“If you just don't have yet this Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three, this Ultimate Edition becomes a must”
1 Prime Time 10:17
2 Astrophobia (Red Supernova Mix) 8:24
3 Stereolight 8:07
4 Diamonds and Dust 9:04
5 Meng Tian (Smart Machine Remix) 7:58
6 Girl on the Stairs (Rien ne va plus Remix) 6:53
7 The Spirit of The Czar 7:31
8 The Comfort Zone 8:48
9 Republic 87 (Previously Unreleased) 5:42
10 At Tesla's Tavern (Previously Unreleased) 6:04
11 Distant Scanning (Previously Unreleased) 6:06
12 Black Spears (Previously Unreleased) 6:51
(DDL 91:52) (V.F.)
(E-Rock, EDM, Berlin School)
It's with Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three that I finally connected with this series of remixes that initially did not interest me. But not at all! Focused on the most beautiful years of Tangerine Dream, 77 to 83, this DREAM MIX III - ULTIMATE EDITION is not just an idea to make more cash from Jerome Froese! It's a necessity, considering the sound loads of his albums focused on electronic robotic rhythm of the 90's and these guitartronica riffs, much more felt here, in a more respectful vision of the layer of ambiences of Froese-Franke- Schmoelling trio. For me, it was the beginning of a musical love story with Jerome's ardor and rebellious attitude more aware of Tangerine Dream's glorious path.
This new adventure in the land of Jerome's broken rhythms begins with clanging big bells, twinkling keys and a bass pulses from a bass-drum in an opening that gradually spreads its velocity. First observation! I hardly notice this correction of Silver Scale, except for the synth layers, in Prime Time. The rhythm is plastered by sequences that twirl on the spot and resonant bass-beats. And I can make a harmonic link, which will be much more convincing after some comparisons, while synchronicity paces the steps of reality with the blooming of fog layers and of the rhythmic melody whose crescendo crushes in the whims of a much more convincing beat-box in this new remixed edition of Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three. The title exposes a very good ambient moment in the core of its 10 minutes where Jerome Froese is repainting these ambiences of riffs and percussions, while maintaining this floating nucleus of the sequencer alive. I remember that at first listen, I was half-fig and half-grape. It was through Astrophobia (Red Supernova Mix) that I discovered the world of Mars Polaris, one of the very best albums of the tandem Edgar and Jerome Froese. Here, the remix is more focused on these strains of percussion that was called at that time the Jungle Beat. The moods are faithful to this intrusive approach that we feel in the original version. A bit like Prime Time, I had a hard time tying Stereolight with the remnants of Tangerine Dream's past. I knew it was a kind of new thinking between Monolight and Desert Dream, from the album Encore, but the percussion machine gun, the robotic violence of the rhythm of the 90s and this oriental fragrance nuanced the new make-up of the atmospheres yet very present, especially for Desert Dream. To date, and still at this time, I was more and more charmed by my discovery of PAST HUNDRED MOONS. And yet, I was not at the best of the album. I had no trouble recognizing Silver Scale (Oops !!!), sorry Diamond Diary in the clothes of Diamonds and Dust. The rhythm is charged by these electronic percussions and bitten by these guitartronica riffs. The original version of Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three included an unreleased title by Edgar Froese, Blue Spears. A beautiful electronic melody faithful to the vision of Tangerine Dream's leader in the Melrose years. It's on this album with the title Black Spears which sticks a heavy and slow spheroidal rhythm while preserving its good harmonic vision. A nice find in the new tracks.
Meng Tian (Smart Machine Remix) is a fairly faithful version of the original that nests on Great Wall of China. Perhaps a little more dynamic, it opened my ears to this soundtrack quite unknown from the TDI years. I didn't know at all that Girl on the Stairs (Rien ne va plus Remix) was the translation, word for word, of Das Mädchen auf der Treppe of the Tatort series. At the beginning of the 90's, several bootlegs included this title which I thought was an unpublished title of the Tangerine Dream catalog. It's here that I understood that it was actually White Eagle, remixed with more rhythm and without making a correction to its pleasant melody. Impossible not to love! The Spirit of The Czar is THE title that made me dive into the world of Dream Mixes. This reworked version of Poland exploits its openness and sequenced percussions that are offered in an unparalleled percussive canvas. There is nothing to add. Just listen ... The Comfort Zone is from Logos. In fact, it's the Red Part compressed in 8 minutes. It's beautiful, it's well done but we do not feel the happening emotion in it, and I think it's perfectly normal, because it's an integral part of Logos. This new remix of Dream Mixes III includes 4 unreleased tracks. Republic 87 isolates the harmonic section of Livemiles Part Two to blow it up on a more contemporary beat. It gave me the taste to re-hear this Live Miles which in the end is not that bad. At Tesla's Tavern reminds me of the atmospheres of 220 Volt Live, the introduction of the film, with layers from the time of the Seattle years precisely. The rhythm is heavy and captivating in a musical setting that is not too far from the Froese-Franke-Schmoelling years. Very good title here. Distant Scanning comes out of where? I hear a bit of prime time concentrated in a rhythm structure teeming with life despite its heaviness. A Seattle-style structure where Rockoon's nervous rock doesn't have the subtleties I noticed in Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three.
There are several reasons to buy this DREAM MIXES III - ULTIMATE EDITION. If you own the original edition; the new tracks and the amplified sound source with its detailed decor are good incentives. And if you just don't have Past Hundred Moons - Dream Mixes Three, it becomes a must. I'm waiting for part IV impatiently ...
Sylvain Lupari (October 26th, 2019) *****
Available at Jerome Froese's Bandcamp