Phaedra
	Produced by Edgar Froese
	Released on February 1974
	UK CHART POSITION #15 . . . US CHART POSITION #196 . . . GOLD RECORD
	Find it at GEMM
VI 2010 cover

P haedra is considered by many to be the band’s magnum opus. The side-long title track is a high-water mark in electronic music: a tone poem for the postmodern age that could have come from the pages of Fantastic Journey, so equally intimate and alien is its effect. The piece begins as an amorphous cloud of energy, like a star in infancy, before heartbeat-like rhythms draw the listener along a path peopled by alien shapes that proceed from and recede again into the blackness. This is brilliant stuff: more than just music you can synchronize your lava lamp to. The second side of music features shorter pieces that are suitably restricted in scope and effect. “Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares” picks up where the title track leaves off: a mellotron sets the tone of religious solemnity, and is broadened and embellished, resulting in a standing study rather than a mind-expanding journey. “Movements of a Visionary” is tentative and eerie, grounded by a sped-up Jack-in-the-box effect and a handful of interesting sounds; listeners are likely to recognize the piece’s potential influence on the soundtrack music to the “Friday the 13th” movies, which is unfortunate. The final “Sequent C” is a brief, airy piece led by Baumann’s flute. If but for the title track alone, Phaedra is required listening for fans of Tangerine Dream. The band is clearly in uncharted territory here, and the discoveries they make are fascinating if not revelatory.

VI 2010 inner gatefold	VI 2010 back cover

TRACK LISTING

1. PHAEDRA    (Chris Franke/Edgar Froese/Peter Baumann)   
2. MYSTERIOUS SEMBLANCE AT THE STRAND OF NIGHTMARES    (Edgar Froese)   
3. MOVEMENTS OF A VISIONARY    (Chris Franke/Edgar Froese/Peter Baumann)   
4. SEQUENT C'    (Peter Baumann)   

CREDITS

PETER BAUMANN -- organ, e-piano, vcs3 synth, flute
CHRIS FRANKE -- moog syntheziser, keyboards, vcs3 s.A
EDGAR FROESE -- mellotron, guitar-bass, vcs3 synthi, organ, sleeve design, cover painting
Phil Becque -- engineer

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