Tangerine Dream

I think this long-awaited album derserves its own thread.

Just started listening, the first two tracks are very mellow, let's see what happens next...

OK, very tentative impression after first listen: things start out fairly quiet with the occasional brief heavy guitar interlude, but in the middle the record really gains steam.
My favourite on first listen is the Schmoelling-cooperation Crystal Red (I do not own Scored, so this is new to me)
In sum, a nice record with several highlights, but might have appreciated some more energetic parts.

This all might change, though, with further listens...

The long awaited "The Far Side of the Face" certainly deserves its own thread, and much attention from fans!

I am impatiently awaiting my copy of the album from CDS in Scotland.

rigel wrote:The long awaited "The Far Side of the Face" certainly deserves its own thread, and much attention from fans!

I am impatiently awaiting my copy of the album from CDS in Scotland.

I think CDS should have this early next week..fingers crossed.

im buying this at jerome's london gig

I also got Cases of recurrence - great compilation!!
(especially since my only EP so far was Radio pluto..)

Looking forward to both of these.

Both Far Side & Cases Of Recurrence now in stock at CDS. Mine arrived yesterday! Far Side has very minimalist packaging!

NAVEL OF LIGHT wrote:Both Far Side & Cases Of Recurrence now in stock at CDS. Mine arrived yesterday! Far Side has very minimalist packaging!

agreed, a booklet would have been nice...
also, some line rnotes in CoR, but that rarely happens with TD-related releases...

Just finished listening to FSOTF...not bad at all..but will need a few listens to get into. Novembernaut is th standout for me.

JEROME FROESE: FAR SIDE OF THE FACE (New 2012 Studio Album / Digi-Pak / Special
Print - Stock # 1533587) Normally CD �19.99 - Current Stock Only Price CD �18.49


This is the long awaited 2012 studio album from Jerome Froese... featuring
Johannes Schmoelling on two tracks.

Seven time GRAMMY nominated and Berlin based musician Jerome Froese is certainly
one of the most creative, guitar-electro-rockers on the instrumental music
scene. After seven years of prolific releases, he's released his 3rd solo
album: 'Far Side Of The Face' on 8th June 2012.
This album is a culmination of hard work, creativity and passion and of course a
consistent further development of his own created music style called:
GUITARTRONICA.
Jerome Froese, also well known as the son of TANGERINE DREAM founder Edgar
Froese and was a key member of that band from 1990 to 2006. As special guest
musician Jerome Froese invited long time TANGERINE DREAM keyboarder and highly
praised solo artist Johannes Schmoelling to play some of his characteristic
overdrive and analog style melodies and effects on two tracks. Schmoelling was a
driving force on TD's classic albums: 'Tangram', 'White Eagle' and 'Logos' just
to name a few.
After this fruitful cooperation, Jerome Froese, Johannes Schmoelling plus Berlin
based producer Robert Waters formed a new band project called LOOM where they
are bringing modern and classic electronic sounds to a new level - creating
something that's unique to them, and it has to be said, an excellent debut 2CD
set called 'Scored'.
'Far Side Of The Face' is a mixture of conciliative and optimistic tunes
combined with Jerome's signature sound of guitar sequencing, pumping beats, FX
gimmickry and atmospheric layers, making his music to be one of a kind.
On 'Far Side Of The Face' on you'll find longing, devotion and self-discovery,
and by the time the album concludes you'll feel you've taken part on an intimate
journey.

Openning with the beautifully delicate and airy: 'Flight Of Fancy', the album
gets off to a wonderfully melodic start with just under six minutes of
electronic music heaven where synths and guitar electronics merge as one to
create a fantastic piece of electronic music where Jerome has clearly been
influenced by his recent times working with Johannes Schmoeling, although he
does not appear in person until the next track.
'Novembernauts' starts out in a meandering fashion with soft melodic, choral
effects over a set switching rhythms, but a bit over four-minutes in a big synth
melody line strikes up and things become increasingly interesting. After a
minute or so things start to queiten down again before we enter a passages of
spacier melodic sounds with some really beautifully crystalline high register
solos darting over the skyline. The tempo rises ever so slightly and the soft
rhythmic undercurrents flow with some soaring Schmoelling solos helping complete
a rather lovely piece of music.
The seven-minute: 'Scroll To Position' opens in guitar synth cyberspace, before
an electric rhythm blows in at pace to carry the music on a fast and flowing
ride on some kind of aerial electronic roller-coaster, with the guitars
twisting, turning and tilting energetically. There's the odd atmospheric break
as it passes through cloud formations, then it moves back into the sequencer
driven flow of distorted drums and pounding electro percussion with the electric
guitar slashing it's way out of the mists, before closing in a drift of acoustic
guitars and celestial synth backdrop.
'Her Majesty's Adornments' starts its ten-minute run on a soft bed of chiming
keyboard/guitar textures and hazy ethereal synths, and this gradually builds
with new layers towards a change in direction at the two-and-a-half minute mark
where a whole range of electronic sounds and rhythms form a kaleidoscopic view
that builds to a mighty climax, then closes in two minute melange of glorious
heavenly celestial synth sounds and textural guitars.
'Crystal Red' is a real trail-blazer that again features Johannes Schmoelling,
and after a mixed acoustic and electric guitar intro from Jerome it's straight
into soaring high-register synth melody-lines from the master, and these will
blow your socks off as they fly over an array of assorted rhythms, effects and
distant choral backdrop - Fantastic!
The near six-minute: 'Inner Canon Of The Yellow Emperor' opens in a hail of
effects and develops into a gently flowing rhythmic piece where attractive
sprightly melodies dance around a chorus of guitar riffs and percussive sounds
to great effect, before closing for the final minute reveals a land of wondrous
soft angelic synth voices and fluid keyboard textures where the guitar effects
can swim in calmer waters.
'Neo-Victorian Romance' opens with a chiming, but grandiose 12-string guitar
sound and synth melody overlaid by an emotion-fuelled synth theme. As it builds
in intensity, channel hopping guitars and effects create a panoramic picture in
sound that is quite delightful, before closing down with a sense of true beauty
where acoustic guitars and synths merge and then disappear over a soft, glowing
horizon.
The six-minute 'Control Your Curiosity' opens in a similar place to the close of
the last track then quickly builds up a head of rhythmic steam where, initially,
a sizzling female voice phrases wordless sounds, but as the pace increases it
becomes dominated by the harsher sounds of the guitar over a cold rhythmic
driving force. The track closes in sounds similar to the opening sequence, which
also forms the base for the opening of the final track, the near four-minute:
'Captain Of The Skies', which comes in on a sea of haunting keyboard melodies
and synth textural displays. The guitar then enters alongside an array of other
electro sounds to form a hypnotic piece of music that's clearly designed to lift
us into the heavens, but with a twist at the end.
Overall, this is a very good album where again Jerome Froese shows us how
capable and inventive an electronic music composer/player he is, and how he has
taken the influences of his father's music and developed them into a unique
sound that is very much of his own. Add to that the splashes of brilliance from
Johannes Schmoelling to top off an already exciting sound, and you have one
excellent album in 'Far Side Of The Face'.
Track List:
01. Flight Of Fancy (5:53)
02. Novembernauts [with Johannes Schmoelling] (14:19)
03. Scroll To Position (7:25)
04. Her Majesty's Adornments (10:10)
05. Crystal Red [with Johannes Schmoelling] (4:56)
06. Inner Canon Of The Yellow Emperor (5:54)
07. Neo-Victorian Romance (5:48)
08. Control Your Curiosity (6:22)
09. Captain Of The Skies (3:45)
TPT - 66:59

I received my copies of "The Far Side of the Face" and "Cases of Recurrence" from CDS today. Although most of the tracks on the latter release are ones I already have, the last three pieces on this compilation are new to me.

So far I have only listened to the opening track of Jerome's new studio album. "Flight of Fancy" is a beautiful piece of music! To my ears it has a "Shiver Me Timbers" vibe to it, and it is great to listen to such an emotive composition after such a long wait for this release. "Flight of Fancy" is wonderful.

Got both CDs yesterday and played them almost immediately. Both sound great but I need to listen a few more times before I can get my head around them both. Looks good so far though. Guitartronica really appeals to me.

Sound like interesting good album Look like might to a late start to Buy Jerome album’s in July
So I am looking really forward to JF Music.

I have listened to this album a few times now. Marvellous guitartronica, sparkly effects, industrial grooves, weird atmospheres, beautiful melodies and funky beats!

Standout tracks for me include the emotional opener "Flight of Fancy". But the longer piece "Her Majesty's Adornments" is a tour de force of creativity that commands attention. Such a lovely opening few minutes to this piece, with a delicate tune giving way to a wonderful mid section that to my ears sounds like a battle between chaos and order: very interesting drum sounds, a fragile oriental melody and a killer guitar riff, before the track returns to the softness of the beginning.

Still more on this album to grow on me, I think. "Novembernauts" is also very cool! Anyone else enjoying this album?