MIRAGE

Probably the peak in Schulze's entire career. This is one of those albums where everything just fell into place effortlessly and sounds simpy beautiful. He was around in the right time and the right place, using the analogue technology he'd built up during the previous five years. That's how long it took him to finally release a faultless, perfect electronic album.

If you can skip past the frankly awful "Childrens's Art Contest' sleeve you could be in for a treat here. 'Mirage' is precise in execution of choice of keyboards. Schulze certainly knew exactly what finished product he wanted here.

'Mirage' is quite similar to 'Timewind' from two years earlier - which itself is a super album. Here though - the results just sound far more complete and accomplished with less 'noodling'. This is a very smooth and polished instrumental electronic recording with every bloop and bleep carefully inserted into the score. There's no hurry or urgency - things just develop at their own pace in huge waves of analogue electronic sound.

I just love those old 70's Berlin recordings . They're copied unashamedly today by the likes of 'Redshift', 'Free System Project' and 'Radio Massacre International' - all of which sound remarkably like 'Mirage'. They even use the same equipment to try and recapture that realism that digital technology fails to do.

A beautiful, clean cut and precise album which sits comfortably alongside 'Ricochet' and 'Rubycon' but without the heavy arpeggiator sound of 'Tangerine Dream'. 'Mirage' is probably more aesthetically pleasing and can be played late at night without neighbours banging and shouting in complaint.

One of the last great analogue electronic albums that more than matches Tangerine Dream circa 74-76.