Tangram

When Tangerine Dream next appeared in January 1980, it was at a concert in East Germany; they were one of the first Western bands to perform there. The addition of keyboardist Johannes Schmölling returned the band to its trio format; though it ultimately would provide even further distance from their 70s style as they forged ahead into the new decade. Of course, the technology of electronic music was now rapidly changing. The 1980s saw the rise of digital and sampling technology, which effectively changed "sound design" forever. Gone were the Dream's free-wheeling analog trips of the past, and in was something more calculated and composed. Containing two "sets" over both sides of the album, Tangram maintains Tangerine Dream's high standard throughout. Some of the themes can be heard on the aforementioned concert, released as Quichotte in 1981, on the East German Amiga label. The music, however, is more compartmentalized, with distinct sections expertly sewn together. The big change is, obviously, Schmölling. A classically-trained musician and degreed sound engineer, his contribution to the band is vastly different than former member Peter Baumann's. Here, the music is restful and perhaps even a bit conventional in places. But none of this is to say that it's new age pap—that would come much later. Mood is still the band's strong suit; and over the course of the record, Tangerine Dream cover the entire gamut: from sequenced fury, to meditative digressions to more formal compositions. Again, the album charted in the UK, rising to No 36. Toward the end of the year, Virgin Records would release a four-album, career-spanning compilation, ‘70-‘80, which included one side of previously unreleased material.