RUBYCON

4.5 stars

After the success of "Phaedra", TANGERINE DREAM release one year later "Rubycon", their deepest and most meditative work. Not as ground-breaking as its predecessor, this sixth studio album is however more fluid and coherent. The disc is divided in two long equal parts sharing a similar style and based on the same structure. The band members have now mastered their equipment and added other instruments such as organ, guitar, gong, flute, oboe and piano. Most melodies are played by Edgar Froese with the mellotron, while the sequences are programmed by Christopher Franke. Although short (only 35 minutes), the music is an invitation to dive into unknown waters.

Part 1 is the best. The hazy ambient beginning is aerial and relaxing. Then, a fast liquid sequence appear, which displays a tense atmosphere. Coupled with dreamy mellotron melodies, this creates a great hypnotic effect. Over- spacey! The ending part is more calm and evanescent. One of the best compositions of TANGERINE DREAM. 5 stars.

Part 2 is darker and more oppressive. It first alternates haunting and trippy ambiances with gongs, sirens and choirs, to unveil a minimalistic electronic loop. The passage is good but features only a few variations and tends to become a bit repetitive, as if it was aimed to demonstrate of the possibilities of the sequencer. However, as same other TD tracks, it somehow pre-dates trance music. The ending part is sinister and ambient, with a mysterious flute. 4 stars.

Considered by many as TD's best studio effort from their "golden era", "Rubycon" is their most mesmerizing and inner album. You have to keep being concentrated to really "enter into the music". The aquatic and fluid compositions are coherent with the beautifully simple cover art. Like water, they change shape and are rather homogeneous. My only slight reproach would be the few monotonous passages of Part 2.

After this opus, the band will cross the Rubycon, as their following albums will be more melodic, direct and not as meditative. A little more accessible than "Phaedra", "Rubycon" is indispensable for TANGERINE DREAM, progressive electronic and maybe even minimalistic music fans.

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