Peter Baumann - Machines of Desire

by Keith How

published: 30 / 5 / 2016

Label: Bureau B
Format: CD

Inventive new album from legendary former Tangerine Dream member Peter Baumann, who returns to the studio after a long lay-off for his first album in over thirty years

Review

Old heads will recognise the name immediately. Peter Baumann was a member of the legendary Tangerine Dream in what many consider their most progressive period of 1971-77. Who does not remember with much affection the delights of ‘Phaedra’ and ‘Rubycon'? Peter Baumann now returns to recording after many years study human nature and psychology with a new album ‘Machines of Desire’ aimed at reflecting his insights from his studies. Baumann met with former band mate Edgar Froese with a view to a collaboration, but sadly Froese was to pass away not long after the friendship was renewed. ‘Machines of Desire’ has a familiar feel from the word go. ‘The Blue Dream’ is a sombre opening with ethereal synthesiser voices. Heavy percussion gives a war-like sense to proceedings. So the tone for the album is set. As you might expect, the references to Berlin electronica are woven throughout the album but mood is never archaic. ‘Searching in Vai’ is powered by an electronic pulse that never diverts from its chosen path or speed and is intriguing. Listening is a pleasure. This is contemporary music created by the hand of a master, epic and grand but never boring. ‘Echoes in the Cave ‘moves away from a sense of darkened streets and dimly lit alleyways. It is slightly ponderous but illuminated to great effect with high register meanderings over a minimal background, and quite delightful! It is fair to say that ‘Machines of Desire’ never strays far from the pace set from the opening track and yet the controlled hypnotic soundscapes make attractive wide screen listening that keeps you involved. This is Baumann’s first solo release since 1983’s ‘Strangers in the Night’, so it is good to report this is no Tangerine Dream repeat performance. Yes, there are trademark moments to hear but the album closes with “Dancing in the Dark” which is quite intense with a throbbing beat highlighted by stabs of melody that fade away into the stratosphere, and then ‘Dust to Dust’, which introduces itself with solar winds and a massive bass drum sound. Gregorian chants swirl around your head. Keyboards weave in and out while a metronomic beat marches on towards an unknown destination. The pace picks up with echoed noise and what could be a treated guitar weaving a spectral melody line that slowly fades away. While not being a groundbreaking offering, old fans of Tangerine Dream and European electronic music will find much to delight in here .New listeners will be introduced to an album of moody inventiveness from a master of the genre.

Track Listing:-

1 The Blue Dream
2 Searching in Vain
3 Valley of the Gods
4 Echoes in the Cave
5 Ordinary Wonder
6 Crossing the Abyss
7 Dancing in the Dark
8 Dust to Dust