Low (David Bowie album)

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".

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.

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.