Although it's arguable that, when it comes to cars and electronic music, no one quite matches the Germans, it is an indisputable law of the universe that any electronic group comprised of four German men is guaranteed to make memorable and breathtaking music.

Kreidler (Andreas Reihse - keyboards, Detlef Weinrich - electronics, Thomas Klein - drums, and Alex Paulick - bass) are four men who make such music. Their sound is warm without sacrificing precision, and rhythmic without resorting to dancefloor gimmickry. It's music for the heart, the mind, and on occasion, the feet. Last night, in their first United States performance ever, Kreidler put on a hell of a show at the Knitting Factory. "The Knitting Factory was great. A very good audience… a lot of Germans", muses Weinrich.

It's an understatement to say the least. The fact of the matter is that there were also a lot of non-Germans there. In fact, it was the typical Knitting Factory crowd of hipsters, music fans hoping to catch the next big underground thing, and a scattered few looking for the second coming of Kraftwerk. None of them left disappointed, and it was one of those rare instances where such a diverse audience felt so united. You get a certain feeling when you look down and see the subtle ripples of motion passing through the crowd in response to the music. You know they just get it.

Kreidler will be performing tomorrow at the opening of the Andreas Gursky exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art. Gursky is a photographer renowned for taking the otherwise mundane elements of life - the interior of a 99-cent store, a municipal swimming pool - and lending a harmonic, serene beauty to his subjects. It's easy to see how he and the band would be kindred spirits.

Andreas informs me that the band and Gursky have been friends for some time now, but breaks off in mid-sentence to admire the water tanks that dot the skyline from the office's tenth-floor window. In New York City, the water tanks are made of wood and custom-assembled on the top of each building. It's a city ordinance that every building over eight stories tall have its own water supply, and while I'm mildly surprised that I remember such minutiae, Reihse finds the towers fascinating. "They look like rockets. It's amazing, they all look alike."

Architectural distractions notwithstanding, Reihse exudes a barely contained glee at the prospect of playing at a venue as prestigious as MOMA. "We'll be performing our music at the art opening. It will be almost the same set as last night", he enthuses.

So does the set list change often? "We change the songs slightly from night to night. It depends. We try a new song here or there depending on what works."

It worked last night. The ecstatic audience called them out for an encore. "I had no idea what we were going to play," admits Weinrich sheepishly.

We start to discuss the songwriting process. Kreidler's unique sound stems from the fact that each of its members can be heard distinctly following their own patterns and rhythms, and yet, these disparate elements form a nearly perfect whole. Says Weinrich, "We tend to switch roles when writing our songs. We recorded the new album in our own studio, and it was a liberating experience."

Reihse completes the thought. "It took us about four months to record the album, but much of that time was spent getting accustomed to a lot of our new gear. Otherwise, it just came together."

Part of the recording process was the replacement of bassist Stefan Schneider (also of To Rococo Rot) with Alex Paulick. "The bass is definitely different," says Weinrich. "I think it is more minimalist-sounding. With Alex, he plays more rhythmically, and Stefan played more melodies and harmonies on the bass. It's a more restrained sound, less noodling."

The band nearly perfects its sound on its third, self-titled album. There are moments of restraint, to be sure, but these give way to marvelous flourishes of sound. One can imagine each of the songs as soundtrack pieces for a sleek, urban landscape, the kind of city that one only sees in the movies.

In addition to stirring the imagination with their own music, Kreidler have also been collaborating with several artists, including Chicks On Speed, Appliance, and most notably, remix work for Depeche Mode. Says Reihse, "We did a remix of one of their new songs - called 'Goodnight Lovers' - for the new record. (Mute Records President) Daniel Miller approached us to do it. The song itself is a ballad, very pretty."

"The remix…" - Weinrich puts his hand to his chest and closes his eyes for emphasis - "…will freeze you." It's not a surprising sentiment. If it bears their sonic mark, it will be captivating indeed. - Peter Carbonaro

Kreidler's latest, self-titled album is out now on Mute. They will be touring Europe in March.