Klaus Schulze is one of the founding fathers of contemporary electronic music. His epic, meditative soundscapes helped pave the way for new age and ambient music, and his sequencer-driven rhythmic explorations anticipated the rise of techno and trance. Making his solo debut with 1972's visionary Irrlicht, recorded with tape machines and an electronic organ, Schulze began using synthesizers soon afterward, producing classics such as 1975's Timewind and 1976's Moondawn. During the 1980s and '90s, he switched to digital equipment, flirted with sampling, explored classical music and opera, and produced ambient techno with Pete Namlook and Bill Laswell (as Dark Side of the Moog). During the 21st century, he's collaborated with Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard on concerts and recordings, and continued releasing solo works such as 2018's Silhouettes.