Low was the first album in David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy.
Released on 14 January 1977, Low began a sequence of three albums made with producer Tony Visconti and musician Brian Eno. The trilogy continued with “Heroes” later in 1977 and ended with Lodger in 1979.
Despite its name, Low was recorded partly in France at Château d’Hérouville and partly at Hansa Studios in West Berlin. Its stark mixture of short avant-pop songs and largely instrumental ambient pieces reflected Bowie’s interest in German experimental music, including Kraftwerk, Neu! and Tangerine Dream.
A common mix-up is assuming that all three albums were recorded in Berlin. In fact, “Heroes” was the only trilogy album recorded entirely in the city. Low also followed Bowie’s work on Iggy Pop’s The Idiot, whose atmosphere helped shape the new direction.