Search - Tangerine Dream :: Electronic Meditation

Embryonic anarchic improvisation

Steve Benner | Lancaster, UK | 09/19/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This was the embryonic Tangerine Dream's first record release, originally by a very forward-looking (to say nothing of brave) German record label, Ohr. It was recorded in October 1969, a couple of years before even the name Tangerine Dream had been heard in the UK, and some five years before their signing to an upstart record-publisher, Virgin, gave both their own and their record company's careers such a tremendous boost. Bear in mind that 1969 was only five years or so after Robert Moog and David Buchla almost simultaneously released the world's first commercial electronic music synthesisers. Such instruments were still rare, expensive, and of fairly limited capabilities back then, and the 'electronic' of the title refers not to the use of any such instrument, but rather to the treatments applied to the sound produced from the standard acoustical instruments-guitars and piano (Edgar Froese), cello and violin (Conrad Schnitzler) and drum-kit and metal sticks (Klaus Schulze)-using an extremely crude electronic effect device, an additator-basically, just a ring modulator as far as I can tell-and the use of Farfisa organ. The music itself is difficult to describe unless you're already familiar with the cult experimental free-form rock that was prevalent across continental Europe (especially Germany) in the late 60s. If you imagine three guys hammering and scraping away and generally torturing their instruments, often with little or no seeming regard for what their fellow group members are doing at the time, then you'll have a pretty fair idea! But don't let that put you off; this is important music, which at one time had a huge cult following and it deserves to be heard still. And, who knows, you may even discover that you like it! Be warned, however, that this disc runs for fewer than 35 minutes. (Hence the paucity of stars!) And it was recorded 'live' in an old warehouse, using less than the highest of fi recording gear, so it has a much lower dynamic range than we're used to hearing these days, and in parts sounds positively muddy. Which was probably intended..."

Not an impressive start-Pink Floyd wannabes

kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 09/22/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is Tangerine Dream's first album. It is only 36 minutes long. Sound quality and mix are not very good.



About half of this album is just noise, with the band members just clanking on stuff or making eerie sounds. Much of it sounds like one of those Halloween albums of spooky sounds.



The other half is some interesting coherent music, with some interesting trade offs between organ, guitar and drums. The music is really harsh, churning and metallic. But, the whole thing sounds like a rip-off of earlier Pink Floyd music, specifcially Saucer Full of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother and Ummagumma. (Atom Heart Mother and this album would be released at about the same time, but Pink Floyd had been playing variations on Atom Heart Mother for a couple of years).



This album is nothing like later Tangerine Dream album, where they would soften their sound and move towards more electonica and ambient."