Tangerine Dream
Quantum Gate
(KScope Import)

The release of Tangerine Dream’s new studio album Quantum Gate coincides with the band’s 50th anniversary. Though the TD’s de-facto leader Edgar Froese died in 2015, he requested that his wife (also the band’s manager) Bianca Froese-Acquaye follow with what he was planning, a new phase of this classic electronica band and brand, their “Quantum Years” music. The remaining members of the band—Thorsten Quaeschning, Ulrich Schnauss, and Hoshiko Yamane—have remained true to Froese’s vision and their band’s usual sound on this nine song opus.

Opening with a metallic tickle under synth sweeps, “Sensing Elements,” starts us off in familiar Tangerine territory. There is forever a “running” vibe here, informed by this band’s unique use of arpeggio, akin to the consistent pulse of a big city, always pushing TD compositions along. We are beset with their particular synth desperation from the outset.

“Granular Blankets,” bounces around with low bloppy hits, a real solid drum beat sliding in about midway, and some beautiful single notes from a truly expressive synth lifting the whole thing to real heights near its end. Softer and sweeter, “Identity Proven Matrix,” is built on layers, slicing synth strings and trilling sounds, while “Proton Bonfire,” builds across one main synth riff, from a tick-a-tick tube-y synth into a snappy steam-release backing and chimey tube sounds.

Tangerine Dream’s music sweeps you up, as much from their sounds as from the way their compositions are produced. Mining this brand for half a century as they have, with Quantum Gate we get what this band still does better than anybody else.