“In short, Edgar Froese has lack juice, inspiration, passion and finish”
1 Trauma 9:26
2 Reset 4:00
3 Awareness (1st Teaching) 4:59
4 Novice (2nd Teaching) 4:46
5 Strange Voices 1:09
6 Fathom (3rd Teaching) 4:10
7 Oracular World (4th Teaching) 2:48
8 Remembering Ayumi 2:43
9 Mellow Submersion (5th Teaching) 2:27
10 Answers (6th Teaching) 5:38
11 Touching Truth 1:21
12 Insight (7th Teaching) 5:33
13 Omniscience (8th Teaching) 5:57
14 Nothing and All 2:11
Eastgate 032 CD
(CD/DDL 57:02) (V.F.)
(Light E-Rock Easy Listening)
Here is the 3rd of the 5th Atomic Season of Hiroshima. A musical tale undertaken earlier in 2007 and which should contain 5 chapters. And maybe Edgar begins to lack of juice! Have you just an idea of how many singles, EP and concerts on DVD that Edgar Froese and his management has released under the name of Tangerine Dream since the starting of this musical journey? Too many to be more precise because AUTUMN IN HIROSHIMA suffers from an evident lack of inspiration, emotion, creation and vision. Even of passion like on the first 2 chapters of this Atomic Seasons project.
Yet it starts pretty good with Trauma and its metallic atmosphere filled of cold keys with a zest of oriental flavor which suddenly espouse the sequenced structure of Underwater Sunlight's Song of the Whale. Edgar W. Froese exploits a dark and intriguing zone with metal tones synths which take a symphonic shape on good arrangements. At once sensual and haunting the rhythm drags a nostalgic melody which explodes when a plane effect overhangs an apocalyptic horizon. The rhythm becomes heavier and embraces a strange scent of intergalactic western on good orchestral arrangements. Trauma is a strong track which is melting into Reset and Awareness, two tracks with a scent of atomic gloom. Atonic and metallic movements float on mellotron synths with vocal samplings of a linear sadness. If Reset is rather tepid, Awareness is of a cataclysmic beauty with the wonderful voice of Barbara Kindermann that floats such as a friendly spirit on the ashes of Hiroshima. This first segment is by far the best on AUTUMN IN HIROSHIMA. Novice and the following titles plunge us into the usual and laconic world of TDI; synth with candy style vocals on a Tangentized pinky background with light rhythms marinated to well-known floating specters (Stranges Voices, Mellow Submersion and Nothing and all). We can listen to this section in loops without noticing that we are turning around so much everything sounds so similar, except for the last third part that seems to emerge out from the limbos so much the meshing with the spirit of the story seems inconsistent. Insight and Omniscience are two good tracks in the spirit of the Melrose's years.
In short, Edgar Froese has lacked juice, inspiration, passion and finish. After a strong start with Trauma, that has nothing to do with rhythm or whatever, Edgar has lost its link and plays Laptop…Too bad because it has started so well.
Sylvain Lupari (January 29th, 2009) *****
Available at Groove nl