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Andy G of Compact Disc Services fame and all round good egg has given me permission to use ALL of his TD and Klaus Schulze reviews on my blogs, so with that in mind I thought you might like to read his opinion on Mota Atma:
TANGERINE DREAM: Moto Atma
We are privileged to be the first to be able to give you the full run-down on the brand new studio album. It runs for fifty-nine minutes, it is all-instrumental and, in my opinion, it is just superb! Opening with deep bass undercurrents and flowing synthscapes, you hear beautiful wordless choirs on top, all incredibly ethereal, as a sequencer line – yes!!! A sequencer line – emerges from the depths and the piece continues to drift and flow, all extremely full-sounding and celestial, layer upon layer gliding through the airwaves - Not at all sweet or sugary, but solid and substantial. The feel is of previous soundtrack work such as ‘Firestarter’ or ‘Exit’ or ‘Thief’ and the combination of synths, sequencers, electronic drums and choral voices makes for one of the finest opening tracks you’ll have heard on a TD album in ages - Eight minutes of sheer bliss! Track 2 continues the thematic quality, this time with more of a solid percussive rhythmic backing, but it’s the combination of layers, choral textures, synths and soundscapes that take you right back to the classic soundtrack work from years gone by - A body of work that remains to this day, seriously underrated, compared to the “real” studio albums. The mixture of melodic synths, deep bass, wordless choral voices, typically TD sounding synthscapes and chunky rhythms, continues, as a wickedly cascading sequencer line emerges, and the piece becomes sheer heaven as the hairs on the back of your neck rise at the thrill of (for the first time in a long while) hearing the faint and familiar strains of days gone by - A powerful and atmospheric track that ends on the most gorgeous choral layer around, and nearly eight more minutes of true excellence. The 3rd track features bubbling synths, sequence rhythms, symphonic synth leads and that all-important sense of space that the group has become known for over the years. With all manner of synth whooshes and melody lines ebbing and flowing out of the mix, the rhythms and soundscapes move inexorably forward, and the SOUNDS is just totally spectacular – but you really have to hear it to see what I mean. The next two tracks continue in the same superb sounding vein – synths, sequencers, occasional percussive rhythms, all combining to create truly warm and human compositions, layer upon layer of rhythm, texture, bass, melody and atmosphere combine to deliver tracks that are a joy to hear. The 6th track is slightly more ethereal, but still uses the bubbling sequencers. At times it almost sounds a bit like early Mark Shreeve when the samples emerge above the rhythmic undercurrents and the symphony of ethereal synths that is flying all around the mix, and it’s just amazing stuff. Track 7 introduces a very solid percussive rhythm as the layers of synths create more rich and melodic leads and soundscapes, altogether vintage soundtrack music as only the band can provide, very substantial yet with a feel that is both familiar and fresh. Finally the 8th track immediately begins in anthemic mode – similar (if I’ve got the right one) to the ‘Thief’ or ‘Exit’ title tracks – with slow, deliberate rhythms and synth layers that rise up majestically to soar like an eagle – a white eagle – as you stare open-mouthed at the sheer strength of the synths, deep bass rivers, choral voices and the miles upon miles of synth sounds that combine to create a truly moving piece of music. Altogether, one of the finest, most consistent and downright enjoyable Tangerine Dream albums in years, and one that will go down as a justifiable gem from the point of view of most fans of the band around today.
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I agree that the tracks should have been mixed into one another, but apart from that it's just marvellous!
