RCA refused to issue ''Low'' for three months, fearing it would be a commercial failure. Upon release, it divided critical opinion and received little promotion from RCA or Bowie, who opted to tour as Pop's keyboardist. Nevertheless, it reached number 2 in the UK and number 11 in the US. Two singles were released: "[[Sound and Vision]]" (a UK no.3 hit), and "[[Be My Wife]]". The success prompted RCA to release ''The Idiot'' in March 1977. In mid-1977, Bowie performed on Pop's follow-up album ''[[Lust for Life (Iggy Pop album)|Lust for Life]]'' before recording his next album, ''[["Heroes" (David Bowie album)|"Heroes"]]'', which expanded on ''Low''{{'}}s musical approach and features a similar mix of songs and instrumentals. |
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In later decades, critics have rated ''Low'' one of Bowie's best works, and it has appeared on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. It influenced numerous [[post-punk]] bands and its drum sound has been widely imitated. A forerunner in the development of the [[post-rock]] genre of the 1990s, ''Low'' has been reissued several times and was remastered in 2017 as part of the ''[[A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982)]]'' box set. |
In later decades, critics have rated ''Low'' one of Bowie's best works, and it has appeared on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. It influenced numerous [[post-punk]] bands and its drum sound has been widely imitated. A forerunner in the development of the [[post-rock]] genre of the 1990s, ''Low'' has been reissued several times and was remastered in 2017 as part of the ''[[A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982)]]'' box set. |