RUBYCON

Tangerine Dream

Progressive Electronic

4.24 | 1032 ratings

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russellk
Prog Reviewer

The follow-up to the ground-breaking 'Phaedra' is a little underwhelming in comparison, but has aged somewhat better.

The album seduces the listener with seven minutes of delightful ambience before bringing out the industrial pulse sequencers, and just like the audience at their live shows, we cheer as the blips start. Clever idea, that, prolonging the tension. Those of us in 1975 keen for 'Phaedra Part 2' resist the temptation to shift the needle forward and wait - and finally they appear. They're a little less visceral here, the whole feel is more pastoral and less industrial than their previous album, though the first sting at 10:35 is a surprise! Gradually, in the manner of a post-rock track, the sound builds into a crescendo, to die away again after 12:30.

Organic and mechanical sounds combine here in a winsome blend. Witness the synth flute near the end of Part 1, a simply gorgeous denouement. More than anything, this is a band maturing compositionally. (This, of course, makes their subsequent issuing of a plethora of formulaic albums all the more reprehensible.)

Unlike previous TANGERINE DREAM albums, Part 2 continues in much the same vein, combining elements of their avant-garde ambience and their new-found rhythmic and melodic chops. There are no simple ambient or experimental tracks: for the first time everything is combined into a delightful melange of pulses and patterns, with interesting variations on the pulses always enough to sustain one's interest. Variations on a theme, that's what TANGERINE DREAM are about here.

Like Easy Livin', this is the first TANGERINE DREAM album I bought. Immediately I had to have Phaedra, the only other TD album available. Of the two I liked this one the most back then, but I have to say I find Phaedra more compelling now.

russellk | 4/5 | 2008-4-21

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