ROMANCE 76

This is the first Peter Baumann release after Tangerine Dream, I think it reflects what he was adding to TD, the melodic lines and the sounds of the synth leads. The first side starts with Bicentennial Present that is really in the TD way of doing things but with a bigger melodic develop and clear simplicity, the second Romance it has a more catchy mood it runs with two sequenciers and adding the melody above passing from one sound to another really in the TD textures but more plain less obscure or mysterious than previous works, the last track of this side Phase By Phase is in the same line than the others two may be tents to a little climax and then it fades out. The production is excellent every thing sounds so net and clear, it's seems more individual rather than epic or for big audiences project, may be the reason why he left TD before several times, one of those Michel Hoering had replacement he for Australian Tour cause Peter was involuted in a trip to Nepal, and something of this you can notice in this album stepping way of the rock system and looking for more personal or spiritual resources. The second side of the album, I do have the vinyl that still sound great, it's goes more mystic the name of the two parts pice is Meadow of Infinity with a sort of interlude between call the Glass Bridge. The first part it goes slow all with Philharmonic sounds and little electronic and it's conducted by H Baumann that I think is the same Peter Baumann only with the H of Hans that it's his first name. Even that this side is darker than the first still it has same clarity in the arrangements, the second piece of this side speed up with the sounds of toms and voices above. Then still percusions and some strings and oboes to add tension that leads to a kind of climax. The percusions back very low mixing with electronic percusions and now the sounds goes mellow and electronic, till the voice chorus back and starts the second part of Meadow of Infinity with the sound of mellotron leading the rest and directing to a kind of if not epic but meaningful end. I do appreciate the effort of trying to exposure his personal vision of what music have to express, the beautie of the first melody The love feelling of the second that may be don't have it's place when you play with a band, the warm of the analogical synths. I think this album it's better than most of the TD of the eighties, reflects serenity but not in a easy way, and have all the character of that era (combination of instruments and ideas) that made now classical and unique. It worth four stars