I've finally got round to buying some Tangerine Dream albums.The universally rated Phaedra,Rubycon and Force Majeure.

I've not really dabbled too much in ambient electronic music from the 70s but since I like Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygene",Neu '75,and a couple of other Kraftwerk albums,this was the next step.

I am not disappointed,this was groundbreaking music in the early 70s to use Moog synthesizers and sequencers to make soundscapes of trance like music, as if the sound of deep space was somehow washing or bubbling over you.It's hypnotic but slightly disturbing at the same time.Force Majeure is a more propulsive experimental rock album but still good.

This is good-like an air raid warning in space. Rubycon part 2

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObIqsQBqdNU[/youtube]

Force Majeure is a more propulsive experimental rock,but also famous for the electric guitar piece that Edgar Froese performed on "Cloudburst Flight".

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0OrKx8DEYk[/youtube]

I have to say I prefer the earlier more ambient space sounds of Phaedra and Rubycon.

I bought the OST of "Sorcerer" (Wages of Fear) by Tangerine Dream. Also, the OST of "Thief" by this band is very good.

I like Phaedra alot.....may enjoy it more as being a noise/space soundscape then having much of a tune to it.

You should also pick up Stratosfear......the title track is one of my favorite Tangerine Dream tracks.

The band's "Virgin years" (1974-1983) are definitely my favorite. There's also an album recorded in 1973 but not released until the mid-'80s called Green Desert that fits in well with the Virgin period. The rest of their '80s output, on the Jive and Private Music labels, is very good. IMHO they started going downhill in the '90s, and by the turn of the century I mostly lost interest.

Also recommended from the same era (mid-70's): "Ricochet" and "Encore"; they're both billed as live albums but there's little or no audience noise, especially on "Ricochet".

Exit, released in 1981, almost seems like a deliberate move towards a more commercial sound, and therefore I really like it.

Yes Charles,"Statosphere" would probably be the next Tangerine Dream I'd go for at a later date.I like to buy runs of three or four albums of an artist and then move onto the next thing,to return later for more.



Apparantly sections of "Force Majeure" appeared in a slightly altered version on the movie soundtrack "Thief".

I was just thinking again today how these soundscapes of doom-laden synths heard on Phaedra and Rubycon made their influence felt on other albums of the same period.I came to the conclusion that one was certainly David Bowie's Heroes,which contained one track in particular which had echoes of those albums.I gave it a play today and it was "Shadow of Doubt".Hardly surprising as this was one on the Eno produced and where he played on synths and obviously one where the German electronic influence could be heard.It also came out in 1975,a year after Phaedra.

Became a fan after seeing Sorcerer in a movie theater during the summer of 1977. Up to that point the only album I had by them was Alpha Centuri.



Great movie btw. Friedkin's follow up to The Exorcist.

Up through the Johannes Schoemlling and Christopher Framke eras they were quite consistant.
Here's a few more for you to consider. Ones I'd say are essential - solo and otherwise.

Exit - TD
White Eagle - TD
Livemiles - TD
Pergammon - TD
Poland - TD (very dark and epic)
Optcal Race - TD
Underwater Sunlight - TD
Booster - TD (this is thier most recent lineup)
One Night In Space {dvd} - TD (also w/ recent lineup)

Solo material:

Stuntman - Edgar Froese
Ages - Edgar Froese

Wuivend Reit - Johannes Schmoelling (excellent)

Departure From The Northern Wasteland - Michael Hoenig

Klaus Schultze - Dune
Klaus Schultze - Babylon

The London Concert - Christopher Franke

Nappy Listening!!

peace,
joebase

Tangerine Dream's albums would be good listened to while "chilling" in one of those big 70s leather recliner chairs,though a pair of head phones and in perfect darkness.

I have no leather recliner or 'phones though !!

Since you mentioned Brian Eno.....

One of my favorite ambient albums is Brian Eno's Ambient 1: Music for Airports.

Very relaxing....especially the 1st track.

I second these choices, and I would add Green Desert (which I mentioned earlier) and Hyperborea to the list.

Here's my current TD collection, if anyone's interested:

Electronic Meditation
Alpha Centauri
Zeit
Atem
Green Desert
Phaedra
Rubycon
Ricochet
Stratosfear
Sorcerer
Encore
Cyclone
Force Majeure
Pergamon
Tangram
Thief
Exit
Tatort (vinyl EP)
White Eagle
Logos Live
The Keep
Wavelength
Hyperborea
Risky Business (includes songs by other artists)
Flashpoint
Firestarter
Poland
Heartbreakers
Le Parc
Legend
Underwater Sunlight
The Park Is Mine
Tyger (2 versions)
A Time For Heroes (CD single)
Shy People
Three O'Clock High
Near Dark
Deadly Care
Canyon Dreams
Livemiles
Optical Race
Miracle Mile
Lily On The Beach
Catch Me...If You Can
Destination Berlin
Dead Solid Perfect
Melrose
L'affaire Walraff (The Man Inside)
Rumpelstiltskin
Rockoon
Rockoon EP
220 Volt Live
Turn Of The Tides
Zoning
Tyranny Of Beauty
The Dream Mixes
Goblins’ Club
Quinoa
Oasis
Transsiberia
Architecture In Motion
The Hollywood Years Vol. 2
Mars Polaris
Great Wall Of China
The Seven Letters From Tibet
Inferno
Mota Atma

That's more than I have!

No make that again. Do you do this with all artists ??

Ven,
You've got more of TD's soundtracks than me but roughly we
have the same colllection. I recently 'recreated' their early box set
'70-'80 on my iPod.

Also can't remember if anyone mentioned it yet but Tangram is another
of those essential TD releases

joebase

Well, I do tend to be a bit of a completist with my favorite artists. But not many of them have the sheer volume of material that TD has. I'd say my John Williams soundtrack collection comes close.