Alpha Centauri [Original recording remastered]

Tangerine Dream | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 19, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sbme Castle Us
• ASIN: B000077SWT
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #569,570 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars «Kosmische Musik» classics, November 20, 2002

By 

Steve Benner "Stonegnome" (Lancaster, UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alpha Centauri (Audio CD)

The TD line-up at the time of "Alpha Centauri" was Edgar Froese, Christoph Franke (his first appearance) and Steve Schroyder (almost his last), with guest performers Udo Dennebourg (flute and voice) and Roland Paulyck (synthesiser). This remastered release on CD provides a whole new perspective on music that is as refreshing today as the day it was released, with nuances of the original now rescued from the obscurity of the muddy old black vinyl pressing.

If you're unfamiliar with Tangerine Dream's early «Kosmische Musik» period, then this disc may come as something as a shock. It is, however, a good place to start an exploration of their early music. It contains an excellent cross-section of the styles of playing which characterised TD's early years, having meditative pieces with long drawn out organ chords over gurgling VCS3 oscillators, flighty flute lines woven through Christoph Franke's jazzy, often improvised drumming and, of course, a general other- or out-of-this-worldliness pervading everything. 'Sunrise in the Third System' is a short (4 mins) opener, which sets the scene for the music to follow. 'Fly and Collision of Comas Sola' is a longer (13 mins) epic, with more soaring, cosmic synthesiser sounds and organ chords over Froese's guitar strummings eventually being drowned out by a veritable battle between guest flautist, Udo Dennebourg, and Franke's increasingly frantic drumming -- a true masterpiece! The main work on the disc is the 22 minute title-track, featuring some fascinating dialogue between flute, electric guitar, organ, various warbling electronic devices (mostly spacey-type VCS3 settings but also including such non-musical sources as coffee machine) and finally human voice, in the form of wordless chant and (heavily processed) dialogue! This is an exquisite precursor to the follow-up album, "Zeit".

Tagged on the end of this version of the disc as a bonus track is the early TD single, "Ultima Thule (part I)", which is worth having, but is no major addition to the disc.

As I mentioned earlier, this release has been remastered, allegedly from the original master tapes in TD's own Eastgate Studios. Be warned, however, that these tapes sound to be in a pretty dire state and one of the problems inherent in such remasterings is that as well as some details of the music being clearer, many of the defects become more exposed too! The opening moments of the disc, for example, have some appalling amplifier hum laid bare for all to hear and there are other moments throughout the disc when the original tapes sound to have saturated quite badly. That said, the sheer brilliance of this music soon drives such technical shortcomings from mind. (It helps to play the disc at a quieter level than normal too.)

Personally, I would have liked some longer silences between the tracks, too: all we get are a couple of seconds-just not enough between tracks of this intensity! I was disappointed too that half of the original record sleeve art-work as well as the original sleeve-notes, such as they were, have not made it into this production, either. All in all, then, I feel that there are sufficient niggles for me to dock an entire star from my rating of this disc. Bear in mind, too, that in common with most records of this vintage, this disc contains not much more than 40 minutes of music (including the bonus track). I personally don't think that should put you off, of course, so go on, treat yourself!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars really beautiful., October 3, 2003

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alpha Centauri (Audio CD)

This album proves that you can make powerful, amazing music without being the best virtuoso, having the best equipment, or the most theoretical knowledge. Music is about sound and the feeling that creates lasting impact. _Alpha Centauri_ emphasizes these factors with its stunning, primitive space rock.

The synthesizer equipment on this album is totally old-school. Although primitive and limited, these tools are powerful in the hands of Tangerine Dream. In some ways it reminds me of the composers Riley and Stockhausen, and minimalist classical music in general. The overall feeling is far more "narcotic" and "cosmic," however. This is very definitive psychedelic-space music. It's pretty hard to describe each piece. I'm stuck mostly with the lasting images they inspire. "Sunrise in the Third System" is like the force of Creation descending upon Nothingness...all in under four minutes! "Fly and Collision of Comas Sola" rises from distant, softly-strummed electric guitar and heavy organ into shrill analog synths, exotic flute, and rumbling, stormy drum rolls amidst the omnipresent crush of organ. On "Alpha Centauri", at first wailing synths move in and out of a shimmering fuzz of sustained electronic sound. Some flute brings a touch of "worldliness" to the entwined chords of synths, the sounds of which are becoming increasingly more "unworldly." Then there is this low-moaning oscillator stretched and it sounds like a soul being torn between the physical and ethereal. The music continues on, with the flute reappearing from time to time with different melodic motifs, and synthesizers becoming more light and airy. It's quite a great piece, with an amazing ending (at around the 18:00 mark). A monotone voice begins to speak in German, with a dramatic church-like scale progression on the organ. The German monologue dissipates, replaced with these strange disembodied choir-like sounds and laserbeam synths blipping randomly as it fades out. The bonus track, "Ultima Thule Part 1", is okay.

_Alpha Centauri_ is 40 minutes of prime space music. Tangerine Dream is one of those artists that needs to be in your CD library as one of the definitive artists of their form. _Zeit_ should be your first choice, then _Alpha Centauri_.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First Space Music Album In History!, January 20, 2005

By 

Edgardo Beckham "Ed" (Jacksonville,Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alpha Centauri (Audio CD)

Alpha Centauri is believed to be the first space music album ever made.This is Tangerine Dream's 2nd album.Released in 1971,this release sees TD abandoning their rock sound from their previous,debut album and swapping it for a much more,mellow,almost ambient,style of music,and I am glad to say it worked.Tangerine Dream had found their stride,thanks to a new band member,namely Christopher Franke,who would end up contributing to Tangerine Dream albums for about 16 years before leaving.Needless to say,his contributions greatly affected the band's sound,and improved it for the better.Chris Franke also was the one who first introduced the synthesizer to the band,which would end up becoming TD's most loved and permanent musical instrument.However,because it was only 1971 when this album was first released,the band's synths at the time were of the primitive,VCS 3 model,and if you would never had read the liner notes in the album,you would never notice the strange sounds heard on the album were coming from actual synthesizers,albeit primitive ones.In terms of description,Alpha Centauri is a space/experimental album,containing both beautiful and eerie music and soundeffects,that are so dominant and well-used in this album,that you could actually swear this is what outer space would sound like,if sound actually existed in space,that is.While the album opens with the haunting,Phantom Of The Opera style organ and eerie,wailing synth heard on "Sunrise In The Third System",this is not a preview of the rest of the music on the album,because as soon as the short opener is finished,it immediately turns over into the mellower,hauntingly beautiful piece,"Fly And Collission Of Comas Sola",complete with organ,synths,and beautiful flute,still with a touch of spaciness and eerieness.Only Tangerine Dream knew how to do that perfectly without ruining the space experience.The title track,"Alpha Centauri",is a long,epic journey into the mysterious depths of the universe and back.In my opinion,it is the best piece on the entire album,and best captures the feeling of floating in space,without actually doing it.A truly amazing piece of early ambient art.

Note:This re-release of Alpha Centauri comes with a tagged on bonus track,the early TD single,"Ultima Thule",which is not from this album,but is an early TD single from their rock days,and is not a big addition to the disc,even though it is rare,because it ruins the space atmosphere created by the real album,and therefore,ruins the experience.It was a stupid decision to add this to the disc.My advice is to play the disc until the end of its original content,so when the title track,"Alpha Centauri",is finished,stop it there,that way,you can enjoy the album the way it was meant to be.Other than that,this album is great.Don't let that bonus track deter you from this wonderful work of space/early ambient music.Trust me,this album is a must-have for ambient/space fans.Enjoy.