Various

On the surface, Achtung may seem incredibly cheesy; it’s a 20-track deep compilation of late ’60s and early ’70s instrumental funk and soul excursions from German bandleaders and schmaltzy pop artists that "led a merry dance on the blandest of light entertainment TV shows,” as the liner notes point out. In other words, these are probably the last musicians on Earth you’d think to turn out ass-shaking dance floor scorchers. Amazingly, Achtung surpasses camp, irony or age because the majority of these jams are pretty goddamn funky. Theo Schumann Combo’s "Hackepeter” is a ballsy take on Booker T & the M.G.’s "Hip Hug-Her,” propelled by intense thrashes of drums and Hammond organ, and James Last’s "U-Humbah” (from the highly collectible Voodoo Party LP), which bumps a frenetic, up-tempo Latin-Caribbean vibe, are fine examples of the disc’s party hearty sound. There’s nothing groundbreaking on Achtung but it’s an entertaining listen nonetheless.