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A lot of people love this album and I understand why. Tangerine Dream as a band mastered the art of atmosphere and subtlety and were pioneers of electronic music. But, to somebody who enjoys melodic, soulful music, listening to Phaedra is about as fun as reading a Dickens novel. Too much air, not enough substance.
The above statement may be unfair of me. Tangerine Dream wasn't set on making "fun" music. "Interesting" is a much better term. But it's not even interesting unless the sound of the wind perplexes you.
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'Phaedra'(1974), 'Rubycon' (1975), and the live 'Ricochet' (1975), are the three albums that are the pinnacles of TD's analog 70's Virgin Records years.
I cannot put into words the sounds that emanate from the first, side long track "Phaedra" on the album of its namesake, though. It is music that melts. Simplistically, it is like Minimalist music like Steve Reich or Phillip Glass on acid. But it is much more than that. The first cut of three on side two, er, I mean track 2 of the album "Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares" is not a repetitive space trip at all like the Minimalists, but more of a concerto for Mellotron, and the way "Movements of a Visionary" uses the VCS3 synthesizer to replicate some sort of aviary from Uranus is simply amazing. A classic album, and timeless masterpiece. If you buy this CD and like it, get "Rubycon" and "Ricochet". I am a huge TD fan of their other albums and varying styles, but this album sets a standard that almost no art from any genre can surpass.
In 1976 (I was 16, you do the math) a weird friend of mine came over my house to play records. That's what we did in those days. Video games weren't invented, and the internet, well...
And the only album that he brought with him was Tangerine Dream's "Phaedra". I never heard of them, but was willing to listen. I was blown away in a way I have never been blown away before. I've heard music that impressed me because of the good musicianship. I've had music that I've instantly to a liking to because I liked the songs or melodies. I've had music because it moved me in one way or another. But here was music that was mimicking sounds that I had in my brain that were never expressed aurally before. A kind of organic/electronic/psychological head-trip that was extremely cool in a way that I never came in contact with before. I had Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and liked the second track "On the Run" very much; the sequenced synth line was very trippy. But TD took it to a MUCH higher level. I bought my own copy, and for the next few years proceeded, along with their albums "Rubycon" and "Ricochet" wear it out.
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The space age music here on Phaedra is something else. The music pulses through and at times the music feels very haunting to listen to.....which disproves electro music critics that electronic music lacks the feeling of a real guitar ( total rubbish that )
Listen to this music and be amazed - this CD takes you places!
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This is definitely my favorite TD album. I feel the original genius of the band reached a high point with Phaedra, and nothing they have produced since has the touch of the muse as this one did.
The title piece is a masterpiece of synthesizer wizardry. I always thought that it sounded like it belonged in the far future, and would only be seen for what it is then. The states of mind it appeals to are not to be easily found, but may be more common in years to come.
Also, interestingly, I noticed a theme early on in Phaedra which is well-known to anyone who attends Gnostic Mass. Considering that they would later name a piece after Choronzon, I imagine that this was deliberate. Very esoteric in-joke, guys!
In any case,light some kyara incense, kick back with some Cordwainer Smith or Tim Leary, and listen to this album.
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"Phaedra", made in 1974, is the music of the futurepast, of a place which perhaps could never exist yet somehow always has. It slides through the dark reaches of the universe, catapulting you further than you ever imagined possible. It is, quite simply, the most incredible recording ever made. It consists of four tracks of decreasing length, each doing completely different things to your brain. Go with it. It will haunt you. It will show you things you will not be able to put into words. This album is nearly 30 years old. That should put things in perspective for you. This is visionary stuff, completely serious, unspeakeably emotional and unrelentingly beautiful. There is not a single work spoken or sung on the album, just washes of organs and dense pulse layers, synth spirals, otherworldly whisperings and a binding, rolling, awesome structure to the proceedings that sweeps you away until you're completely and utterly lost in the music, so lost you don't know how you got there and you never want to go back; you never even want to know where it is you started out. Buy it. Treasure it. Listen to it in the dark, lying down, with your eyes closed. Oh, the things you'll see. The places you'll go.
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