Cheers :) I'm really looking forward to these discs, even though some more cynical 'fans' have said it's a purely money making affair (strangely enough the said 'fans' are usually the same ones trying to tout their own records on every website). Cynical me? :D

I've added 'most' of the details on the Astoria gig plus MFD news on a new page on my website. Fingers crossed I'll be able to add some photos from the concert as well :)

thearchive.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/page1.html

A review of the new album:

TANGERINE DREAM-Springtime in Nagasaki

Produced by Edgar Froese
Recorded Feb 2007 at the Eastgate studios Vienna
Engineered by Christian Gstettner/ Assistance: Gerd Palkovits
Mastered by Harald Pairits
Special thanks to Mr H.T, Japan/UDCA Laboratory Vienna/ Timefreezer Marc Link,
Berlin and the Vienna Symphonic Library.


Tracks by Edgar Froese

Navel of Light part 1. Edgar starts the album off with a low dramatic drum note, together with a descending synth or bass guitar note. After a few bars a skipping high hat pattern is introduced. It reminded me more of something from Paradiso, everything quite dry and high up in the mix with usual chord changes we’ve grown used to from Edgar. This leads into an almost ‘Jean-Michel Jarre-like’ section over a low choir note, with some nice metallic tones and warm synth sweeps, albeit fairly formless without an obvious tempo, here Edgar walks the fine line of holding your interest with timbre alone and just about holds it together with a darker tone taking the centre stage, before the tension dies away once again. More powerful chords are then introduced…leading into

Navel of Light part 2. A voice moans, as reversed twittering sounds play with Japanese plucked notes, (I say Japanese but what it actually reminded me of was a hammered dulcimer in tone). Formless and slow, as a languid bass note plays with a choir accompaniment (it reminded me bit of Vangelis in places). It almost doesn’t exist, almost stops, sometimes dissolving into single notes, perhaps hinting at a more improvisational approach?). A voice cries out! (the same sound started this track, it was also used by Thorsten on Madcap’s Flaming Duty) and then a repeated sequence builds (typical of Edgar’s solo work), with long filter sweeps, with parts of melodies that don’t seem to develop and just hang for a few seconds only to fall back into the sequence. A buzzy synth is panned left and right as a rhythmic pulse starts (together with a shaker rhythm) and a sampled wordless female opera singer picks out the chord changes for a while. A high arpeggiated sequence is added only to fall away and then reappear. The track builds in power, without any major changes, but now the bass drum can now be heard as well as felt. The sequencer dies away, leaving just the bass and chord changes. An interesting track, albeit perhaps too long? I never found it boring, but perhaps the lack of a central them or strong melody made it seem longer. However, it’s nice to hear Edgar using some new synth patches for a change.

Navel of Light part 3. A Jarre like choir plays, with an echoed digital ‘metallic’ tone…up and up …and then back to the beginning. A sequencer starts, quite unlike anything Edgar has tried before, comprising of smaller sections of notes that are built upon or subtracted from as they play, it’s hard to describe, it weaves through several key-changes in a rather organic/random manner, and you think it might take off at any moment but it never quite seems to go in the expected way. The track ends with the sound of wind over a choir phrase and a wavetable synth timbre, as well as other diverse sounds like echoed digital clangs and a voice-like element through a wah wah effect…which leads into:

Tracks by Thorsten Quaeschning

Persistence of Memory part 4. Starts with a brisk (although thankfully not ‘club like’) four-on-the-floor rhythm, with a sinuous synth/voice hybrid lead, that drifts in and out. Sampled sax is introduced (think Vangelis on his the City album) with distorted guitar chord backing. Almost like Pete Namlook in places. Brass stabs are introduced for a few bars, with the sound of water flowing and dripping building in the background. Thorsten once again shows what he can do with a varied palette of new timbres over a static beat.

Persistence of Memory part 5. Starts with a ‘Vangelis-like’ intro a bit like a modern Albedo 0.39. With loops slowly cycling, some panned creating a languorous tempo with dripping water samples. The track even included a few seconds from Vivaldi’s the Four Seasons. A nice filter effect leads into a slightly darker section and its here that a grand piano is introduced; sounding somewhat like Suzanne Cianni meets Johannes Schmoelling, augmented with some fuzzed guitars, it give an emotional edge to this track. The piano dies away leaving a subtle (and perhaps more ominous) feeling, hinting at the true horror that was Nagasaki’s near future. More water and a single drum hit….leading into…

Persistence of Memory part 6. Almost Vangelis like, chugging bass synths, with a soft chord backing, then drums are added with a rather aimless synth solo (the actual sound and melody are a bit weak for me), it actually reminds me of Anthony Philips often overlooked album “1984”. There’s some nice drum interplay from Thorsten. It ends quite suddenly and the rushing water returns to fade.