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Tangerine Dream's take on synth-rock was subdued & introspective unlike other German groups like the rhythmic & melodious Kraftwerk or the confrontational Angst-filled Can. The title track meanders gently with symphonic synthesizer textures weaving over & under gently whirring percussion, creating vistas of wide open spaces and undulating water. In the background are hints of choral voices. Despite the title, Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares takes tranquil and elegant shape, whilst Movements of a Visionary starts out more experimentally with clusters of synthetic sounds before the uptempo beat enters, followed by what appears to be flutes and organs in an atmospheric blend that evokes wind, water & rain. The album concludes with the short track Sequent C that resembles a classical piece with its absence of percussion. There's a touch of melancholy but no Weltschmerz whatsoever on this album. Those who enjoy Phaedra & Rubycon will love the work of Peter Baumann and perhaps even the music of Autechre which owes a lot to Tangerine Dream.
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It is what any band hopes to accomplish...and few can achieve.
This 1974 release is a classic, as it set the foundation for the meditative, electronic "Berlin sound" that carved a trail from ambient music to clubland. Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke and Peter Baumann craft remarkable soundscapes in the four numbers, with the title track a free form artistic masterpiece that clocks 17:45.
The remaining three pieces wonderfully use technology - Franke, Moog analog-sequencer; Froese, Mellotron and Baumann, VCS 3 - and the emerging potential of the studio; on Sequent C', Baumann's performance on the flute is bolstered by tape echo.
If there is one TD album that is a must for any collection, this is it.
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Pure spacy, cosmic, stoic, yet richly felt sound...that is the best way to describe Phaedra. The year was '74, and TD was still imersed in the concept of delivering a wall of concentric, parallel, conflicting, yet coherent synth-oriented sounds. Don't look for melodies that you can whistle along with, or simple beats that you can dance to. This is a spacy trip through caverns and canyons between stars and galaxies. This is a soundtrack to a tangerine's dream. This is an audio vision described through synthesizers and electronic music that is unlike anything any other artist can offer. It's just a beautiful trip through pure spacy sound. If you like music that you need an imagination to appreciate, I very highly recommend this gorgeously obscure album!
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If you're interested in exploring electronica or "Kosmiche Musik," then this is the place to start. Few come close to this perfection. I have the LP!
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I was disappointed that the packing of this item was not well-done. The CD case was cracked, although the CD itself is fine.
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