EPSILON IN MALAYSIAN PALE

If you are familiar with Tangerine Dream's typical sound developed during the "Phaedra", "Rubycon" period you will be very enthusiastic by this second Edgar Froese's solo album. The electronic / synth explorations are also clearly similar to "Aqua". This record announces the colour with concrete sounds taken from ambient samples of monkeys. "Concrete" experiences were also delivered on the previous "Aqua" with aquatic, airplane sounds. Next to this brief and original introduction we fall into a hypnotic and contemplative electronic adventure, dominated by Mellotron parts, sometimes experimenting acoustic elements as the flute (already used in the sad, melancholic TD's track "sequent C")." Rubycon" & "Ricochet" fans will enjoy all the old analog synth melodic parts accompanied by heavy / rhythmic electronic arpeggios. Froese's best effort in solo, a landmark and a memorable album of experimental / electronic prog music.

I have listened so much this album while I was studying at University. It is so relaxing and it helps so much to concentrate yourself! This smooth electronic music with a subtle relaxing drum-free beat will certainly not leave you indifferent. Some keyboards sound like soothing flutes. Like on the "Macula transfer" album, there are TONS of mellotron here, and the keyboards are gently floating to produce pleasant atmospheres. Most of electronic linear floating keyboards-oriented albums are boring and tedious, but this one is really the opposite in the genre. The album is simple and minimalist, yes, but the effect on you should be memorable!

This album was inspired by Froese's visit to Malaysia and Australia while on tour with TANGERINE DREAM in 1975. I have the 2004 version which has been re-recorded and remixed.The first track on my version is 1 1/2 minutes longer and the second song is 18 seconds longer.The major difference between the two versions is that the newer one has been given the digital treatment from Edgar. I have read from those who have both and they all say that the first version is so much warmer with the abundance of mellotron that was originally featured. There is mellotron on the first track, but I couldn't hear any on the second one.

"Epsilon In Malaysian Pale" opens with some jarring sounds in a jungle-like atmosphere.Very cool. It smooths out to spacey waves of sound a minute in. Mellotron can be heard as well. A change after 8 1/2 minutes as the waves stop and an unsettled soundscape takes over. Lots of mellotron follows as it becomes spacey again with a moog passage of around 4 minutes. A change again 13 1/2 minutes in as those jarring sounds with that jungle atmosphere returns. It's spacey again a minute later. Unsettled again 16 minutes in. Great song but I can't help but think the original recording would sound more like that hot, humid Malaysian climate than this does.

"Maroubra Bay" is in Australia, and is the title of the second side long track. It opens with what sounds like waves washing in on the beach as spacey sounds play over top. Pulsating sounds join in as well. The waves seem to disappear for a while at times but they always come back. The synths sound great after 15 minutes.The waves are back consistantly after 16 minutes to the end.

This is well worth 4 stars although I wish I had the original recording. Edit : December 2012. I have the new box-set released by Virgin Records that has this cd in it's original form WITH mellotron ! I'm a happy guy. 4.5 stars for this one !

EDGAR FROESE's second solo album is a much more accessible affair than his first, "Aqua". That said, the second of only two tracks on this album will make TANGERINE DREAM fans feel right at home.

The title track, 'Epsilon in Malaysian Pale', starts with electronic -- or electronically-processed -- jungle birdsong and the sampled clickety-clack of a train (the KL to Penang train, perchance?). Delectable flute then drifts over calm Mellotron, making me so chilled-out I almost levitate. I'm slightly reminded of 'Sequent C' on TANGERINE DREAM's "Phaedra", but this has a more mainstream feel to it. Initially you might envisage the flute segment as the background to some TV programme showing seagulls riding the sea breeze, or panning across the countryside on a misty morning. The more cynical might say the track sounds like mellow lift music, as it's not particularly sophisticated or complex. However it's so darned relaxing and pleasant that even cynics should be won over in the end. Sequencer later in the track means that fans of TANGERINE DREAM will not feel ignored. Overall, though, the flute and Mellotron are what stand out in this mellow track.

TANGERINE DREAM fans will be on more-familiar territory in the second track. After a very spooky-sounding Mellotron start, 'Maroubra Bay' changes briefly into a mellow -- and very satisfying -- VANGELIS-like moonscape before returning to the familiar electronic ambient feel of TANGERINE DREAM. Whoever it sounds like, the track is pleasant and again very relaxing. The sequencer that comes in at around four minutes into the track is almost melodic, especially with horn-sounding Moog and Mellotron wafting around over it, but could probably put just about anyone into a trance, with the occasional electronic waves breaking on the sea shore being the final nudge onto a higher plane. The sequencer disappears in the last minute or so and Mellotron meanders slowly until it fades out. Very relaxing yet strangely exhilarating.

I have not heard FROESE's 2005 reworking of the original recording so cannot comment on that, but the original 1975 recording is certainly a worthwhile investment if you can find a second-hand copy. I do hope Virgin re-releases the original recording at some point as it deserves to be perpetuated. I'm going with 4 stars (Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection) because the atmospheric music on this album will quickly become addictive to most progressive music fans and should become a cherished part of any collection. Not as avant-garde, as starkly electronic or as complex as "Phaedra" or "Aqua", but very good nonetheless. Recommended.

One of the most Mellotron saturated albums you're ever likely to hear.

The title track 'Epsilon in Malysian Pale' is like the soundtrack for planet earth after all the humans have disappeared. A creepy, quiet, well constructed piece of electronica which stands up well even today, which is surprising considering it's completely comprised of 70's technology.

'Maroubra Bay' is a bit more like Tangerine Dream from the same period. This one has Tangerine Dream's famous arpeggiators used throughout it's entirety. It's not as sombre or as lonely sounding as the title track, but does however complement said track very well and is a bit more upbeat, without any drums or percussion of course.

This is probably my favourite Tangerine Dream or Edgar Froese recording bar none. It's also the only essential Edgar Froese album to date. If you're looking for the missing link between Rubycon and Stratosfear, look no further. It's just a pity it's so short.

Edgar Froese's Epsilon in Malaysian Pale is unsurprisingly similar to the music found on Phaedra and Rubycon by Tangerine Dream, of which he was one of the founders.

The title-track is very slow and serene, and creates a great airy atmospheric dreamscape that kicks off with the sounds of the jungle. It's very relaxing, and the way the first half of the track drones and builds up the the second half of steady electronic pulsing that leads to an end of drifting melancholy is very effective in drawing the listener in.

"Maroubra Bay" is remarkably sinister and gloomy for its name, but after a few minutes of experimental sounds, another steady electronic pulse is brought in from the background with soaring mellotron and additional keyboard sounds caress the listener, and eventually are coupled with the sounds of the ocean waves washing upon the beach.

This Edgar Froese solo album's cover art, title, and music all make a fairly convincing mental image of its subject matter, which I didn't originally think that anyone from Tangerine Dream would be able to pull of. This really is a great album, and is a fantastic choice of material to listen to rather than post-Force Majeure Tangerine Dream, especially if you're looking for more of the dark and airy atmospheric delight from Phaedra and Rubycon.

Not particularly different from the material Tangerine Dream was cooking up the same time - ghostly, mysterious, with swathes of Mellotron draped over everything - the fact that this is a solo performance means that the album loses the thick textures of Phaedra. The occasional influence of Australian and South-East Asian music that creeps in here and there spices things up a little but ultimately isn't as prominent as is sometimes suggested; what we have here is more or less all Froese, all the time. Worth it if you are a diehard fan of Tangerine Dream's mid-1970s work, but otherwise I'd say stick to the band work, where Froese more consistently brings his "A" game.

It's common opinion that Edgar Froese's solo works, specially in the 70s don't add much to what he was already doing with Tangerine Dream, so that somebody wonders why he released solo materials at all. I have read a review saying that the material here is just a TD thing without the contribution of the other TD members.

Well, I can agree with this description, but to me this album contains all the things that I like in TD and differently from the excellent stuff brought out by the band in the late 70s the A side of Epsilon has, I think, something more.

The emulated flute that's the main instrument on the title track adds a touch of "classical" mood to the composition. I can't tell exactly a classical author, but I'm sure that people more expert than me with the early 20th Century classical music can identify one.

Epsilon, regardless the birds, the train, and all the background noises is relaxing and beauty, has a structure and melodies that sometimes lack even in masterpieces like Phaedra and Rubycon, where the repetitions and the smooth variations are the most relevant element.

The B-side is a bit more darker, and is effectively closer to the TD works of that period. Of course this is not a bad thing for a TD fan, but IMO the A side has something more.

If you like the late 70s TD you probably know this solo work as well, but if not, check it out. This is almost at the same level of he best TD releases so I rate it with 4 stars.

Unlike other reviewers, I do not find this very similar to Tangerine Dream. It is remote yet warm. Occasionally does a hypnotic series of underlying notes come into play. There is a refreshing simplicity to be found.

'Epsilon in Malaysian Pale' Layers of Mellotron do not saturate the first half; instead, they lift the piece into the airier places of the musical spectrum. The key is tranquility, a pacifying reminder of the ephemeral, of breath.

'Maroubra Bay' More inharmonious, contrasts of the available palette clash and dart forward with a balefulness unheard previously. Brass appears mournfully yet triumphantly, as though announcing a pyrrhic victory of some kind. A descending rhythm is the spine for further Mellotron and washes of atmospheric sound. Unfortunately some the momentum gets deflated quickly, as though the artist had run out of ideas. The unsuspecting finale is one of grace and quiet dignity.

Between 1974 and 1983 Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese issued six solo albums, and all of them are well worth investigating. The pick of the bunch, however, is this 1975 album, a dreamy and mysterious set which sounds as if it could be the soundtrack to some long-lost Werner Herzog jungle epic in the mould of 'Aguire, Wrath Of God'. Of course, Froese and Tangerine Dream would, from 1977's 'Sorceror' onwards, go on to enjoy a lucrative side career creating ambient movie soundtracks for directors such as Wiliam Friedkin, Michael Mann and Kathryn Bigelow, and much of that work stems back to 'Epsilon In Malaysian Pale'. Featuring just two, lengthy, side-long tracks, this may be a Edgar Froese solo album in title, but the reality is that it is essentially another excellent Tangerine Dream album in the mould of such classics as 'Rubycon' and 'Phaedra'. For reasons best know to it's creator, Froese remixed the album for it's 1990's CD debut, so the only way to really hear this superb album is on the original vinyl release. The CD version is still excellent, but the misty quality of the original mellotronic sound has been replaced by updated synthesizers, therefore subtly altering the highly-atmospheric dynamic of the original. In it's original glory 'Epsilon In Malaysian Pale' really is wondrous, matching anything issued under Tangerine Dream's name(big words, I know) and showing that, in the end, it's really all about Froese despite the excellent contributions over the years from his fellow Tangerine Dream members past-and-present. Lush, warm, hyptonic and at times completely beautiful, this is the ultimate showcase of Froese' prodigous talents, and surely one of the great ambient albums of the 1970s. Bursting with slow-burning atmosphere and obviously lovingly-crafted, this is thoughtful, cinematic and richly-textured music that has stood the test of time remarkably well, sounding as rich and dense now as it ever did. To put it bluntly, 'Epsilon In Malaysian pale' is simply outstanding.

Edgar Froese's best album from the mid-70's era

Whereas Froese's first solo effort, "Aqua", possessed an unique and aquatic ambiance, different from what TANGERINE DREAM was doing, "Epsilon In Malaysian Pale" displays an atmosphere comparable to a soothing "Rubycon". Neither demos nor preparatory works, the album features entirely original compositions. Furthermore, its structure is quite similar to TD's 1975 opus: two 17 minutes suites driven by the mellotron with sequenced middle parts.

However, the music is a little more ambient and contemplative than on the band's records from this era. The reason is that Edgar Froese composed it after his trips to south-eastern Asia and Australia during TANGERINE DREAM's 1975 Australian tour.

The title track reminds a little the nature atmosphere on TD's "Atem", due to the use of electronic flute. It starts with jungle sound effects to then unveil soothing and relaxing vast soundscapes. The second part is more intriguing as it features an electronic sequence over long spacey textures. Then the calm comes back with the final part displaying an atmosphere similar to the debut.

"Maroubra Bay" takes its name from a place in Sydney. Its dramatic opening quickly mutates into a peaceful melody. The nice middle part is built around a very long hypnotic sequence, one of the bests created by Froese. Mesmerizing! The finale is smooth and dreamy. My favorite composition of the album.

Although less innovative and experimental than "Aqua", this second solo effort is nonetheless more accessible, really good and possess its own personality. The mystical and relaxing jungle ambiance promised by the cover art is well retranscribed here.

This disc should be heard by every mid-70's TANGERINE DREAM fan. A must have for old school electronic or ambient music lovers!

Edgar Froese must have had so much energy and so many ideas back in the 1970s; it's astonishing to think of the amount of material he released between his main project with TANGERINE DREAM and the side project of his solo releases: 12 TD releases and five solo just in the 1970s!

Side One: "Epsilon in Malaysian Pale" (16:28) Before getting experimental in the seventh minute, the opening "flute" and Mellotron dominated section is quite developed, sculpted, giving the listener quite a bucolic feeling as Froese must have been feeling being inspired by his recent travels within Oceania. The second section begins around the nine minute mark while treated train sounds form the transitional sound bridge. A simple slow, low sequence and string synth are now accompanying, nearly dominating the "flute" and 'tron sounds that have been carried forward from the opening section. This sounds more like TD but still simpler, somehow more connected to nature. At 13:30 we have traveled to the final section. Gone is the sequencer, gone is the 'tron; now we have strings synth chords and the ubiquitous synthesized "flute." These take us to a peaceful, though heavier, less upbeat, less carefree, end. (9/10)

Side Two: "Marouba Bay" (16:57) opens with a decidedly more-distressed feeling. As the song progresses we hear a lot of sounds familiar to us from the previous TD release, "Phaedra," still in their less than polished sound forms. (You can tell that something happened to EF and TD between the making of this album and the making of "Rubycon" which resulted in much clearer, more confident-sounding sound reproduction. I don't know if it was in the engineering room or equipment or some filtering or sound-board system up-date, but the "old" sound of 74-75 is much more noticeable when compared to Rubycon and beyond. In the sixth minute a arpeggio sequence enters while "horn" and "string" synths alternate their contributions providing melody and interest points. This song feels far more like a Tangerine Dream song, the sound a little more thinly suffused, and more pastoral in its "imagery," but very little to distinguish it from the stuff Froese was doing with TD. (When does he start to use guitar?) (8.5/10)

Not on the level as some of the albums he was doing with/as Tangerine Dream, but close. A four to 4.5 star album.