CD-Charts Position 1
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Phaedra

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date February 27, 1995
The fledgling Virgin label signed two important German bands in the early 70s: Faust and Tangerine Dream. First, they released The Faust Tapes album, a collection of studio experiments and outtakes, in a Bridget Riley sleeve for only 50p (the price of a single in those days: very tempting to a schoolboy prog-rocker, I can tell you). Then along came Phaedra. Both showed aspects of so-called "krautrock" that were very different to the melodic pop of Kraftwerk, who were enjoying their 15 minutes of fame at that time courtesy of their "Autobahn" single riding high in the charts. Phaedra and TFT combined electronics (largely homemade, in Faust's case) with white noise, tape effects and elements of musique concrete, to often disconcerting and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Rubycon

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date February 27, 1995
33 years since I first heard it, Tangerine Dream's "Rubycon" still has the power to send shivers down my spine! Their second album for Virgin records, and consisting of just a single 35-minute work (split in the middle for the old vinyl side-change, of course) this is perhaps the most symphonic of Tangerine Dream's works. It is certainly, even now, the most beautiful and the most elegantly structured, as well as the most mystical, with its soaring, contemplative mellotron choirs, lush tam-tam rolls and hypnotic pulse-laden textures. It is also the least overtly 'pop' in style and steadfastly refuses classification even now. Haunting and delicate synthesiser motifs blend with the sounds of prepared pianos and custom modified organs and other electronics, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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The Essential Collection

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date April 17, 2006
33 years since I first heard it, Tangerine Dream's "Rubycon" still has the power to send shivers down my spine! Their second album for Virgin records, and consisting of just a single 35-minute work (split in the middle for the old vinyl side-change, of course) this is perhaps the most symphonic of Tangerine Dream's works. It is certainly, even now, the most beautiful and the most elegantly structured, as well as the most mystical, with its soaring, contemplative mellotron choirs, lush tam-tam rolls and hypnotic pulse-laden textures. It is also the least overtly 'pop' in style and steadfastly refuses classification even now. Haunting and delicate synthesiser motifs blend with the sounds of prepared pianos and custom modified organs and other electronics, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Force Majeure

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date April 24, 1995
Force Majeure is without doubt one of Tangerine Dream's finest albums if not their finest. It's certainly the best album of the band's 1970s output.
After experimenting with a singer on the previous year's 'Cyclone', the group returned to a trio and played to their musical strengths.
The title track opens the album and what a number it is. It brings together everything that Tangerine Dream are about. Moody, atmospheric soundscapes, memorable melodies and a decent rhythmn section. It's twenty minutes of sheer excellence and moves along at an awesome pace.
'Cloudburst Flight' is, to these ears anyway, the best 'short' number the band have ever recorded. A moody, acoustic guitar led opening is broken by synthesizers and then the drums kick in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Stratosfear

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date February 27, 1995
What a great album this is. After the moody, atmospheric soundscapes they had made in their early days, Tangerine Dream had tapped into accessibility a little bit with their 'Ricochet' platter. With 'Stratosfear', the band had released a record that at times keeps to the tried and tested formulas of mellotrons and sequencers etc, but the difference between this album and others is that there is so much more to offer musically. The group play like a band and introduce acoustic and electric guitars as well as plenty of percussion. There are also so much more melodies and genuinely memorable tunes.
The title track is a swashbuckling piece with a memorable theme, and still stands the test of time as one of Tangerine Dream's most enduring and popular tunes. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Ricochet

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date February 27, 1995
Ricochet is the so called live album following Tangerine Dream's tour of 1975.
By then, the band had enjoyed considerable success here in the UK with their previous two albums 'Phaedra' and 'Rubycon' which had made the top ten and top twenty respectively over here. The music on 'Ricochet' is previously unreleased music, specially written for the tour, so this is by no means a live 'greatest hits' package.
The way the album is put together is nothing like a live package, so you have to view 'Ricochet' almost as a studio album. I'm not even convinced that this music was recorded exclusively live. It sounds too good and the production is way too slick for it to be lifted wholesale from a live show or two. I'm willing to bet there's been more than a few ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
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Sorcerer

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date March 25, 2002

This shows a much darker, more foreboding side to TD's work of the period. It's interesting to hear shorter pieces too, which works well for me. The style is very much in keeping with "Stratosfear" and also "Encore" and, listening to it again, I think it's rather better than both......

I'd also like to echo the question What of the "other" 45 minutes they recorded for this film? Is it worth releasing? Even if it's more of the same, or the existing tracks expanded I'd buy it...

Another classic!

CD-Charts Position 8
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Tangram

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date April 24, 1995
For those who are wondering, a tangram is a puzzle made up of different shaped pieces. There, that's out of the way.
Tangerine Dream entered a new decade with a new band member, Johannes Schmoelling, a new look and a new sound.
After Peter Baumann left the group in 1977, Tangerine Dream had experimented with prog (Cyclone) and had made something of a masterpiece (Force Majeure). However, the line up situation had been a touch turbulent, so some sort of stability was required. In Schmoelling, they had recruited a classically trained musician, who would remain with the group for half a decade and help them record some of their most interesting and consistently entertaining work.
'Tangram' shows Tangerine Dream returning to their roots a bit, and injecting it with ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Music Of The Spheres

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date March 17, 2008
Why are people clicking one star just because it sounds like Mike Oldfield, it is his style. It doesn't really sound like Tubular bells it has a classic music quality to it. Great music.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Hyperborea

by: Tangerine Dream

Release Date August 07, 1995
'Hyperborea' was the last album that Tangerine Dream made on the Virgin label, after a near ten year association and to be fair, lots of success.
The decision not to renew the contract must have given messrs Froese, Franke and Schmoelling a real boot up the jacksey musically, and creatively, because 'Hyperborea' is, in my opinion, the best record that this line up made for Virgin.
Opening track 'No Mans Land' is an unusual number with an Eastern flavour and a decent rhythm, it just gets a touch repetitive towards the end but kicks things off rather well.
The title track, 'Hyperborea' is next, and is by far the best track on the album. Slow burning, yet powerful, it creates an atmosphere so thick, you would need excalibur to slice through it. Fantastic stuff.
Next up is 'Cinnamon ... Read More: