Tangerine Dream – Phaedra (Virgin Records/Universal International, 2019 reissue)
Phaedra was Tangerine Dream’s fifth studio album, recorded in 1973. This was a groundbreaking German electronic music recording that influenced numerous musicians in Europe, North America and beyond. The style is what has become known as the Berlin School of electronic music, a mesmerizing, trance-like genre that includes sequencer-propelled electronic sounds as well as pre-ambient floating or space music.
This new edition of Phaedra is remastered and includes two bonus tracks, exquisite remixes of ‘Phaedra’ and ‘Sequent C’ by progressive rock musician Steven Wilson.
In 1973, Tangerine Dream was signed by a small trailblazing record label called Virgin Records. This was an adventurous label that released some of the finest progressive music of the early 1970s. Tangerine Dream recorded Phaedra in November of 1973 at The Manor in Shipton-on-Cherwell, England. It was released in 1974 on Virgin Records.
Although Tangerine Dream was a German act, their sales were considerably higher in the UK. Phaedra achieved six-figure sales in the UK and reached number 15 in the UK Albums Chart.
The lineup during Phaedra included Edgar Froese on mellotron, guitar, bass, VCS 3 synthesizer, organ (and also made the cover painting); Chris Franke on moog synthesizer, VCS 3 synthesizer; and Peter Baumann on organ, electric piano, VCS 3 synthesizer, and flute.
Additional Tangerine Dream remasters are being released currently: Rubycon, Ricohet, Stratosfear, Cyclone, Encore and Force Majeure.