PHAEDRA

"Phaedra" is their first successful album, one of the most classic albums they have ever made. It was released for Virgin (to which the band signed around 1974) and was an immediate hit in the UK, as well as the USA. This album begins the fascinating and very important phase in the electro-rock experimental band. The first track, "Phaedra" might be divided into two parts. the first is more dynamic, with the electronic beat and strange ambient sounds, which conitue for about ten minutes before the beat ceases and the dar and hypnotic part unflods with a wailing sound, as if of a dying or hurt animal. The underlying synthesizer drone make you think the animal is in danegr and is running away, with its sob becoming more and more dramatic. Then Froese's mellotron emphasise the dark and eerie atmosphere. The music sounds dark and grand at the same time. As if you are facing a powerful deity which rises staright before you, these are the images that come to my mind. This slow part of "Phaedra's" self-titled track is certainly one of the most wonderful moments on this album. The scond track, "Mysterious Semblance..." begins with children's laughter (imagine a beach with people at their leisure, and a host of dark clouds gathering on the sky prophesying danger!) which ends kind of abruptly. The mellotron takes over and plays swirly lines, not as dark as on "Phaedra", but still eerie and "omen-ish". This track ends with various sounds (which, frankly, I don't like very much, I prefer the music itself), which sort of take away the music, its echoes can be heard just slightly, while the sounds gather strength and then fade out. Third track is a fast paced heaven (but for the electronic sounds in the beginning) with the warm sound of organs along pulsating electronic beat. It has a very delicate, though still dark, sound, almost jazzy, just picture a freaky flight over hills and rivers and oceans... that kind of imagery come to my mind whenever I listen to this track. The concluding number, "Sequent 'C'" is a short piece for flute. It was written by Peter Baumann, who also plays the flute here. It is a melancholic song, that makes you aware of the fact, that TD don't need all that electronic equippment to create a music that is so... electric!!!