Tangerine Dream: Winter In Hiroshima

Following three previous releases in Tangerine Dream’s Five Atomic Seasons series, ‘Winter In Hiroshima,’ the fourth instalment, represents the penultimate release in the series. This release follows ‘Autumn In Hiroshima,’ retaining elements the sombre and dark style of writing which characterised that album, interjected with a greater sense of urgency and pace to the work. Stylistically this release sees noticeable development from its predecessor as the story of the Japanese businessman which approached the group’s youth throughout 1945 and the dropping of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima nears its conclusion.

Tangerine Dream: Winter In Hiroshima

‘Winter In Hiroshima’ opens with ‘Transition’ which through its writing style trivialises the premise of the work to paradoxically induce a greater sense of dread when this is considered as part of the larger work. This is followed by the third and final reference to Ayumi in the series in ‘Ayumi’s Loom.’ As no explanation of the programme is provided by the group other than brief outlines in ‘Springtime In Nagasaki’’s liner notes, the significance of Ayumi is unknown but one can assume that on the basis that no other character receives reference throughout the series, Ayumi is central to the story governing the work. ‘Ayumi’s Loom’ itself illustrates the more urgent and upbeat style of writing seen at several points in this release, adorned with long-running sequences, unusual percussive electronic timbres and further abstract instrumentation.

‘Outlook’ sees a Koto-like lead meandering through various harmonic constructs of which a tonal ambiguity, aural uncertainty regarding a major or minor tonal centre, creates an aurally fascinating quality to the track. This track is possibly the most ambient in style to appear on this album, which is in itself a reference to the charming naïve optimism expressed by the ambient style in several tracks from the first album in the series, ‘Springtime In Hiroshima.’

As ‘Glowing Vision’ signifies the beginning of the concluding track to this album, the listener is plunged into great uncertainty, established by the brooding harmonic and timbral elements in this track. As the track concludes, the tone is set for the beginning of ‘The Endless Season,’ the final instalment in the Five Atomic Seasons series which interestingly references ‘Trauma’ in the third chapter, ‘Autumn In Hiroshima,’ rather than any material from the release featured here.


View Tracklisting

Tracklisting:

1. Transition
2. Ayumi's Loom
3. Outlook
4. Togetherness
5. Echo Of Light
6. Key Moment
7. Insiders
8. Nexuses
9. Glowing Vision

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Tangerine Dream: Summer In Nagasaki Review

Following on from the 2007 release of ‘Springtime In Nagasaki’ comes the release of the second instalment in Tangerine Dream’s Five Atomic Seasons series, entitled ‘Summer in Nagasaki.’ This instalment describes musically the summer of 1945 and ends with ’11:02 Am,’ which depicts the moment at which the first nuclear bomb was dropped in Japan.

Tangerine Dream: Summer In Nagasaki

The Release begins with ‘Climbing Mount Inasa,’ which follows stylistically on from ‘Persistence Of Memory Part Six,’ the final track of ‘Springtime In Nagasaki.’ Evident in this track are the band’s deliberate attempt to write in a style to suggest uncertainty within a perceivable aural sensation of neutrality. Throughout this track occurs also the impression of strain afforded from the harmonic movement of the introduction and later extended sequenced passages.

The following track, ‘In The Cherry Blossom Hills,’ retains several characteristics from the previous track but develops into what becomes a more upbeat and, for the most part, less brooding track. The opposing moods continue throughout the release. ‘Mystery Of Life And Death’ introduces a foreboding sense of danger and to the novice musicologist would reward academic study for its suggestion of melody from moving harmony as well as several other musical elements.

Moving on to a later track, ‘Ayumi’s Butterflies’ is perhaps some of the finest writing on the release, or at least some of the most accessible for listeners who favour the group’s more consonant writing. This track sets to music a much more optimistic subject matter, underpinned by a shuffle drum beat and particularly interesting syncopated bassline. This particular track is the standout must-listen from the album.

The concluding track crystallises the suggestion of danger seen musically throughout the album and ends as the nuclear bomb falls, setting to music the impending tragedy which ensued. As the track ends, the die is cast for ‘Trauma’ and the rest of the following album in the series, ‘Autumn In Hiroshima.’


View Tracklisting

1.     Climbing Mount Inasa
2.     In The Cherry Blossom Hills
3.     Mystery Of Life And Death
4.    Dreaming In A Kyoto Train
5.    Ayumi’s Butterflies
6.    Presentiment
7.     11:02 Am

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Tangerine Dream: Booster Volume II

Following the success of the 2008 compilation 'Booster,' reviewed here, a second volume, 'Booster Volume II' was added in 2010 to the series which at time of writing includes four volumes in total. This new collection of works again comprise of a combination of live recordings and studio work and also includes some tracks from the group's Five Atomic Seasons series.

Tangerine Dream: Booster Volume II

The album begins with two contemporary reflections of works released several years ago by the group: 'Cloudburst Flight 2008' and 'Scrapyard 2008.' Compared to the original versions, released some thirty years previous, it is evident that both tracks have greatly benefited from modern synthesis and mixing technology. Being typical of Tangerine Dream's Independent Years, the sonic quality of the tracks in the album are a fine example to many electronic musicians.

The album contains in total 20 tracks across two CDs. Of note is the penultimate track 'Beyond The Cottage And The Lake,' which cannot easily be found on any other release. This particular track exemplifies sequence based composition and while it contains largely repetitive material from a musical standpoint, there is great variety in the track which generates great interest for the ear. This track is then followed with 'Trauma' which has become one of the iconic pieces of the group's Five Atomic Seasons series. This track could be considered in some respect to be an electronic application of the contemporary classical music tradition. From its intimidating pseudo-bell introduction to the emphatic musical textures which occur later, this piece is one of the best crafted tracks to be seen in the band's contemporary output.

For the avid collector, this compilation serves as a great accompaniment to the previous 'Booster' volume and showcases a further number of fine compositions by Tangerine Dream.

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Tangerine Dream: The Endless Season

'The Endless Season' marks the close of Tangerine Dream's Five Atomic Seasons series with 11 track, a total of over an hour in duration, of some of the finest material from the series.

Tangerine Dream: The Endless Season

The album begins with the shortest introductory track, 'Flashback,' which samples the marvellous 'Trauma' from part four in the Five Atomic Seasons series, 'Autumn In Hiroshima.' This leads into the more mysterious and darker 'Devotion' which makes extensive use of metallic and distorted guitar lines with innocent and naive flute writing towards the end of the track, segueing into 'Virtue Of Hope.'

In this reviewer's opinion, the fourth track, 'Escape,' is some of the finest material in the album. In typical contemporary Tangerine Dream output, the track fuses electronic drums with typical use of sequenced backdrops. The track also exhibits the group's typical use of extended form and very smooth harmony.

A later track, 'Logic Of Intuition,' characterises the theme of uncertainty and anxiety which is seen throughout the album. This track begins pleasantly before becoming increasingly frantic as it reaches the next track.

For fans of the band's early 00's output, 'Wild Oceans Of Blue Fate' ticks all the right boxes but illustrates the band's ever increasing attention to finding new and interesting timbres. Overall however, this album will prove a good listen for fans of any Tangerine Dream material from their independent years.

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