Edgar Froese - Aqua (1974)
There are no liner notes to speak of on this album cover.
This is Edgar Froese's first solo album.
If you like Tangerine Dream's "Phaedra" (released within
the year preceding this release) you will enjoy this.
It was apparently released in two versions with different edits and track order.
I have no idea what the differences are but might hazard a guess that "NGC 891" could have the different edits, as there are a few ungainly edits between sections in this release.(The sequencer stutters between repeats of a long passage once or twice and one interpolation in particular is somewhat jarring.) However-
The "flaws" in this early sequencer/synthesized music (Phaedra may be the first album to use sequencers) are, to my ears, what makes this music so interesting and idiosyncratic, and when Tangerine Dream "perfected" the use of such technology is about when I stopped listening.
With this type of live electronic music (one gets the sense of a sort of "live in the studio" sensibility in a lot of this music) The sense that the music being built up and manipulated, layer by layer, could break down at any moment, and lose coherency (which it often did seem to do) is what made a lot of the music interesting, and probably had a lot to do with some of the less predictable musical choices made in the early years of Tangerine Dream's music.
The use of improvisation (when it doesn't descend into noodling) gives their music a dynamism which calculation probably couldn't, these musicians almost certainly being less thoughtful than, say, Stockhausen or Ilhan Mimaroglu.
I've always liked the Virgin albums by Tangerine Dream and I think this solo album by their founder (and only current member) is a fine example of what is good in this genre: Moody, pulsating, atmospheric, vaguely menacing soundscapes par excellence.
Edgar Froese- Aqua
Side One:
a1-Aqua
a2-Panorphelia
Side Two:
b1-NGC 891
b2-Upland
Edgar Froese on loan from Tangerine Dream.
Thanks to Chris Franke for Moog sounds on NGC 891.
Recorded in Berlin, November 1973 - March 1974
To appreciate fully the revolutionary Artificial Head System developed by Gunther Brunschen listen to side two on stereo headphones.
(1) or (1)
This is a belated ACOC birthday post for grey calx.
ReplyDeletePlease excuse the blurry photos. The cover was wrapped in plastic when I made the photos.
Thanks, DrEyescope. Much appreciated.
DeleteThanks for this one - I haven't heard it (or even thought about it) in more than thirty years, but now that you've jogged my memory I recall a lot of really positive associations. I'm preparing to time-travel.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this!!!! Great memories, many, many years ago:)
ReplyDeleteLooks like this composer is also used in this new great book:
ReplyDeleteSemiography and Semiology of contemporary music - author: Paolo Tortiglione
http://www.deastore.com/search/products/2051841/keywords/9788876656163
I bought that album when it came out and I got a leaflet in it with tons of information on its making.
ReplyDeleteThey did use a stereo microphone looking like headphones (with mics instead of speakers) to record certain parts.
I will send you a copy if I find my album, keep on with your great blog, curious for curiosities.
Mic
Virgin have rereleased their Foese solo albums (Aqua, Epsilon in Malaysian pale, Ages, Stuntman and Pinnacles) as 4 CD set with a few extras - it's the only way to get Epsilon at a reasonable price.
ReplyDeleteFantastic. Many thanks indeed.
ReplyDeleteMerci beaucoup. Superbe découverte pour moi.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for all !
ReplyDelete