“I'm having a great pleasure with the rediscoveries of his Dream Mixes”
1 Mobocaster 7:21
2 Jungle Jacula 8:38
3 Towards The Evening Star (Blue Gravity Mix) 8:36
4 Digital Sister 7:07
5 Pixel Pirates 6:52
6 Timesquare 8:42
7 Culpa Levissima (Touched 2019)
Previously Unreleased 6:22
8 Terra Gravity (Ambient 800 Mix)
Previously Unreleased 4:41
9 Dead Evidence (DM II Leftover)
Previously Unreleased 6:47
10 Pixel Pirates
(Long Original Version 1996) 10:08
11 Timesquare - (NY Brix Mix) 9:46
12 Timesquare (Video Clip from the 1997 Tour)
(DDL 85:05) (V.F.)
(Electronic Rock & Electronica)
I'm having a great pleasure diving into Jerome Froese's Electronica universe with the rediscoveries of his Dream Mixes. After Dream Mixes I - Ultimate Edition, released in late 2018, it's time to move to the furious rhythms of DREAM MIXES II which was released on Jerome's download site in March of this year. An improved version? Yes and everything is happening at the sound level! Everything is amplified with a clear difference in the sound depth field, enhancing all these subtleties that got drowned in the mass of sounds and the unbridled rhythms of the original version. In doing so, we are in a better position to hear the bonds that unite the visions of father and son. I have already written a review on the original version, here is the link, where I forgot to mention that the albums targeted for this edition of mixes were in order; Timesquare - Dream Mixes II were, in order; Turn of the Tides, Goblins Club, What a Blast, Timesquare and Sony Center Topping Out Ceremony Score.
Among the unreleased tracks in this DREAM MIXES II one finds Culpa Levissima, which is vaguely different from its original version with a more Berlin School approach. The sequencer movement reminds me of these suspenseful approaches in Mark Shreeve's repertoire. More condensed, Culpa Levissima (Touched 2019) is also significantly superior and the game of percussion is even more spectacular in this new version. Definitely a plus here! Terra Gravity is part of Sony Center Topping Out Ceremony Score. Its essence here is extracted in order to really make of it a cosmic atmospheric title. Dead Evidence (DM II Leftover) is a real novelty that is in the spirit of Dream Mixes I. It's a fusion between Electronica and TD's electronic rock of the TDI years, genre Mars Polaris. It took me a few tunes, since it's not really my style, and I ended up enjoying it. Even with these layers of voices extinguished by chloroform. Its last minutes are furious. Pixel Pirates (Long Original Version 1996) totally changes of skin here, forgetting its ethereal opening to go straight to a revamped and more sustained rhythmic nucleus. I like it better than the original version that I found very good in 1977. Timesquare - (NY Brix Mix) is hardly different from its original version. The rhythmic pace may be a little faster here, but it's hardly noticeable except when the riffs and strobe effects are grafted to its structure around its 5th minute. It doesn't distort at all the original version and it's located at the very end, so we have plenty time to savor it again since that almost 30 minutes separate the 2 versions. To wrap up the whole thing, a video, shot by Monika Froese, of Tangerine Dream interpreting Timesquare during the European tour of 1997 is a nice surprise.
Jerome! How not to fall in love with his evolution that never puts a shadow to his audacity? Does the additional 40 minutes justify the purchase of this DREAM MIXES II-ULTIMATE EDITION? If you don't have the original version, which is quite easily to find on the various music sales sites, the question doesn't even arise! And I can say the same thing for those who have it. But I know there are purists who always swear by the original versions, sniffing a possible scam. This is not the case here. The bonus tracks are very good mixes and the tone is definitely higher. And I think these two elements put together make this new version of DREAM MIXES II a purchase that will meet your expectations. And God knows how high they are regarding Jerome Froese!
Sylvain Lupari (July 21st, 2019) *****
Avalaible on Jerome Froese's Bandcamp