Tangerine Dream - Rubycon

The Source for Sorcerer

Something to note about Rubycon is that it was this work that triggered Robert Friedkin to ask TD to do the soundtrack of "Sorcerer". There are several reuses of some Rubycon themes in the movie music. Which took an otherwise ok movie and made it much more visceral. August 18, 2008

Liquid eerieness

While most people I've heard say that 'Phaedra' is superior to 'Rubycon', I disagree. Like a lot of old prog/ambient/etc. records, I still have a hard time completely 100% getting into them for some reason, which still escapes me. There must be some psychological explanation for it. But alas! This review is about Rubycon, not why my brain stinks at obeying my will.

Part 1 starts ominously, hits an orgasmic ominousness, and then soars into the blue sky as you reach Consciousness, floating among the waves of Heaven as they splash back and forth. Seriously, the bell-ish effects of the first several minutes sound like the opening sounds of the fake-snuff movie 'Faces of Death', and evoke the feel of a low-budget 70s grindhouse-horror flick in general before building into an almost spiritual crescendo. Amazing. The rest of the track builds back and forth with powerful sequencers till the track's end.

Part 2 starts with some highly Gyorgi Ligeti-influenced choir vocal patches that seem to say that Froese and the boys were watching '2001: A Space Odyssey' while writing this tune. After it builds through minutes of this audio horror, it rests and goes down tempo and timbre before powering up with some of the best and most powerful sequencer passages they've ever come up with. The song finishes on a hushed note.

Overall I can't say for certain if this is TD's best, since I tend to prefer the 80s period of 'Hyperborea' and 'Exit' out of pure personal preference, but this is still an insanely amazing slice of TD excellence that merits the fullest recommendation. Essential. July 6, 2008

A pure gem!

Tangerine Dream at its best. I discovered TD with Stratosfear and Rubycon. With these two albums I became a huge fan for life of electronic space experimental rock music. Stratosfear is more rock than Rubycon. Rubycon is a journey into space. The evolution of the melody is subtle and it slowly captivates your sense. Next thing you know, you are in the middle of an asteroid field with a strong rhythmic foundation. Listening to Rubycon while driving on the highway is the most relaxing musical experience ever. It brings me back to the 70s, in a good way. Thirty years later, I find TD's music as classic as it was avant-garde then, and I cannot be anymore grateful for the legacy they have left behind for us to enjoy. When music like that of Rubycon moves me, I feel as if in the presence of God. Sublime! May 24, 2008

Classical Musical of the 20th Century?

This album must be listened to in the dark. Pitch black. Seriously. You don't want to be distracted, because this music can do stuff to you. It has to me. It is, to me, the audio equivalent of an 0rg@. The cover on it is another description of the music. Sublime.

While this album is only 30 years old (unlike classical music which is obviously older), I seriously feel that, like classical music, this stuff can give off so many emotions like classical music, it's expressive without a hint of lyrics, can take you places, and requires your full attention. Like one of the other reviewers, my hats off to you if you can describe the music in words. This stuff can do a lot of images. Heck, I'm just anaylzing it like crazy here. And for those of you who want something emotional out of music (not just something for psuedo music fans that tickle their fancy dissecting technical music), it's here. All those expressiveness and places will bring up emotion, although it's sublime. Heck, get this album yourself and listen to it. I look forward listening to this album...again!

Before I wrap this up, I want to address some of these people calling this not music. It's easy to say that because it just doesn't have a beat or isn't structured like a song by Kiss, the Eagles, etc. It brings up emotion, it relies on the sequence of sounds to make something with a bit of repition, it has a structure, it has melody, texture, and timbre. It's a collection of organized sounds and you get something by letting it consume you and basking, thinking, feeling emotions. For the people who intend using this as backround music for reading or some other stupid ______, I'm sorry, but those people are missing something. THis isn't backround music, it requires attention, and you people should put the ________ book away and turn off the light, and let this music do something to you.

Hopefully somedays, people will figure out more about these guys. Despite that this music demands attention and lacks any convential melodies like the disposable _____ today, even the MTV fanatic tween (hey they have feelings too!) could get something out of this. Dammnit, if those people had an attention span, they could even get something out of this. Seriously. If you don't have a soul, than yes, you really will not like this at all. But that will never happen, so there's no excuse for anybody for not giving this a try. Create your own world inside Rubycon.

10/10 January 20, 2008

A timeless classic

Definitetly one of TG's best (along with Phaedra and Ricochet) from their IMO golden age (the mid seventies). This album consolidates the german band's somewhat dark approach towards "space rock" with it's ondulating moog sequences (probably a Moog modular V) and mellotron-driven melodies creating the style known today as "The Berlin School". Makes a nice contrast to the more melodic Vangelis and JM Jarre (masters in their own right too). A must have in your collection. January 1, 2008

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