ELECTRONIC MEDITATION

Pioneers of electronic music or to be precise pioneers of progressive electronic music. Either way it is hard not to be blown away by Tangerine Dream's debut studio release from 1970. Guitar is abundant on EM, which may have grown gradually less over subsequent years of studio material but Edgar Froese was adamant from the outset that guitars would be a vital ingredient to the TD sound and in this reviewers opinion that has endured albeit more sparingly.

The album kicks off with ' Genesis' a fuzzy mix of synth and guitar before the classic ' Journey Through a Burning Brain' gives us 12 minutes of mind numbing adventure, great drumming from Klaus Schulze and guitar solo's from Froese. ' Cold Smoke' and ' Ashes to Ashes' follow suit both providing a mix of minimalist landscapes, rock psychedlia and some fine organ work before ' resurrection', excuse the pun, returns the loop. There is no denying Froese's admiration for Jimi Hendrix and there is that influence on this album for sure, equally this is one of TD's unsung heroes for studio album releases in many respects. The most erstwhile fans and plaudits will not have missed Electronic Meditation, nor it's importance in setting the scene for a band in being one of the most prolific around. EM does set the tone for the trademark TD sound and carries it's head up high as being one of the bands finest albums. Light years ahead of it's time too. Four and a half stars.