SGR

I'm surprised there's been so little love for Tangerine Dream here. I've just listened to Rubycon and Zeit recently. Out of the two, I think I liked Zeit more. Just loved the eerie mood and ambiance. The second track made me feel like I was on the Titanic the night of the sinking what with the eerie silence and the foghorn sounds and the icy analog synths and the feeling of dread.

Not sure which album I should listen to next though...any recommendations?

EDIT: Just checked out Phaedra today - kicks ass. Better than Rubycon - not sure about being better than Zeit though.

innerspaceboy

INNERSPACEBOY'S INTRO TO TANGERINE DREAM Pt 1

I'll offer a bit of insight into tackling the vast Tangerine Dream oeuvre. MB is telling me the length of my write-up exceeds the maximum character limit for a post so I'll try to break these up into a few digestible segments.

Tangerine Dream are nearly unparalleled in their prolific electro-ambient output. And the sheer size of their catalog may seem daunting to a new listener. A chronological survey is the best approach here, to glean an understanding of their development and evolution from an organic to an electronic ensemble. One of the most accessible releases for this effort is Tangerine Dream - ...In the Beginning. The vinyl box set includes their earliest releases - Electronic Meditation, Alpha Centauri, Zeit, and Atem, and as a bonus includes the previously-unreleased twenty-seventh album, Green Desert.



I maintain a lossless digital archive of 298 Tangerine Dream releases, including the 178 studio albums, all official live releases, soundtracks, all official singles, remasters, and all solo projects of each member, as well as the 91-volumes of the Tangerine Tree series - over 301 hours of TD content.

A brief bit about Tangerine Tree and Tangerine Leaves -

Tangerine Dream – Beyond the Commercial Discography

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerine_Tree:

Tangerine Tree was a fan project operating from 2002 through 2006 with the goal of collecting, preserving and distributing unreleased concerts and other audio material by the band Tangerine Dream. The creators of the Tangerine Tree project received permission from Tangerine Dream to release the collection on a strict non-profit basis. Several of the Tangerine Tree volumes have been used as the basis for official Tangerine Dream releases. The project collected just under 300 hours of material (291:39:26).

Material was collected from audience recordings, soundboard recordings, recordings of radio and TV transmissions and in some cases the purchase of studio masters. Only recordings of a high quality and a unique nature were considered for the core Tangerine Tree volumes. These recordings were professionally re-mastered and released on CD-R and accompanied by high quality artwork for the CD labels and case liners.

Tangerine Leaves releases were based on material that did not meet the quality standards of the Tangerine Tree or from concerts that were not considered notable among a series of concerts. If a better source was found, a Tangerine Leaves volume might have been deprecated and replaced by a Tangerine Tree volume. Starting from 1980, the music played during each of the shows in a single Tangerine Dream concert tour were very similar, so it was impractical to release many volumes of the Tangerine Tree with similar content.

For a complete track-by-track index of all Tangerine Tree and Tangerine Leaves volumes, visit https://www.voices-in-the-net.de/voicesr7.htm.

I've only opted for the 91 Tree volumes comprising over 145 hours of content so as to limit my library to the highest-quality audio selections available, which combined with the 206-disc extended commercial discography totals 298 discs, (301:41:00), of lossless and high-bitrate content complete with a set of artwork files for each volume.

291:39:26 (trees and leaves)
145:11:57 (trees)
146:27:23 (leaves)

Other worthwhile listens are described in the Tangerine Dream Guide by Sangmin Han, which I have in my archive but can't find anywhere on the web, so I'll include a transcript below.

To be continued…

__________________
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innerspaceboy

INNERSPACEBOY'S INTRO TO TANGERINE DREAM Pt 2

Electronic Meditation (1970)

In spring, 1969, Edgar Froese all of a sudden dissolved his former group and only played in session form for half a year. Subsequently he formed newly born Tangerine Dream along with Klaus Schulze and Conrad Schnitzler. In spring, the next year, Edgar Froese made the producers Rolf –Ulrich Kaiser and Peter Meisel (the representatives of the Ohr and the Pilz recording companies) hear their playing, and received the recording contract and the studio date. As the result of this process, the album “Electronic Meditation” saw the light. Edgar Froese said, “This record had to penetrate into something outside aesthetical aspects. … This album expresses in sound effects one space encompassing birth and demise. … I wanted to express musically the passion inside the core of human existence, and the human existence and its relationship in the life standing towards death.”

In September, 1970, Edgar Froese parted ways with his partners Schulze and Schnitzler. Conrad Schnitzler immediately formed his own group Eruption, and Klaus Schulze joined Ash Ra Tempel. Edgar Froese accepted new musicians Christoph Franke (drums, former Agitation Free member, played synthesizer later) and Steve Schroyder (organ), played, in October that year, in front of more than a thousand audience at the Flipper concert in Kapfenberg, and showed up at the Austrian broadcast. At the time, the six Flipper automatic machines (Gottliebe 4 Player Spin Wheel and 4 Williams 4 Aces were also installed.) were connected to the amplifier Tangerine Dream prepared, and they improvised the debut album “Electronic Meditation”.

Alpha Centauri (1971)

In early 1971, Tangerine Dream recorded the second album, “Alpha Centauri”, and this album, after the releases in Japan, France, and the US, made this group first known to the world. In the 1971 and 1972 poll of the magazine Sound, this album was chosen as the album of the year. Also this album was the first album to which Edgar Froese applied the concept of “Kosmische Musik” (The word Kosmische was used for the force of sound, tone’s spatial expression – the maximal concept of space sound could express) as musical dialogue. “We actually draw our inspiration by way of the cosmos. We will continuously try this musical attempt, with this so-called “Kosmische Musik”, to make listen-worthy music where what people can really think is placed on the edge of the circle.”, explained Hans Peter Baumann who would join Tangerine Dream soon after as a new member. It was from this time that record companies, under the slogan of Kosmische Musik, promoted it as a new musical genre by giving other bands “Kosmische Design”. In February, 1971, Steve Schroyder left the band, and in three months in his place Hans Peter Baumann participated. Edgar Froese who for a few months subsequently had studied the music of John Cage, Varese, and Stockhausen, recollected, “We really made great musical leap. … We sold as many as twelve instruments and acquired one synthesizer.”

Zeit (1972)

When Tangerine Dream recorded the double album “Zeit” in 1972, Edgar Froese also prepared the philosophy on the album. He said, “Parmenides is one of the establishers of the philosophy school in Elea. According to him, time only exists as its phenomenon in people’s heads. … Nothing changes. … And nothing could be known.” On this album, the magazine Zigzag critiqued, “”Zeit” is too boring work, when compared with “Alpha Centauri”. … However, slowly flowing basic melodies and beautiful electronic sound like a shower, unfold. … This sound arouses the concept of Total Finsternis. And the elements that would give rise to fit are interrupted from smooth movement, and one comes to shake all the concept and thoughts about light.”. The magazine Welt made abbreviated critique, “The endless example of the cosmos that is telling nothing”. In June of that year, Friedrich Gulda invited Tangerine Dream to the Austrian Musik Festival. As a progressive rock group that parallels with Pink Floyd, they presented the 14-minute long soundtrack to the TV movie “Vampira” (aired on WDR in November). The magazine Sounds, in the 1972 readers’ poll, selected the album “Zeit” as the album of the year.

Atem (1973)

From December, 1972, to January of the next year, Tangerine Dream stayed at the studio to produce the fourth album “Atem”. In order to record this album, they introduced again the drums part. Edgar Froese attempted to feel “the experience of new sound enabled by the instrument change”. While within Germany, Tangerine Dream’s music was regarded as “the proud music made in the enlarged chaos” and “the dry and barren sound the audience could not enjoy”, Tangerine Dream was thought as a group of capabilities and prospect representing Germany by the British people, especially the famous disc jockey John Peel in the UK.

Phaedra (1974)

As they were treated as “the fools of the carnival” by the German record companies, they signed to the new British label Virgin in December 1973. They, in three months, released the Virgin debut work and their fifth album “Phaedra”. This album drew much attention in the UK. Gordon Fletcher of the Rolling Stone praised highly, “This album is amazing. … This is the most successful one among the achievements synthesizers and Mellotron could reap. … This will be the most unique album of the year.”

This album, which seems to echo the distant dawn in the backdrop of space sounds, was listed at no.9 on the Melody Maker’s album chart in April, 1974. The British media agreed with the fact that “Tangerine Dream had sold more records than any other foreign musician including Americans for the past twelve months.”.

On June 16 of that year, they took on the first UK concert at the Victoria Palace in London, and this concert was the one that elicited the great appreciation from the critics as well as the audiences. On this performance, the magazine Music Week assessed as “a performance like a river that winds slightly here and there and flows endlessly”, and New Musical Express mentioned, ”a group inside the hangar of big planes”. The audience said of the concert atmosphere, “a paradise where there are all the lovable things and light”. Right after this performance, Edgar Froese mentioned, “People think we are making music. … However, that thought is not correct. … When people listen to our music, they make their own music inside their heads.”

Aqua – Edgar Froese solo (1974)

In the mid-1974, Edgar Froese’s debut solo work “Aqua” was released. This album full of electronic sound was produced as Kunstkopf (Artificial Head) that Gunther Brunschen (TV Berlin) developed. The magazine Disc, which explained, “Beautiful electronic sound that sounds from right one time and from left another time, and the rhythm that appears to hypnotize over one’s head flow.”, regarded this album as “the most innovative work”. “On this album as well, mostly unchanged “Phaedra” sound is heard repeatedly. … Maybe it seems to be played behind.”, Melody Maker replied.

Epsilon in Malaysian Pale – Edgar Froese solo (1975)

In place of Peter Baumann who left the team for a while, Michael Hoenig participated, and they embarked on the ten-day tours in Australia and New Zealand in March, 1975. When they returned to their home country, they were awarded the first gold disc. Subsequently Tangerine Dream were given gold discs in the UK and France. They staged a great performance for the first time as a German group, in front of the 6,000 audience at Royal Albert Hall in London on April 2 of that year. As a result of this, they gave the impression of the synthesizer group at the top in the world. On April 25, they performed the homecoming concert at the St.Benno church in Munich after a long while. Also, Edgar Froese’s sophisticated second solo album, “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale” was released. On this work Edgar Froese wrote while taking a trip in Asia, Melody Maker wrote a poetical critique, “This is like walking into the shining sunshine of the seashore out of the eternal darkness of the jungle. This is a work that evokes the feeling of waking up from the night’s dream and getting back to the day’s reality, real life.”

Rubycon (1975)

In 1975, they released the two albums under the titles “Rubycon” and “Ricochet”. “Rubycon” was their sixth album. While many people said, “This work is too anemic melody-wise and sounds like Neil Diamond’s songbook “Autobahn”.”(Rolling Stone), other people said, “the music world that has not been discovered thus far” (Cash Box). This album ascended to number twelve spot on the album chart in the UK.

Ricochet (1975)

“Ricochet” was their first live album containing their live performance in France. However, this live album, once again, could not be understood in their homeland. “Nothing has been accomplished. … Tension is being wasted without fruit, and listening life seems to be being threatened.”, the magazine Sounds gave harsh comment. On the other hand, in foreign countries, favorable comments were given, such as “One of the most accomplished (beautiful) albums of the year” mentioned by New Musical Express.

Macula Transfer (1976) – Edgar Froese solo

Edgar Froese released his third solo album “Macula Transfer”, and he was engrossed in David Bowie and Iggy Stooge on this album. This album contains the works titled airline flight numbers such as “Quantas 611”, “OS 452”. These numbers mean the air flight numbers he took during his travels from 1975 to 1976.

Stratosfear (1976)

“Stratosfear” that was released as a group album in 1976, is not either mellow or idyllic, compared with Edgar Froese’s solo albums. Rather it is a masterpiece that is brimmed with Klischee and Gimmick etc.. For this masterwork to fly commercially, the members in the group’s heyday, Froese, Franke, and Baumann, embarked on the European tours around Spain, France, Switzerland, and finally reaching England, with initiation of the ten-day German concerts (October). At that time, above all, they showed the epitome of the kind of concert that was unfamiliar to rock consumers. With sitting in front of the electronic instruments with nearly no motion, and with providing no visionary attraction, they deployed their own stream of thoughts. The leader, Edgar Froese, said, “Being coherent is not always achieved when our music is played. It is only through the playing mechanism (feedback) that people have inside of them that it is achieved.”

Sorcerer – film score (1977)

Tangerine Dream, which were called “German synthesizer magicians” (the Billboard), embarked on the first US tour, setting up the twenty-day tour schedule on March 23, 1977. They planned a laser light show for the first time, taking this opportunity. They made the soundtrack for the William Friedkin film “Sorcerer”, and went to Hollywood, aiming at the worldwide commercial breakthrough on June 24. Their first soundtrack Sorcerer was listed at number nineteen on the UK album hit list. In August of that year, their second US concerts cemented their position on the image of the most successful German rock group worldwide. After showing up at the Greek theater in Los Angeles, the US music specialty magazine Cash Box said with enthusiasm like this, “This German avant-garde trio kicked up the door of music open with the mental force of Salvador Dali, and cheered up the audience with this summer’s most charming concert.”.

Encore (1977)

The enthusiastic aspects of their performance on the US tour were captured on the subsequently released live album “Encore”. While the magazine Music Week gave high praise to them, “the most capable electronic music band in the world”, Cash Box established their status as “the classic piece in their musical field”. As, in January of that year, Peter Baumann left the group to concentrate on his project as a musician and producer, Edgar Froese hired the English musician Steve Jolliffe (former member of Steamhammer) and Berliner Klaus Krϋger.
Tangerine Dream discography series no.14

Cyclone (1978)

On Tangerine Dream’s 10th album “Cyclone” that was produced by the changed members, their shifted forms in visual and musical aspects could be read. The vocal was inserted, and besides that, their adventurous attempt to make floating synthesizer sound resound in attractive direction by using the flute sound and the drum rhythms could be heard. Although this album was evaluated as a masterwork that evoked the profound sound world while touching the popular realm, Edgar Froese expressed his negative opinion on this album in two years, “It was absolutely a mistake among the things that could have happened. … I am callous now about the thing. … We want to taste the new sound to the fullest, and to mix it with the electronic and other sounds. … We’d rather execute the new adventure than stay amidst the deployment of our music, standing still.”

Ages – Edgar Froese solo (1978)

After Froese’s solo album, “Ages”, which looks more succinct and less greedy than the previous works, was released, New Musical Express wrote, “a true and deep work”, and “Froese is prudent in his musical footsteps.”. After their tour in the UK, Steve Jolliffe, who could not play a significant role in the group’s success, had to leave the group after all. Tony Palmer, who produced the 17 minute-long TV series “All You Need Is Love” (he also filmed “Tangerine Dream at Cathedral”.), introduced Tangerine Dream as the one and only German group.

To be continued…

__________________
The Innerspace Connection | Essential Recordings | Top Archives | Hot 100 Albums | Top 550 Artists

innerspaceboy

INNERSPACEBOY'S INTRO TO TANGERINE DREAM Pt 3

Force Majeure (1979)

In 1979, using the sound machines that incorporated thirty seven different devices, Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke, and Klaus Krϋger made the album “Force Majeure”. With this album, they could forget the misstep caused by “Cyclone”, and this album was listed at number 22 on the UK album chart.

Stuntman – Edgar Froese solo (1979)

In 1979, Edgar Froese issued his fifth solo album and his most brilliant masterwork “Stuntman”. On this album, New Musical Express mentioned, “a very beautiful and well-made record”, and the magazine Sound described, “He is a dreaming urban romanticist.”. Also New Musical Express added, “Contrast to his previous works, this is a work that is much less greedy, more accessible with ease, and more heartwarming.
As an internationally granted rock’s avant-garde group, Tangerine Dream staged their concert in East Germany for the first time (January 31, 1980). The two performances at “Palast der Repulik (Palace of the Republic)” in East Berlin were occupied fully with the audiences. The tickets to the venue that could house seven thousand people were sold out, and some tickets were sold for 300 Mark (East German Mark) in the black market. The East German music specialty magazine Melodie & Rhythmus wrote like this, “Towards this trio was the grand cheer poured out. Most of all, they composed and played the ceaseless and improvisational suites.”

Tangram (1980)

In early 1980, after the release of the album “Tangram” that was made with the joining of Johannes Schmoelling, New Musical Express wrote like this, “The problem is not that the samples of their music run out gradually, but that they played variations to the extent of every detail very meticulously to bring new enjoyment.” However, New Musical Express never used the word “meticulously” in good sense. They criticized severely this album as “the cheap form of synthesizers”. Despite all this, English fans drew this album to the number 26 position on the album chart.
Edgar Froese, however, did not want his musical work to be understood in the dimension of ‘customer service’. He said, “Music, as far as I am concerned, is the process that is propelled by the absolutely abstract, very intuitional things, the emotions, and the certain reasons. This process is little or not at all, related with the market and the people who will listen to this music. As a result of this process, the completed work has abstract values to me. If people asked me about some Tangerine Dream’s works, I would not know the titles of them. Neither would I know which album contains which work. These things are of no interest to me.”

Thief – motion picture soundtrack (1981)

In 1981, Tangerine took on the music on the movie “Thief (Der Einzelgänger – the Loner in Germany)” directed by Michael Mann and starring James Caan. The Variety movie guide mentioned the music on this flick like this, “Superior soundtrack from Tangerine Dream adds immeasurably to the action.”. The Video Movie Guide authored by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter mentioned the music on the movie, “Visually stunning, with a great score by Tangerine Dream”. Leonard Maltin’s Movie and Video Guide also mentioned the music on the movie, “Stylishly photographed (by Donald Thorin) and scored (by Tangerine Dream)”.
This soundtrack was made with the trio lineup – Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, and Johannes Schmoelling.

Exit (1981)

In 1981, the album “Exit”, which is considered one of their best works by some critics, was played during their UK tour (October 15th ~ 28th). In August 29 of that year, they drew attention by holding an outdoor concert in front of the 70,000 audience at the Berlin Congress in celebration of a peace festival. In December 9 of that year, they participated in Eberhard Schoener’s “Rock Klassik”’s night. In early 1982, they took on the Australian tour. After the detective story at crime scenes “Das Mädchen and der Treppe (The Girl and the Stairs)”, of which they took on the music, was aired (June 27, 1982), they released the same titled single. This single brought popular success to them as it ascended to number thirteen at the German singles chart.

White Eagle (1982)

In autumn of 1982, after the sold-out concerts (total 40 events)on their Europe tour, they performed a TV live concert that was aired in twelve countries. The climax of this broadcast was the adapted ‘Mojave Plan’ on twenty minutes (the album White Eagle contains it.), which was collaborated with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. This album, which was listed at number 42 on the German album chart, has the motif of impressions during the US trip. The whole A side consists of the work, ‘Mojave Plan’, which depicted the automobile trip across the Mojave wilderness. Whereas this work of theirs was evaluated negatively in Europe (“It is close to wild emptiness.” – New Musical Express), the US Down Beat magazine assessed it as “Spiritually, sensibly, and emotionally provocative (inciting) music”.
This work was also made on the trio lineup – Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, and Johannes Schmoelling.

Logos: Live at the Dominion – London 1982 (1982)

Their England performance held at the Dominion theater in London on November 6, 1982, was released as the live album, “Logos Live”. This stage was also acted on the trio format: Chris Franke, Johannes Schmoelling, and Edgar Froese.

Kamikaze 1989 – Edgar Froese solo, motion picture soundtrack (1982)

Edgar Froese continuously composed about forty pieces of movie score, and also took on the soundtrack for the flick “Kamikaze 1989” starring Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Also, the best-of compilation excerpted from his solo albums, “Solo 1974 ~ 1979” was released in 1982.

Pinnacles – Edgar Froese solo (1983)

In 1983, Edgar Froese released his solo album titled “Pinnacles”, and the magazine Musik Szene critiqued, “An album characterized by the degree of its atmosphere rather than its mass”. After acting the first Japan tour (June 1983), they made a topic in the Athens music market through the three outdoor concerts.

Hyperborea (1983)

In autumn 1983, this trio embarked on a concert tour in East Germany and Poland. In between the tours, the album titled “Hyperborea” was released in Berlin. Legend has it that Hyperboreer were the people of Thranzian where the Greek god, Apollo, stayed during the winter. With this album, they began making works close to being more excellent, more conceptual, and more meditational.

Firestarter – motion picture soundtrack (1984)

In 1984, they worked for the US movie makers, and as the productions at this time, “Firestarter” “Wavelength” and “Flashpoint” were released on the soundtrack albums. Firestarter is a movie directed by Mark L. Lester and starring Drew Barrymore and David Keith. According to Leonard Maltin’s movie and video guide, Firestarter is “a silly sometimes laughable yarn about a little girl whose parents acquired unusual mental powers as a result of a government experiment, and who herself can set anything on fire at will. Lumbering story wastes a lot of acting talent, though it certainly gave employment to a number of stunt people and special effects technicians. Based on Stephen King’s best-seller.”

Streethawk (1985)

The popular TV series “Streethawk” which was aired throughout the world also bestowed its music score on Tangerine Dream.

Poland: The Warsaw Concert (1984)

The live album of the performance that was done in Warsaw, Poland in December, 1983, was released on the double album. This album was issued on the Zomba (Jive Electro.) label, rather than Virgin record to which they had been signed for eleven years, which hinted at their turning back from Virgin record.

Le Parc (1985)

In September, 1985, they released the new studio album “Le Parc”, and this album aggregated, in a concept format, the individual emotions about the great nine parks that were the most memorable in their memories during their trips around the world. This album, in the US, was issued on the Relativity Records.

The nine parks depicted on this album are as follows:

• Bois de Boulogne (Paris)
• Central Park (New York)
• Gaudi Park (Guell Garden Barcelona)
• Tiergarten (Berlin)
• Zen Garden (Ryoanji Temple Kyoto)
• Le Parc (L.A. - Streethawk)
• Hyde Park (London)
• The Cliffs of Sydney (Sydney)
• Yellowstone Park (Rocky Mountains)

Legend – motion picture soundtrack (1986)

In 1986, they produced the eighty-minute long works for the soundtrack for “Legend”, which was Ridley Scott’s fantastic journey heavy amount of money was spent on. In the last month of that year, Johannes Schmoelling left the group to work again as a studio musician. In his place, the young synthesizer player from Vienna, Paul Haslinger (a capable musician who was officially educated in music, graduating from the Academy of Music) took part.

Underwater Sunlight (1986)

In March, 1986, Tangerine Dream, in the new member formation, embarked on the UK tour, with the state-of-the-art sound equipment. In May of that year, they released the new studio album titled “Underwater Sunlight”, and in the next month, started the North American tour, with the initiation of the performance at the Expo ’86 held in Vancouver, Canada.

I hope the information above is helpful! Happy exploring!

__________________
The Innerspace Connection | Essential Recordings | Top Archives | Hot 100 Albums | Top 550 Artists

SGR

I'll read through this later, love Tangerine Dream but have only listened to maybe 6 or 7 albums. Zeit is my favorite. The second track on that album makes me think of the final night on the Titanic before it hit the iceberg for some reason. Great work ISB!