The German group that defined the electro era churn out a double CD of greatest hits, this time from live performances.

They brought computers into pop, and Minimum-Maximum has certainly had the binary touch. Without the occasional applause, you would barely know this is a live record, so complete is its production. What does it reveal? Techno may have changed, but Kraftwerk haven't. They're still stuck in the 80s, circa Electric Caf. That's not a bad thing. The distinctive, flat, sculpted electronic vocals remain and synthesisers still rule, harking back to a more innocent musical age on Autobahn, Tour de France, The Model and Man Machine. From a band that's recorded just two studio albums in 20 years, this 2004 live set is a significant landmark.

Updated: 10:50 Thursday, July 07, 2005