Tangerine Dream

Okay: I'm a fan of TD's recorded output from 1974-87. I know that in the early 80s TD did various soundtrack albums that now seem to be d'eleted, except for Thief, which is on Virgin, and then the Risky Business thing (3 tracks, or something, on a compilation).

I think Thief is pretty good: it sounds like a regular album, really.

Sorcerer I was not too thrilled about: the sound and melodies seem very thin and it lacks the fuller sound of TD albums of the era (Encore/Stratosfear etc.).

What's the story with the early 80s ones? Are they worth searching for? And what might one expect?

Generally speaking, I usually expect a soundtrack album to consist of only a few themes repeated in alternative arrangements. Are the TD 80s sountracks like this? Or is there several themes--enough to make a studio album--like as with Thief?

I would say 83/84 soundtracks like Wavelength, Firestarter, Flashpoint and Heartbreakers are all worth buying. Also some of the latter ones are good.

Jon wrote:I would say 83/84 soundtracks like Wavelength, Firestarter, Flashpoint and Heartbreakers are all worth buying. Also some of the latter ones are good.

Yep. I would add to that Legend which is a personal favourite of mine.

heartbreakers, definitely. strong album

- Heartbreakers (fine soundtrack)
- The Park Is Mine (strong sequencing)
- Destination Berlin (rhythmic and melodic)

Chris Monk wrote:

Jon wrote:I would say 83/84 soundtracks like Wavelength, Firestarter, Flashpoint and Heartbreakers are all worth buying. Also some of the latter ones are good.

Yep. I would add to that Legend which is a personal favourite of mine.

Yes, but I thought he asked about the early 80s. If we go all the way through 1987 we can add Legend, The Park Is Mine, Zoning, Canyon Dreams, Near Dark, Shy People, Deadly Care and Three O'Clock High too, all of which have certain qualities.

Destination Berlin is, unfortunately, like a Fisher-Price version of Underwater Sunlight and Optical Race

Heartbreakers isn't really comparable to anything actually. maybe streethawk.

can't say much else about the rest of their soundtracks at the time. not familiar. Legend and Shy People have strong, original moments.

edit: oh, Canyon Dreams is pretty nice. somehow didn't think of it.

edit2: ok, it drives me crazy how much quality is in their unreleased soundtracks. Nightmare City, Brandmale, Strange Behaviour, Solomon's Nightmare....

Is really interesting that except for Risky Biz and Thief {I am surprised it still is} no others are still in print. Not only that but some have been OOP for 2 decades.


My Favorite TD soundtrack is Flashpoint - 'natch This was once a difficult find for TD fan's, even the mid 90's One Way re-issue has not been made in 15 years. I have noticed over past year that price has dropped though for both the One Way and the original CD on Heavy Metal label. I much greatly like the sound on that Heavy Metal issue best. If you can find it for under $4o it is well worth the money. I was able to get a 2nd copy as back-up on eBay several months ago for only $31.

My other recommendations are:

- Firestarter - excellent soundtrack. Look for the MCA CD it so very much better than the Varse Sarbande. The MCA was made from the master tapes the other was not.

- Risky Business - TD only did 4 tracks on it but they are some of their best movie work.

- Heartbreakers - this one is decent but OOP for long time and price usually high.

- Sorcerer - This one for me was an acquired taste. I now really like it. I do not like the way Esoteric's releases are in terms of sound. The original MCA CD can be found usually for less money on eBay than new CD's are at Amazon

- Wavelength - a good listen but OOP for a long time.

- Miracle Mile - The only post-1987 TD album I like. I think it's a really good soundtrack not sure if others feel the same way.


Edit: I now see you on want only recommendations up to 1987. So remove Miracle Mile and substitute Legend or 3 O'clock High instead. I know there is some controversy on 3 O'clock but I like the album regardless.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Interesting points Flashpoint made about sound quality of reissues etc.

I've wondered about this a few times.

Although I've only known TDs music for the last 18 months or so (I already have most of their albums), it seems to me that the reissues (e.g. the 'definitive collection' Virgin reissues) have a more compressed and bass-heavy sound than the originals.

I say this because I picked up a few of the Virgin era TD albums as second-hand, original master, cds, and the sound quality, if I'm not mistaken, is really different. Compressing the TD sound removes a lot of the texture to its wide soundscapes. It makes the music lose its expansive feel. I know that's subjective talk, but it makes sense to me. I could imagine that if I picked up Sorcerer as an original LP it would probably sound better than the recent reissue cd that I got.

lucky to own flashpoint on vinyl, bought it when it was first released, sound quality is superb, also another great soundtrack is kamikaze 1989 by edgar, really like this one

- Miracle Mile - The only post-1987 TD album I like. I think it's a really good soundtrack not sure if others feel the same way.

I agree, and so did Paul Haslinger in a recent interview!

As for film soundtracks specifically from the early 1980s, it's a shame we never had a definitive, original release of The Keep.

rigel wrote:- Miracle Mile - The only post-1987 TD album I like. I think it's a really good soundtrack not sure if others feel the same way.

I agree, and so did Paul Haslinger in a recent interview!

As for film soundtracks specifically from the early 1980s, it's a shame we never had a definitive, original release of The Keep.

You should watch Miracle Mile if you ever get the chance. Fascinating movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osjaMNFtamE