Classic reviews: Stratosfear
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Classic reviews: Stratosfear
Stratosfear (Virgin V2068)
Side 1: Stratosfear, The Big Sleep in Search of Hades.
Side 2: 3 a.m. at the Border of the Marsh from Okefenokee, Invisible Limits.
Chris Franke: Moog Synthesizer, Organ, Percussion, Loop Mellotron, Harpsichord.
Edgar Froese: Mellotron, Moog Synthesizer, 12 and 6 string guitar, Mouth Organ.
Peter Baumann: Moog Synthesizer, Project Electronic rhythm computer, Electric Piano, Mellotron.
‘More of the same’ many critics have said. This is patently not so. Tangerine Dream have in many ways reverted to ideas inherent in some of their earlier albums (available originally as imports on the OHR label but now also available on Virgin’s Caroline subsidiary) whereby they fused together their electronic hardware with more conventional instruments. They are less concerned with exploiting the purely textural aspects if their sound than they were on PHAEDRA and RUBYCON, and are concentrating more on the use of melodies and memorable themes. On STRATOS-FEAR this is immediately apparent on the title track which revolves around a number of themes which pass from instrument to instrument and through a number of variations. And when the guitar finally makes its contribution the whole tracks ‘lifts’ and the heat is really turned on. Such a thing was not possible within the confines they had previously set themselves Tangerine Dream seem to have discovered the source of their malaise and have come back fresh and fighting: they obliterated the tiredness that seemed to be creeping into their live performances and have produced a fresh, challenging album that fulfils much of the promise that RICOCHET (their ‘live’ album) only began to hint at.
Much of the rest of this album confirms this new power. ‘The Big Sleep in Search of Hades’ opens with a harpsichord picking out a pattern over which a synthesizer (sounding to all intents and purposes like a flute) plays a startlingly beautiful theme. Ominous chord progressions on the Mellotrons break the mood and set out on a tangential path before a restatement of the opening theme and mood brings the track to close. ‘Invisible Limits’ roars on in a relentlessly percussive manner, at once daunting and fascinating, before dissolving into a vortex of floating sound and an acoustic piano conclusion.
It is only ‘3 a.m. At the Border of the Marsh from Okefenokee’, which shows Tangerine Dream really exploring the kind of music which most people in this country associate with the band. But not completely; and it works more effectively for that reason.
I’m forced to admit that my interest in Tangerine Dream had begun to wane a little, but this album had rekindled that interest, even though reports of recent live shows which suggest they may be adopting some kind of power trio format leave one confused to say the least. I await with interest their next album. In the meantime STRATOSFEAR has already, frequently graced my turntable and will, no doubt, continue to do so; it is an extremely beautiful and haunting album.
Impetus