Not a cheap buy, but surely a thrill of the cheapest (III)
After the start-off with a vocal and instrumental selection of Divina Commedia compositions, Tangerine Dream choose to
endeavour in a powerful compilation project, pulling it off in less than a month and conceiving nine full such compiled
releases. Unfortunately, all nine have the same basic impression, especially when the majority of them have a disappointing
quality: it all seems a project of decisive steps, but purely labeled efforts (the change into Eastgate, made one year
ago, possibly making Froese think of new ideas in superficial ways); it all seems a peaceful and convenient, but hard to
accept work of reviving old material (if not actually doing a worse thing of compiling pieces and music with an already long
record of appearing in boxes and compilations). To add, seven of nine are available only for download, so that they seem the
heavy dose of fan(atic)-made material, in a commercial way that has long stopped surprising. Anyway, checking these
compilations is a thing of desire, and the overall quality is from modest downwards, yet this 2007 kick-off Tangerine Dream
have made is certainly disappointing.
Starbound Collection opens as one of four collection albums (besides the previous two Dante Collection
volumes, which add the number to six collections) that evoke a different period, different albums and a relatively
different sort of tangerine music. The program is, thus, very expected and usual, but the quality pays heavily with its
cold charm and its unappealing hope of reviving both the music and the atmosphere of those times. The following Silver
Siren will be a worse example, while Ocean Waves will be a ruined kind of good imagination and Cyberjam
Collection will stick nicely. Starbound Collection with its ugly promotional cover has actually the advantage of
compiling from albums like Turn Of The Tides or Tyranny Of Beauty (and Rockoon or 220 Volt Live
as additional excerpts), two albums compiled or played greatly, but nevertheless contouring solid musical choices.
Turn Of The Tides is probably the most successful and passionate Tangerine Dream album in the whole view of the 90s,
while Tyranny Of Beauty is down a couple of steps as quality and fire, but also contributes to the ambiance of a full
style within the middle of the decade. Both albums are generally appreciated, even with the highlight on Tangerine Dreams
new-music or new-age ideas shoving more than a character, the 1994 hit having an electric electronic taste, full of dynamic
melodies, transparent rhythms or very absorbing sounds and abstracts. Tyranny Of Beauty is, unfortunately, a heavy
deal, full of the same absorbing melodies, but also made in a tiresome, programmatic, electronic-dizzy movement. Since
Body Corporate from Rockoon is also part of the compilation (well leave 220 Volt for the fun of
discovering how powerful Tangerine Dream can perform live), its best to mention the tropical, yet instable and poppy energy
the music has in it. Anyway, all of the three, main studio albums have had their share of being compiled, remixed or even
subtly reworked/reimagined. The good hit of an album soon turns, after all, into an industry and an endless echo.
Starbound Collection is no surprise, it doesnt even worth more than a couple of shots, but has an edge of a good
inspiration in choosing, mainly, two of the albums in which the wheels of electronic music, ambiance and melodic pieces were
offered nicely by Tangerine Dream. The notes on the material dont tell of any remix being coupled with the original music,
but that doesnt mean the 90s music wasnt, in more than one way, an age of modern sounds, flashy expressions and remixed old
techniques.
Two stars for the entire compilation brand, but one better star for choosing from, most likely, the best 90s albums. The
music can be, therefore, tonic, dreamy or moderately moving.
After the start-off with a vocal and instrumental selection of Divina Commedia compositions, Tangerine Dream choose to
endeavour in a powerful compilation project, pulling it off in less than a month and conceiving nine full such compiled
releases. Unfortunately, all nine have the same basic impression, especially when the majority of them have a disappointing
quality: it all seems a project of decisive steps, but purely labeled efforts (the change into Eastgate, made one year
ago, possibly making Froese think of new ideas in superficial ways); it all seems a peaceful and convenient, but hard to
accept work of reviving old material (if not actually doing a worse thing of compiling pieces and music with an already long
record of appearing in boxes and compilations). To add, seven of nine are available only for download, so that they seem the
heavy dose of fan(atic)-made material, in a commercial way that has long stopped surprising. Anyway, checking these
compilations is a thing of desire, and the overall quality is from modest downwards, yet this 2007 kick-off Tangerine Dream
have made is certainly disappointing.
Starbound Collection opens as one of four collection albums (besides the previous two Dante Collection
volumes, which add the number to six collections) that evoke a different period, different albums and a relatively
different sort of tangerine music. The program is, thus, very expected and usual, but the quality pays heavily with its
cold charm and its unappealing hope of reviving both the music and the atmosphere of those times. The following Silver
Siren will be a worse example, while Ocean Waves will be a ruined kind of good imagination and Cyberjam
Collection will stick nicely. Starbound Collection with its ugly promotional cover has actually the advantage of
compiling from albums like Turn Of The Tides or Tyranny Of Beauty (and Rockoon or 220 Volt Live
as additional excerpts), two albums compiled or played greatly, but nevertheless contouring solid musical choices.
Turn Of The Tides is probably the most successful and passionate Tangerine Dream album in the whole view of the 90s,
while Tyranny Of Beauty is down a couple of steps as quality and fire, but also contributes to the ambiance of a full
style within the middle of the decade. Both albums are generally appreciated, even with the highlight on Tangerine Dreams
new-music or new-age ideas shoving more than a character, the 1994 hit having an electric electronic taste, full of dynamic
melodies, transparent rhythms or very absorbing sounds and abstracts. Tyranny Of Beauty is, unfortunately, a heavy
deal, full of the same absorbing melodies, but also made in a tiresome, programmatic, electronic-dizzy movement. Since
Body Corporate from Rockoon is also part of the compilation (well leave 220 Volt for the fun of
discovering how powerful Tangerine Dream can perform live), its best to mention the tropical, yet instable and poppy energy
the music has in it. Anyway, all of the three, main studio albums have had their share of being compiled, remixed or even
subtly reworked/reimagined. The good hit of an album soon turns, after all, into an industry and an endless echo.
Starbound Collection is no surprise, it doesnt even worth more than a couple of shots, but has an edge of a good
inspiration in choosing, mainly, two of the albums in which the wheels of electronic music, ambiance and melodic pieces were
offered nicely by Tangerine Dream. The notes on the material dont tell of any remix being coupled with the original music,
but that doesnt mean the 90s music wasnt, in more than one way, an age of modern sounds, flashy expressions and remixed old
techniques.
Two stars for the entire compilation brand, but one better star for choosing from, most likely, the best 90s albums. The
music can be, therefore, tonic, dreamy or moderately moving.
