Tangerine Dream: Trauma

Given that several features in The Sonic Music Review make particular mention of ‘Trauma,’ the opening track of Tangerine Dream’s 2009 album ‘Autumn In Hiroshima,’ it seemed pertinent to give this track a dedicated reviewed in order to fully cover the musical details contained therein. In this reviewer’s opinion, ‘Trauma’ represents some of the finest writing by the band throughout their independent years, incorporating advanced timbal construction, use and consequence of thematic material and noteworthy production, an element often neglected when considering contemporary electronic music.

When constructing opinions of this piece, a keen listener would be well advised to listen to the material in Tangerine Dream’s Five Atomic Seasons series which precedes this, such as the ‘Summer In Nagasaki’ album or ‘11:02 Am,’ the concluding track of the aforementioned album. As the introductory section in ‘Trauma’ exhibits a development of the musical character seen in preceding material from the series.

The track begins with an extended introduction of processed bell timbres, breathy resonances and glistening sonic reflections. As the piece opens, a steady sequence reminiscent of a music box is introduced alongside melodic material which borrows timbrally from ‘Persistence Of Memory Part Four’ in the first album of the Five Atomic Seasons, ‘Springtime In Nagasaki.’

Following the extended introduction, which lasts more than two minutes comes the A section, in which large amounts of musical material is introduced. Interestingly, the melodic material of this section does not announce itself through typical musical conventions - the introduction concludes with a mighty burst of synthetic brass-like timbres but the initial exposition of melodic material begins gradually within the functioning harmony rather than as discrete musical elements.

The B section sees an accomplished change of character to a far darker and urgent style of writing, employing various bass pedals and ostinatos alongside new percussion elements hitherto unseen. The piece sees a well contoured progression between B and C sections, ultimately returning back again before revisiting some of the earliest musical material of the track. Along with the production, the writing and in particular the sense of ‘flow’ throughout this piece makes it truly remarkable, one of the bands most accomplished contemporary work.

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