PHAEDRA

4.5 stars. I've added a half star because of how influencial and significant this album was when it came out in 1974. It really did turn on a world of people to this Electronic genre. There are several Electronic albums I like more than "Phaedra", I mean it's not even my favourite TANGERINE DREAM album, but I hold it in high esteem. This would be the first time they would use sequencers to counter the spacey soundscapes instead of drums.

"Phaedra" was the opening side long track. It opens with spacey sounds that build quickly and then settle in. It's dark. Pulsating sounds come in before 2 minutes. Mellotron washes in a minute later. It continues to be spacey with a rhythm. The intensity rises after 9 1/2 minutes and mellotron comes in at 10 minutes. A calm follows and is interupted by these strange sounds 12 minutes in as mellotron returns. No beat, just beautiful mellotron waves. It gets louder 15 1/2 minutes in. Just after 17 minutes we can hear the faint sound of children playing as the song ends.

"Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares" is pretty much Froese playing mellotron with electronics coming and going. The electronics really remind me of PINK FLOYD early. This is my favourite track, it's simply incredible. "Movements Of A Visionary" features a lot of electronic sounds that come and go. A beat arrives before 2 minutes. Lots of spacey sounds and organ follow. A calm 7 1/2 minutes to end it. "Sequent C" features mostly Baumann playing flute that seems to rise and fall.

Obviously a must have for all Prog fans out there. We all could use a little spacey music in our lives.