"Phaedra" by TANGERINE DREAM – February 1974 Fifth LP on Virgin Records V 2010 featuring Edgar Froese, Christoph Franke and Peter Baumann (June 2019 UK The Virgin Recordings CD Reissue on Universal/Virgin Records – Album Tracks 1 to 4 Remastered by Ben Wiseman – Bonus Tracks 5 and 6 Remixed and Remastered From Original Tapes by Steven Wilson) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Mysterious Semblance..."

I can vividly remember the early spring of 1974 and seeing the strangely beautiful gatefold sleeve of V 2010 in all the hipper Dublin record shops and wondering what gurgling VCS3 layers lay within its blue-tinted innards? Was it indeed "Music That Melts" as the Virgin adverts cleverly put it in the magazine of the day – phone, radio, and turntable – all slithering off tables in a river of melted New Age plastic?

And when I got it home and slapped on that gorgeous Two Virgins colour label we’d all become so intrigued by since March 1973’s “Tubular Bells” and watched it turn at 33 1/3 on to my trusty Garrard SP 25 (with Dustbuster accompaniment) - indeed the beast that is "Phaedra" was dripping and flanging and generally Kraut Rock bubbling all over our nice middle-class carpet. I hadn’t been exposed to this much knob twiddling since my days with a Meccano Industrial Digger Set…

Like most fans – Tangerine Dream’s fifth LP "Phaedra" and sixth (1975's "Rubycon") were our intro to the German New Age Synth Instrumental Prog Rock Band - our Electronic appetites wetted by Can and Amon Düül II over on United Artists and that laugh-a-minute road-cone mob Kraftwerk over on Vertigo. But does it stand up in 2020? If I'm truthful, what was thrilling back then has slightly faded now – this is for devotees only with (if you’ll forgive the pun) electronic virgins wondering why all the fuss, legend and even the five-star reviews.

But there is no doubt at all in my mind about the Audio - leaps above the vinyl that always felt too lo-fi and the subsequent CD reissues - too underwhelming. This 2019 "The Virgin Recordings" version from "In Search Of Hades" Box Set is ethereal and the Two Bonus Steven Wilson Remixes are a full-on muscular revelation that will surely make many fans weep a wee Proggy tear and love 1974 all over again. Let's get to the Mysterious Semblance man...

UK released 14 June 2019 - "Phaedra" by TANGERINE DREAM on Universal/Virgin 774 695-8 (Barcode 602577469589) is part of The Virgin Recordings CD Reissue Series offering the 4-Track 1974 LP with Two Bonus Tracks (Remixed by Steven Wilson from original tapes in 2019) that plays out as follows (57:53 minutes):

1. Phaedra (17:36 minutes) [Side 1]

2. Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares (9:41 minutes) [Side 2]

3. Movements Of A Visionary (7:55 minutes)

4.  Sequent C' (2:18 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 4 are their fifth album "Phaedra" – released 20 February 1974 in the UK on Virgin V 2010 and June 1974 in the USA on Virgin VR 13-108. Produced by EDGAR FROESE – it peaked at No. 15 on the UK LP charts and No. 196 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

5. Phaedra (Steven Wilson 2018 Stereo Remix, 17:37 minutes)

6. Sequent C' (Steven Wilson 2018 Stereo Remix, 2:21 minutes)

TANGERINE DREAM was:

EDGAR FROESE – Mellotron, Guitar-Bass, VCS3 Synthesizer and Flute

CHRISTAPH FRANKE – Moog Synthesizer, Keyboards, VCS3 Synthesizer

PETER BAUMANN – Organ, Electric Piano, VSC3 Synthesizer and Flute

The 12-page booklet features the original gorgeous silver gatefold artwork (a wee bit diminished by size it has to be said), period photos, concert tickets and the usual reissue credits. It's a damn shame (despite what the sticker says) there are no illuminating liner notes - but the BEN WISEMAN Remaster of the original album and the STEVE WILSON Remix Bonus Tracks more than make up for any lack of words. And nowadays (April 2020), it can be bought for under six quid.

I'd forgotten how lovely "Sequent C'" is and that pumping rhythm as "Phaedra" gathers pace about five minutes in.  The swish and swirl of "Mysterious Semblance..." floats out of your speakers in waves of Mellotron and VCS3 Synth sounds - our drowning-in-keyboards trio creating huge pallets of mystery. And those echoed twiddles as "Movements Of A Visionary" builds to an electronic rhythm that hypnotizes (always been the best track for me). But I can't quite get over how good the Steve Wilson Remix of the Side 1 "Phaedra" is - more oomph, more meat, utterly brilliant.

As you peruse the concert adverts for artists like Kevin Ayers, Supertramp, Osibisa and Tangerine Dream - you can't help think - them was the days - and this superb CD Remaster will help you revisit them...