Tangerine Dream - Tangram. 1980 Germany

If I were to review my personal history with Tangerine Dream, and all the albums acquired between 1970 and 1983, Tangram would be the most neglected. Even though it was the studio album prior to Exit (where I started the journey), I ended up picking this one up dead last in that bunch. And a used copy at that, when all others were new. In the 90s when I went on a commodity LP replacement program, Tangram was also last. No idea why, since it was the LP in the least great condition. Unlike the first 3 albums I've covered from this box set - namely White Eagle, Exit, and Thief - I have no personal soundtrack history with Tangram. It was "just another" Tangerine Dream album to me.

The odd thing about the opening paragraph is that I hold - and have always held - Tangram in very high esteem. This of course is the album where Johannes Schmoelling entered stage left. His contribution to the band cannot be understated. He had classical training that brought both a discipline and a keen sense of melody to Tangerine Dream. Right from the opening bouncy synth notes onto the beautiful piano segment, Tangram was clearly a departure from the past. Elements of Force Majeure remained, but mostly Tangerine Dream was busy defining their role for the 1980s. Highlights include a devastating fiery guitar and sequencer mix on Side 1. And on Side 2, there are what I consider *two* of the finest sequences of Tangerine Dream's entire recorded career. Now that's quite a bold statement right there. It's a nonstop ride of goodness. Tangram is one of the few Tangerine Dream albums I can evaluate objectively, and I certainly consider it in the first division of their first 16 years of existence (after 1986, I don't really care much for the band's contemporary output). It's really too bad that Froese put away the guitar after this (and the subsequent Thief). He was cooking with gas at this point in his career.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Virgin (UK); CD: 2020 Virgin (as part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set). I've covered the box set on the White Eagle entry. No bonus tracks for this disc. I'll eventually get the LP again, if I find it in the wilds. Funny enough, it's possible it will be last again. I already have all the 70s albums (of course I never let go of the Ohr originals). Oh wait, I don't have Sorcerer on vinyl. As for the 80s, from Tangram to Underwater Sunlight, I only own Logos and White Eagle on LP. So it will be interesting to see if it does finish last. I'm not buying these online, so I won't have influence on the outcome.... And only 2 months after I wrote the above (now it's Mar 2021), in comes an LP copy of Tangram. It was a UK original at a dirt cheap price, so I did acquire it online, despite my earlier proclamation. So it did not finish last after all... Comes with the printed insert too, which I never owned prior.

3/28/21