KAMIKAZE 1989 (OST)

This is another movie soundtrack from the Tangerine Dream's leader. It sounds a bit like his solo album "Pinnacles". One can recognize some patterns from the Tangerine Dream's albums "Hyperborea" and "Flashpoint" too. There is a 95% reprise of the "Convention of the 24" beat ("White Eagle" album). There are couples of tracks that sound like the stuff on his "Stuntman" album. The tracks influences are really varied, but you have to know the Tangerine Dream of the 80's to notice it. The sound is dynamic, the tracks are really catchy. This is a very good album: it is among his best ones! The best track is the last one: an apocalyptic arrangement of floating keyboards streams, threatening, beautiful, controlling, imposing: just play it loud! Unfortunately, the sound fades too fast at the end, just after the NASA-like voice.

3.5 stars

Only film soundtrack by Edgar Froese, "Kamikaze 1989" was composed for an anticipation movie directed by Wolf Gremm and starring German film director and actor Reiner Werner Fassbinder, in its last role. The music consists in short original different compositions, not officially released in other studio albums, unlike some TANGERINE DREAM soundtracks. The style is close to TD's "White Eagle", released the same year, and announces Froese's next opus, "Pinnacles".

Let's first talk about the good tracks. The nice dark and dreamy "Videophonic" features a glacial sequence typical of the recording period. More rhythmic, "Vitamin C" is also pleasant, whereas the mysterious "Krismopompas" and "Flying Kamikaze" display a pretty ambiance a bit similar to "Convention of the 24". The retrofuturistic melody of "Police Disco" is slightly reminiscent of VANGELIS. The slow "Snake Bath" and "The 31st Floor" are peaceful and relaxing, in the style of "Hyperborea" and preparing "Pinnacles".

The only non-original composition of this soundtrack is "Unexpected Death", already played by TANGERINE DREAM at the beginning of their last recent concerts under the name "Undulation", but not previously unreleased in studio version. Anyway, this fast electronic piece is quite unusual and trippy.

Concerning the anecdotal and forgettable passages, the ambient "Intuition" and the strange "Blue Panther" are rather average. The weakest tracks of the album are the cheesy "Police Therapy Center" and "Tower Block", which sound very dated.

"Kamikaze 1989" may be Edgar's least remarkable release from his "classic" 70-80 period, but the inspiration and originality are still present. This record is overall good and on the same level as TD's best soundtracks. Furthermore, the tracks are not redundant.

Not essential, but should please most Froese or TANGERINE DREAM fans.