Tangerine Dream – 50 Years Of Phaedra: At The Barbican (Kscope, 2026)
The current version of Tangerine Dream has released 50 Years Of Phaedra: At The Barbican. The album documents the groundbreaking band’s London Barbican performance that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic, pioneering electronic music album Phaedra.
Originally recorded in 1974 at Richard Branson’s Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, Phaedra became a landmark release in electronic music. The album’s classic-era lineup featured Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke, and Peter Baumann. They used a Moog sequencer during the sessions, helping define the record’s spiraling, transfixing, exploratory sound.
The new live set includes three vinyl LPs, or 2 CDs, and features the current Tangerine Dream lineup: Thorsten Quaeschning, Hoshiko Yamane, and Paul Frick. These three musicians are highly talented synthesists who continue the Tangerine Dream legacy with great care and ability. The performance revisits Phaedra in full, structured as an inventive, immersive audio world envisioned as a contemporary reworking rather than a note-for-note recreation.
One notable change involves timing. The original Phaedra sequences were not fully quantized, with subtle drift that became part of the album’s character. According to the album notes, 50 Years Of Phaedra: At The Barbican presents the first fully quantized live performance of Phaedra. It aligns the gliding music with modern precision while preserving the compositions fundamental themes.
Tangerine Dream formed in Berlin in 1967 under Edgar Froese and later became closely associated with the “Berlin School” of progressive electronic music. Over the decades, the group has released an extensive catalog and composed film scores including Sorcerer, Risky Business, and Firestarter.
Buy 50 Years Of Phaedra: At The Barbican.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.