description Tangerine Dream - Phaedra Overview
Released in 1974, 'Phaedra' is a landmark electronic album by the German group Tangerine Dream and a defining release of the Berlin School of electronic music. It was among the first major albums issued on Virgin Records and notably features the use of Moog synthesizers and sequencers. The album's title track relies on evolving, rhythmic synthesizer patterns, marking a distinct shift from the band's earlier krautrock sound. It is a crucial record for listeners exploring the roots of ambient and sequencer-driven electronic music.
help Tangerine Dream - Phaedra FAQ
What record label released Tangerine Dream's Phaedra?
Phaedra was released in 1974 on the newly founded Virgin Records label, becoming one of the label's earliest and most significant commercial releases. The album's unexpected sales success reportedly helped establish Virgin Records as a viable record company in its formative years.
What synthesizers and equipment were used on Phaedra?
Phaedra prominently features the Moog modular synthesizer alongside the EMS VCS 3 and various sequencers that generated the repetitive pulsing patterns characteristic of the Berlin School sound. The album was recorded at Virgin's Manor Studio in Oxfordshire, England, with the group improvising extensively around evolving sequencer patterns.
What is the Berlin School of electronic music, and how does Phaedra fit?
The Berlin School refers to a style of electronic music characterized by long, atmospheric compositions built around sequencer-driven patterns, pioneered by German artists in the 1970s. Phaedra is considered a defining release of this movement, alongside work by Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream's own earlier albums such as Zeit.
How long is the title track 'Phaedra'?
The title track 'Phaedra' runs for approximately 17 minutes on the original LP, occupying the entire first side of the vinyl record. Its extended length, built around evolving Moog sequencer patterns, was a radical departure from conventional pop album structures and became a hallmark of the Berlin School style.
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