Free System Projekt (& related) ~ Netherlands

Gent (2007)

---6/3/07

The Dutch collective Free System Projekt have long been considered one of the finest groups playing in the Berlin School revivalist style. Raging sequencers, mellotron overlays, and analog synthesizer soloing are the order of the day.

---4/14/23

And that's exactly what this album brings. I really do own too much of this kind of thing. I loaded up throughout the 2000s for whatever reason. It's a great example of the style, but not the very best (including from Free System Projeck themselves). And I have plenty of the latter to keep me happy.

Ownership: 2007 private (CD)

6/3/07 (acquired); 2/3/23 (review)

Free System Projekt & Dave Brewer - Okefenokee Dreams (2000)

There are few bands that emulated Tangerine Dream's mid 70s years as effective as Free System Projekt. At this point FSP was just Marcel Engels, and on the first Okefenokee gathering, he's joined my American electronic musician Dave Brewer.  They go about creating 73 minutes of sequencer based Berlin School music. No surprises here at all. Honestly I have too much of this kind of music, but I have a soft spot for this title, as it was one of the earliest revival CDs I had picked up (real time when it was released). For the next 6 years or so, I loaded up on dozens of titles like it. I have already begun to shed some of those titles, selling to an audience still hungry for anything and everything Tangerine Dream like. But I won't do that with Okefenokee Dreams. Not so much because it's that much better (it's not), but rather its place in my personal history.

Ownership: 2000 Groove Unlimited (CD). Booklet with a photo.

2001 (acquired); 4/19/20 (review)

Protoavis (2004)

The hard part about reviewing any Free System Projekt album, at least from this era, is trying to come up with something new to say. I suppose figuratively one could make a similar claim about FSP - that is, musically they have nothing new to say. But nothing new, while still being great, are not mutually exclusive comments. On Protoavis, Free System Projekt have completely zoned in on the 1974-1975 era of Tangerine Dream, where the sequences remind one of Phaedra and the overall atmosphere and style are more toward Rubycon. This is my personal favorite years of Tangerine Dream, so of course I'm going to enjoy Free System Projekt. Not enjoyment at the same level mind you - one cannot replace the magic of initial discovery in one's youth - but the familiarity makes it comfortable. A safe place to cuddle up in.

Former ownership: 2004 Quantum (CD)

6/1/07 (acquired); 9/24/17 (review)

Atmospheric Conditions (2002)

Atmospheric Conditions is a two CD set compiled of various outings from 2001 and 2002, including live stints in the USA and England. The Dutch collective Free System Projekt have long been considered one of the finest groups playing in the Berlin School revivalist style. Raging sequencers, mellotron overlays, and analog synthesizer soloing are the order of the day. Though the various tracks are all improvised, the sound is remarkably consistent, and the end result seem like variations on Tangerine Dream's Rubycon. In my mind, that is T. Dream's finest moment, so any group who can emulate that same composition style are much welcome here.

From Discogs: Instruments used: Access Virus A, Arrick Synthesizers.com modular system, Yamaha A 3000 sampler/w Mellotron set, Yamaha A 4000 sampler/w Mellotron set, Doepfer MAQ 16/3 sequencers (2x), Clavia Nord Modular, Clavia Nordlead II, Eminent Solina Strings, Elka Rhapsody 610, EMS Synthi A, Arp Pro Soloist, Roland JP 8080, Korg MS-20, Korg MS 2000R, Yamaha S-30, Yamaha TG 500, Boss CE-1, Boss SE-50, Boss SE-70, Ensoniq DP/2, Lexicon MPX 100, MXR Phase 100

Track 1-1 played live at the Gathering, Ocober 13th, 2001.
Track 1-2 played live at Jodrell Bank, March 30th, 2002.
Track 1-3 played live at WDIY EMUSIC, October 12th, 2001.
Track 1-4 played live at Hampshire Jam, October 27th, 2001.
Track 2-1 played live at Ruud Heij's studio during the sessions of summer 2001.
Track 2-2 played live at Star's End radioshow, October 14th, 2001.
Track 2-3 played live at Ruud Heij's studio during the sessions of summer 2001.
Track 2-4 played live at Jodrell Bank, March 30th, 2002.
Track 2-5 Echoes feature: Free System Projekt's Spontaneous Creations. Produced for Echoes, the radio program of ambient and world fusion music heard on stations across the United States.

Ownership: 2002 Quantum (2xCD)

2003 (acquired); 9/14/16 (review)

Moyland (2005)

Free System Projekt is yet another band we're featuring here that comes from the Tangerine Dream retro movement, that is found more predominantly in the UK, but also has a huge following in the Netherlands as well. When Tangerine Dream moved in a different direction following their "Virgin" years after 1983, no one really took the baton and ran with it. Now that doesn't mean electronic music died. Not even close. There were tons of other artists operating in this field, almost all of them solo acts, and none had the massive amount equipment that Tangerine Dream possessed (other than maybe Klaus Schulze of course). And as any fan of classic Tangerine Dream will tell you, it's a style of music that has many possibilities. The key to success is not only a large amount of both old and new keyboard toys, but it also helps to have more than one band mate - for the synergy of ideas that multiple people can create.

The big names in the Tangerine Dream renaissance are the British bands: Radio Massacre International, Redshift, AirSculpture, Under the Dome, Arc and many more. And the main representative in Holland is Free System Projekt. And truth be told, FSP are probably the most sycophantic to the original T. Dream sound (especially the Baumann trio years). But it's still highly original music within the confines of the style. It's as if someone uncovered numerous more Tangerine Dream recordings from 1974-1977. You can't wrong with a Free System Projekt album, at least of the ones I've heard, and that's most of them. Moyland is but only one great example. If you love complicated sequences, with mellotron overlays and wild synth soloing - the Free System Projekt is for you.

Ownership: 2005 Quantum (CD)

2/15/10 (acquired / review)

2/15/10 (new entry)