Halber Mensch

Halber Mensch (or ½ Mensch; English: Half Man) is the third studio album by German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. It was released on 2 September 1985, through record label Some Bizzare Records.

Background

Halber Mensch shows a wider artistic range for the group, incorporating elements of electronic dance music in "Yü-Gung (Fütter mein Ego)" and performing the title track (nearly) a cappella. The group also expands their dynamic range: Blixa Bargeld's voice in "Seele Brennt" suddenly switches from a barely audible whisper to a high-pitched scream, while quiet bass guitar overtones float over relatively restrained percussion in "Letztes Biest (am Himmel)".

Track listing

All tracks written by Einstürzende Neubauten, except as noted.

Side A
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Halber Mensch" ("Half Man")	Blixa Bargeld	Alexander Hacke, Bargeld, F.M. Einheit, Mark Chung, N.U. Unruh, Nikkolai Weidemann	4:13
2.	"Yü-Gung (Fütter Mein Ego)" ("Yü-Gung (Feed My Ego)")			7:14
3.	"Trinklied" ("Drinking Song")			1:15
4.	"Z.N.S." ("C.N.S.")			5:40

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Seele Brennt" ("Soul Is Burning")	4:05
2.	"Sehnsucht (Zitternd)" ("Desire (Trembling)")	2:55
3.	"Der Tod Ist Ein Dandy" ("Death Is a Dandy")	6:41
4.	"Letztes Biest (Am Himmel)" ("Last Beast (In the Sky)")	3:28

CD bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
9.	"Sand" (Lee Hazlewood cover)	Lee Hazlewood	3:30
10.	"Yü-Gung (Adrian Sherwood Remix)" (remix by Adrian Sherwood)		7:28
11.	"Das Schaben" ("The Rasping")		9:22

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]

Trouser Press described Halber Mensch as "[Einstürzende Neubauten's] strongest record" and "truly remarkable".^[2] AllMusic called it "an excellent feat of industrial music".^[1]

Re-issue

In 2003, after a continuous conflict with Some Bizarre Records, the band released a remastered reissue of this album with another version of the cover.

Personnel

Einstürzende Neubauten

Blixa Bargeld – production
Mark Chung – production
Alexander Hacke – production
N.U. Unruh – production
F.M. Einheit – production

Additional personnel

Ma Gita – vocals
Monika – vocals
Sabrine – vocals
Verena – vocals

Technical

Gareth Jones – production, recording and mixing on all tracks except "Seele Brent"
Nainz Watts – engineering
Thomas Stern – engineering
Michael Zimmerling – recording and mixing on "Seele Brent"
Tim Young – mastering
Animal House – sleeve design
Vincent Huang – sleeve photography

References

1 2 Bush, John. "Halber Mensch – Einstürzende Neubauten : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
↑ Sheridan, David; Fasolino, Greg; Robbins, Ira. "trouserpress.com :: Einstürzende Neubauten". trouserpress.com. Retrieved 2 March 2013.

External links

Halber Mensch at Discogs (list of releases)

Einstürzende Neubauten

Blixa Bargeld Alexander Hacke N.U. Unruh Jochen Arbeit Rudolf Moser Ash Wednesday Boris Wilsdorf F.M. Einheit Mark Chung Roland Wolf Beate Bartel Gudrun Gut

Albums	Stahlmusik Kollaps Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T. Halber Mensch Fünf auf der nach oben offenen Richterskala Haus der Lüge Tabula Rasa Ende Neu Silence Is Sexy Perpetuum Mobile Alles wieder offen Lament

EPs	Malediction Total Eclipse of the Sun

Live albums	2X4 09-15-2000, Brussels

Musterhaus series	Anarchitektur Unglaublicher Laerm Solo Bassfeder Redux Orchestra versus Einstürzende Neubauten Kassetten Klaviermusik Stimmen Reste Weingeister

Strategies Against Architecture series	Strategies Against Architecture '80–'83 Strategies Against Architecture II Strategies Against Architecture III Strategies Against Architecture IV

Neubauten.org Supporters Project	Supporter Album No. 1 Airplane Miniatures Grundstück Alles was irgendwie nützt Jewels

Soundtracks and plays	Die Hamletmaschine Berlin Babylon

Related articles	Einstürzende Neubauten logo Die Haut Halber Mensch (film)

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