TRANS HARMONIC NIGHTS

After his departure from TD, next to the recording of the soundtrack "Sorcerer", Peter Baumann has recorded his first solo effort called "Trans Harmonic Nights". Released His "Romance 76" delivered a fine imitation of his previous electronic / synth works with TD, directing long abstract, rhythmical compositions with the same conventional musical equipment. "Trans Harmonic Nights" shows a slightly new direction before Baumann's derivation in electronic-pop music ("Repeat repeat"...). Musically this one features new electronic materials, really more into the 80's to come. The melodies are particularly achieved, deeply mysterious, sometimes with a dark, plaintive tone. It makes it maybe more original than the common "Romance 76". The album is entirely played around modular synth experiments. It has been recorded during live sessions in Baumann's own "Paragon" studio, localised in Berlin. Surely his best with his first recording. A very personal album...essential for fans of Cluster's late period and TD 80's era.

1979 was a tough time for electronic sound in general and especially for Peter Baumann following his departure from Tangerine Dream. This is not a bad album at all but it does tend to lean towards an ' easy listening' category. At the same period there were other awful artists like Romanelli ( Connecting Flight ) trying similar ventures with perhaps more commercial success. I am happy to say that Trans Harmonic Nights rises well above commercial baiting and there are some well delivered songs that will catch your attention. They are in the main 3 to 6 minutes long so don't go expecting any TD like comparisons. There is no mistaking the connection to that master group from Germany. Highlights for me are the whole album but individual numbers worth noting are the beautiful ' This Day', the hypnotic ' Chasing the Dream', ' The Third Site' and the haunting ' Dance at Dawn'. A good album overall and I would recommend to those Tangerine Dream fans, particularly from 1985 onwards.

The second solo album by ex-TANGERINE DREAMer Peter Baumann was a transitional effort, moving away from the homegrown minimalism of his 1976 debut toward something closer to the more lucrative techno-pop territory of Jean-Michel Jarre. And that, in an electronic nutshell, points to the album's biggest shortcoming. Once a pioneer, Baumann was here cast in the role of an imitator, following a well-worn path already successfully blazed by too many others (Jarre, Vangelis, take your pick).

To his credit, he wasn't the only electronic musician looking for a shortcut out of the art rock ghetto at the end of the 1970s. Listen to "Meridian Moorland", the closest thing here to the sci-fi spirit of classic Tangerine Dream, and not only because the title recalls the likeminded alliteration of "Madrigal Meridian", released a year earlier on the TD album "Cyclone". Both tracks (indeed both albums) share an almost identical high-tech pedigree, but on his own Baumann had trouble sustaining the same level of invention as his erstwhile bandmates, who not coincidentally were at the same time wrestling with their own commercial demons.

A couple of other tracks stand out: the haunting album opener "This Day", and the jaunty vocoder melody of "Biking Up the Strand". But elsewhere the lush electronic veneer isn't enough to hide the almost childish lack of sophistication in the music itself. Programming the synthesizers to ape the fuzz of an electric guitar, or adding some genuine acoustic percussion (mostly floor toms, enthusiastically bashed), may have rendered the album more accessible, but in the long run also robbed it of any lasting interest beyond the strictly nostalgic appeal of all those analog keyboards and sequencers.

Electric music had come a long way in the few short years since Baumann first put his signature touch on the unearthly cosmic drones of early Tangerine Dream albums like "Atem" and "Zeit". But by the end of the decade he must have realized he was painting himself into an aesthetic cul-de-sac with such lightweight material as this (the cover portrait on his 1981 album "Repeat Repeat" even shows an unfortunate resemblance to New Wave one-hit wonder Gary Numan).

Wisely, he would soon direct his talents toward successfully managing his own record label. Perhaps this album is best regarded today as a now somewhat dog-eared calling card for his new career at the time.

On his second solo album, Baumann shows his cute sense for rhythm and playful melodies again. It still sounds very 1976 Tangerine Dream but at the same time it has learned a trick or two from the Kraftwerk synth pop sensibilities.

The opening This Day is a gentle piece that brings together Kraftwerk's minimalism, TD's melodious qualities and a hint of Schulze's lush textures. Also Chasing the Dream is a delightful and catchy tune. The next piece of note is Meridian Moorland which could have come right off TD's Stratosfear. The Third Site is the best track here, similar to Kraftwerk's minimal techno again but with more melody. Name it Kraftwerk for beginners.

This album is slightly derivative of Bauman's own TD past but it's a pleasant electronic album. 2.5 stars.

Peter Baumann - 1979 - "Trans Harmonic Nights".

In between experimental and straight progressive electronic ideas splashed with the inevitable drum/boxes and CASIO mini-keyboard like sequences and Mr. Baumann's early compulsive obsession of building melody lines at all times, which is kind of a trademark in him, but becomes an obstacle to the far more daring electronics which actually steal the show, outweighting in creativity the "sweetness" and irredeemably cheesy melody riffs which fill most, if not almost all, of the tracks.

A couple of microscopic highlights emerge here and there intact but the rest is subdued or reduced to a simplistic and excuse my words, foolish, musical expression.

Peter Baumann's comic sense of irreverence kind of saves the day, but then again his melody lines are not that attractive as to toy around with them.

I had great expectations set in this release, due to its date, but some stuff is no good, no matter when or where...DAMN!

**2 "for T.D.'s or DisneyWorld's X-treme fans only" PA stars.

Review Nº 802

Peter Baumann came to prominence as a key member of the German progressive electronic band Tangerine Dream, joining to Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke in the group in 1971 and making his debut presence on the third studio album of Tangerine Dream, "Zeit", released in the same year. His contribution was felt on the classic Tangerine Dream's albums released by Virgin Records issued between 1972 and 1977, "Atem" from 1973, "Phaedra" from 1974, "Rubycon" from 1975, "Ricochet" also from 1975, "Stratosfear" from 1976, "Sorcerer" from 1977 and "Encore" from 1977 too.

One of the notable contributions that Baumann made to Tangerine Dream was managing the commission and construction of their very large Projekt Elektronik modular synthesizer, and devising ways to use the synth in their compositions. Baumann had also his Moog modulars extensively modified, in part to make them more playable on stage without the use of as many patch cords. This was done in part through voltage busses routed through the case that could be sent to an input via an array of switches. So, Baumann made great contributions to the sound of the band.

In 1976 he embarked on a solo career with his classic work "Romance 76", an album that is now held in huge esteem by aficionados of German Electronic Music. His next work as a solo artist was the equally remarkable and ground breaking album "Trans Harmonic Nights", from 1979. This release pre-empted and influenced the protagonists of the synthesiser based music that would burst forth in the 80's. In the 80's he released two more albums, "Repeat Repeat" of 1981 and "Strangers In The Night" of 1983. He would return in this century with another album "Machines Of Desire" of 2016.

"Trans Harmonic Nights" is more pop orientated than "Romance 76", but remains an utterly charming slice of early ambient pop, with a sprinkling of acoustic instruments including live drums thrown into the mix. It's a good deal more minimalist in its arrangements and use of loops than Tangerine Dream's music of the same period, making it quite distinct from the classic Berlin School sound. So, the music on "Trans Harmonic Nights" is a further shift away from the heavy music of Tangerine Dream as Baumann continues to approach the melodic, minimalist music of Cluster, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, etc. In fact, you could see Baumann's brief solo career as a gradual moving away from Tangerine Dream's remoteness toward warm, romantic electronic music. That's not to suggest anything on Baumann's second album is in league with the new Romantic Movement. Rather, it's a refinement of the ideas espoused on the first side of "Romance 76", which is simple electronic sounds are built up in layers and infused with humanity and jollity.

The album opens with the razor edged electronics of "This Day". It introduces some of the elements that will appear throughout the album, like heavily treated vocals, simple layers and an almost lullaby like foundation. Particularly in the use of vocals, you get the sense that Baumann is trying to make a more human connection with his audience. "White Bench And Black Beach" is similar in design, slow and soothing in its own in a strangely luminous way. It has heavy bass and drums. "Chasing The Dream" contains a typical Tangerine Dream sequence. It recalls the sound of Tangerine Dream, showing that Baumann is more than capable of creating Tangerine Dream soundalikes. This is a track that fully shows its complexities. "Biking Up The Strand" has a happy, upbeat melody. It feels like an electronic waltz, and shows that Baumann's work is still at least partially grounded in classical structures, even as he streamlines the arrangements down to simple tracks. "Phaseday" is a bright and hopeful track, a kind of antidote to Tangerine Dream's murky vision of alien soundscapes with its pulsating sequence, Mellotron, and vocoder. "Meridian Moorland" is probably the album's darkest entry and feels uncannily familiar. It takes us into the dark forest with its eerie melody and its dark psychedelic, deeply unsettling sound. "The Third Site" is a continuation of "Meridian Moorland". It features a manic pattern similar to Cluster's more agitated songs. The album closes with "Dance At Dawn". It's his most classically inspired piece on the album, which prominently features horns and drums. It has a rapid percussive rhythm and synth trumpets sequenced.

Conclusion: The critical reaction to "Trans Harmonic Nights" is more or less divided. I agree that it's less impressive and substantive than "Force Majeuere" or "Tangram" or even "Romance 76" of him. But, those were all great albums, and "Trans Harmonic Nights" is, at least, a good album. Personally, I think there's an electronic efficacy to melody and simplicity. Despite "Trans Harmonic Nights" has more pop tendencies than "Romance 76", it seems to me recognizable that Baumann had a significant influence on "Stratosfear". Many sounds and patterns of that era can be heard on this album in a modified and lively form. So, while not as essential as "Romance 76", "Trans Harmonic Nights" has its key moments. This is an album that shows Baumann transforming and trying, for lack of a better word, to "synthesize" the vibe of the times. So, this is an interesting release for fans of vintage electronic music and Tangerine Dream's devotees.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)