DREAM MIXES 3 - THE PAST HUNDRED MOONS

The third instalment in TD's remix series saw them taking the concept even further than on the previous volumes. What was originally a fun,one off project had by now taken on a life of it's own and it's obvious that Edgar and Jerome have a lot of fun "messing around" with classic TD tracks and this is very evident on "Dream Mixes 3: The Past Hundred Moons". This time the tracks are generally longer than on the preceding albums in the series and all the better for it. At 76 minutes "DM3" is a very long album but it never outstays it's wlecome due to the creativity and inventiveness of the music. The first two albums in the remix series concentrated exclusively on newer TD material,with "DM3" they went all the way back to the 70's,to some fans concern but the fears were unfounded. Rather than diminish the quality of the original works,"DM3" manages to enhance and enrich them,bringing out extra dimensions to the music that makes the listener see them in a new light. Broader touches,like new arrangements, have been added,but also subtler touches,a new keyboard part here,a guitar there,gives these pieces a new lease of life and making them much more multidimensional than they originally were. "DM3" makes old chestnuts like "Logos","Monolight" and "White Eagle" breathe like never before while underlining the beauty of them. Like the other DM's,"DM3" is heavy on the beats but it still manages to sound light and almost ethereal,both instantaneous and complicated. "Dream Mixes 3: The Past Hundred Moons" is another TD classic and once more a testament to what a unique musical force Edgar Froese is.

The best "Dream Mixes" volume

Definitively the one to get. For the first time in the series, "The Past Hundred Moons" carries proudly its name: Going back deeper in the band's history to propose remixes of both modern and classic TANGERINE DREAM from the Schmoelling era and "Encore". 2 tracks are rearranged versions of the titles of the same names from the 1999 albums "Mars Polaris" and "Great Wall Of China", 6 are revisits from 1977-1984 studio or live TD, and 1 is a new composition by Edgar Froese. Recorded in 2000 and 2001, incorporating nineties' big-beat, drum'n'bass and even jungle approaches, these remixes are really refreshing and some even manage to bring a new youth to the source material!

The first half of the disc is nearly perfect. Longest track of the record, "Prima Time" is based on "Silver Scale", the first part of a 20 minutes suite often played live at concerts in 1980-1981, but not officially released until 1994 on the "Tangents" box set. Opening the album with such a confidential piece in TD's catalogue is quite audacious. Spacey and varied, the result is very cool. "Astrophobia (Red Supernova Mix)" keeps the threatening atmosphere of the original from "Mars Polaris". Its jungle beats and futuristic sonorities take you to a dark voyage into unknown spatial territories, while the last part is rather peaceful and contemplative. Then comes the best passage, "Stereolight". An intelligent, dynamic, well-crafted revisited fusion between the iconic pulsating pre-trance "Monolight" and the ending of "Desert Dream", both from the 1977 live album "Encore". Just listen, this track almost brings another youth to these vintage titles! Great, easily one of the best "Dream Mix" ever! "Diamonds and Dust" uses the well-known "Diamond Diary" frenetic sequence from the soundtrack album "Thief". On the contrary, this new version doesn't manage to offer enough variations for 9 minutes. A bit too long and repetitive.

Located in the middle of the disc, "Blue Spears" is the only novelty of the record. Composed by Edgar Froese, this soothing ambient piece turns a bit new-age and can remind at times the orientation taken by the band in the late 80's. Not too bad, but not remarkable either. "Meng Tian (Smart Machine Remix)" is a boosted-up version from a title of the "Great Wall Of China" soundtrack. The ambiance is faithful to the denomination, punchy, robotic and rocking! "Girl on the Stairs" is the English literal translation for "Das Mädchen auf der Treppe". The delicate "White Eagle" track was renamed so and slightly reworked for the corresponding German TV series "Tatort" episode. This time, the remix contains cool variations of the main theme. The disc ends with two concert classics from the Schmoelling era. "The Spirit of the Czar" is based on the first half of "Poland", peace and zenitude. The ender, "The Comfort Zone", revisits the last third of "Logos Part 1" last third. Not the best remix here but still spacey and pleasant.

"The Past Hundred Moons" represents what is expected from a "Dream Mixes" volume: Rearrangements of modern and vintage TANGERINE DREAM, studio, live and soundtracks, good choice of classic and lesser-known pieces ("Silver Scale", "Desert Dream"). Even if the 90's electronic sonorities are a few years late and despite a few lengthy passages, the music is overall convincing and refreshing.

Give it a try, even if you don't like post-Franke TANGERINE DREAM. You might be surprised. Very recommended to fans of TD's Schmoelling era, but also to those who grew up with the nineties' electronic beats. By the way, "Dream Mixes 3" can be also be a way for the youngster generations to discover what was this German pioneering band about...