TANGERINE DREAM (1996 DISKY COMPILATION)

Tangerine Dream is a progressive rock band that was formed in Berlin. The band was among the earliest explorers of a new musical universe opened by the electronic instruments. The universe of Tangerine Dream was born as a journey aided by the new electronic keyboards, transformed into a contemplative survey of the universe. They were able to create music without a regular pulse but just with organ chords, a few manipulated guitar lines and synthesizer effects. Tangerine Dream became a landmark and one of the first bands that made the first explorations in electronic realms.

"Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is a compilation album of Tangerine Dream that was released in 1996. It's a compilation album with six tracks. It comprises the four tracks on their fifth studio album "Phaedra" that was released in 1974 in it's entirely, the first part of the two parts of their sixth studio album "Rubycon" that was released in 1975 and the title track, which is one of the four tracks on their seventh studio album "Stratosfear" that was released in 1976.

As I mentioned above, "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" has six tracks. The title track of "Phaedra" would set a whole new standard for the Tangerine Dream's sound. The minimalism of their first albums was pretty much gone, as the sequenced rhythms provided the band with a rich and fat sound stuffed to the rim with mystical and delightful atmospheres. Given focus by the arpeggiated trance that drifts in and out of the mix, the track progresses through several passages including a few surprisingly melodic keyboard lines and an assortment of eerie Moog and Mellotron effects. Despite the impending chaos, the track can sounds more like a carefully composed classical work than an unrestrained piece of noise. The climax of the track comes surprisingly enough after the sequencer has stopped, and makes room for a sinister and incredibly moody part filled with Mellotron, gongs and haunting electronic sounds, building up some of the most fantastic atmospheres ever created by humans. And to add to the feel of beyond and mystery, some distant and faint sounds of children playing can be heard several seconds after the track has ended. It would become a standard track in the future of their music. "Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares" reportedly was a pure solo number of Froese. It has a line with a kind of a buzzing mysticism that consists almost entirely of grandiose washes of Mellotron, accompanied by free form of some spacey electronic sounds. The effect of this music is thoroughly hypnotic if you get involved with it, really. "Movements Of A Visionary" begins with some structureless noises. It seems to improve the voice experiments from their previous album "Atem". The rest of the track consists of a warm and comforting organ improvising around the sequenced rhythms that now was one of the band's main trademarks. It gently swings back in the direction of a hypnotic rhythm. "Sequent C'" is a brief piece for flute that closes the album in a moody way. It's a piece of ethereal and floating beauty that was recorded by Baumann's solo on the flute with some electronic alienation. It represents a very beautiful and melancholic musical vision of Tangerine Dream. "Rubycon Part 1" starts with a lot of atmospheric and mellow soundscapes performed on the Mellotron and the synthesizers. After a while the sequencers start which provide for pleasant rhythms. The frequent organ and piano parts move strongly towards the sound that Pink Floyd produced on "Meddle". It has some sounds where the mood alternates between dark and light, before it beautifully and graciously rises up toward a grandiose and haunting part with some fantastic atmospheres that in a dream take us to the ocean. It quiets down after a while, and starts to build up some tension to prepare us for the sequenced part. Together with the eerie Mellotrons, distorted piano chords and droning organs, the electronic sequenced rhythms carry you away in the same dreamlike state as "Phaedra" did. The title track of "Stratosfear" kicks off the album with grandeur and sheer elegance. It has frenzied hypnotic beauty mixed with swirling guitars and changing tempos that turns it in an awesome spacey song with a memorable melody. It opens with some relaxed and pleasant chords on guitar, which creates an atmosphere that fits the track very well, indeed. The electronic rhythms then start, introducing one of the best and most recognizable melodies that the band ever wrote.

Conclusion: "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is an excellent compilation album of Tangerine Dream. This is a compilation album that comprises tracks that belong to three of the best studio albums created by the band in the middle of the 70's. These are three works that belong of what is considered their golden era, the phase that became known as "The Virgin Years", albums released to the Virgin record label, as the name indicates. It was just missing "Ricochet", technically a live album with original music that wasn't released on any studio before. "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is a great starting point to all who aren't acquainted with the music of the band yet. Here, we can see why Tangerine Dream is a much respected progressive band and was able to create an aura that lasts till today.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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