THE BOOTLEG BOX SET VOL. 1

This box set consists in 5 concerts performed between 1974 and 1976, dispatched in 7 discs. The main point is that, at this moment, the music played live by the band was FULLY IMPROVISED and completely new at each show ! The audience came to live an UNIQUE audio experience. Whereas official studio and live albums only capture snapshots of TANGERINE DREAM with tracks whose duration do not exceed 20 minutes, pieces here are uncut and present the trio's ambitions and universe in their truest form.

The concerts come from the Tangerine Tree project (Series 1 & 2): shows recorded from audience tapes and remasterised by fans for fans. The project was initiated some years ago to spread TD's live concerts and harmonize the band's different bootlegs. For this box set, music was re-remasterized from the Tree's discs by Jerome Froese to offer the best possible sound quality.

First concert is Sheffield 1974, also known as Tangerine Tree #02. The band was just getting out of its kosmische period. The music is between Atem and Phaedra: no real melody, no sequencer, no rythm. Just slow mellotron and synth waves coupled with mysterious flutes and experimental sonorities. A bit hard to get into.

Second concert is London Royal Albert Hall 1975, also known as Tangerine Tree #09, Phaedram, Ruby in the Sky and Coefficient Of Aural Expansion. Of the concerts featured in the box set, this is the longest, the darkest and probably the most futuristic. Furthermore, this is one of the rare performances in which Michael Hoening replaces Peter Baumann. Introduced by John Peel himself, the band displays here soundscapes very reminiscent of the Rubycon album. A long travel into mysterious obscure stellar galaxies begins. Pulsating sequencer passages and rythmic sound sometimes quite modern for 1975 ! The near-perfect sound quality enhances this impression. A must listen, in the dark for better effect.

Third concert is Croydon 1975, also known as Tangerine Tree #07. This is the performance from which are extracted musical passages of the Ricochet live album (essentially for Ricochet Part 2). The band's cohesion and alchemy are at their best. Sound quality is also very good. But what makes the interest is the music, which may be the most dreamy here. Arranged around the Ricochet theme, the concert features much more variations, experimentations and guitar improvisations than the official live track. The ending is simply a masterpiece of spacy contemplative 70's sequencing !

Fourth concert is Bilbao 1976, also known as Tangerine Tree #06. This is the recording with the worst sound quality, with the audience talking and clapping hands (!). Fortunately, the material fully justifies its inclusion in this box set. Indeed, this is largely the most adventurous and surprising concert here. Music goes through various things such as tribal, metal and even jazzy passages ! Froese plays serious guitar and the band tries quite experimental sounds and rythmics.

Fifth concert is Berlin 1974, also known as Tangerine Tree #08, Electronic Rock At The Philharmonics, and even more known as Soundmill Navigator, in better quality. For those not familiar with the official TDI release, the music performed here is closest to the Stratosfear album and announces The Sorcerer soundtrack. Sequenced synthetizer in a mysterious cave. Sound is rather vaporous, mineral, crystaline, theme progresses and reaches its climax at the end.

The mystery, the darkness, the dream, the adventure, the mineral, this is what all these shows are about. Not to be recommended to beginners, this Bootleg Box Set 1 is just essential for anyone into the Froese/Franke/Baumann era and willing to discover the true essence of TANGERINE DREAM ! 4.5 stars !

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