Music Banter - Tangerine Dream

http://i40.tinypic.com/2po39sh.jpg

Let me start out by saying this is my favorite record of 1972 - and that's saying a lot, because 1972 was one hell of a good year. Ege Bamyasi, Faust So Far, Pink Moon, NEU!, a couple of great Fela Kuti albums, etc.

But I have to say, this is the one. Not because I listen to it the most; that would be impractical given its length (1.2 hours), in addition to the fact that it's not exactly the type of music you are always in the mood for. But because I find it to be the most deeply immersing listening experience, and the one that rewards me the most, even if I'm not going to turn it on as often as the always-enjoyable Fela stuff or Ege Bamyasi.

Not only is this one of the earliest examples of true ambient music, you'd also be hard-pressed to find a record that truly does it better. As you can maybe tell from the cover, the music's theme is outer-space, and it does an incredibly good job at conveying that. Despite its human origins, they never interrupt or take you out of the feeling of being immersed in deep space. Gives you an idea of how far ahead of its time this record was.

By far the most important thing to know before you start listening to this is that you need to be in the mood for it. The four tracks' lengths range from 16:58 to 19:54. Four long, droning, spacey, atmospheric tracks that each have their own distinct mood. This isn't "music" in the traditional sense of the word. It's not going to win you over with catchy melodies or hooks. If a record can be called an experience, surely this is one of the strongest examples of one. As you queue it up, you feel as if you're merely tuning in to sounds that have been taking place long before you started listening. There is no "start", nor is there an "end". Similarly, the music doesn't necessarily pick up and "go somewhere".

That's what turns off a lot of people, even if it's only because they're not in the right mood at that particular moment. Am I in the mood all the time? Maybe more than most are, but certainly not always. The key is to be open and ready for the experience and then listen. Do not force it upon yourself if it's not the right time. If the time is right, believe me, this will click. And it'll likely be one of the most enthralling experiences a record can give you.

So this is one hell of a record. In my opinion, one of the most criminally underrated from the 1970s. Tangerine Dream set out to make an album that fully immersed you in "kosmische Musik" and they did just that. Most impressively, it can still do that to this day.

10/10