Tangerine Dream-Rubycon (1975)

Released in the 1970s, "Rubycon", along with other Tangerine Dream albums such as the superb "Phaedra" and "Ricochet", are fundamental recordings of progressive electronic music. "Rubycon" is structured as a dreamlike, surreal journey, simultaneously relaxing and oppressive, with spatial moments and a powerful emotional charge. However, compared to the band's previous album, "Phaedra", this one is more subdued, although it does contain some rhythmic moments. The dark and dissonant tone is the common denominator throughout the entire work. "Rubycon" marked a further step in the metamorphosis of TD's somber music, which would reach its creative zenith with the subsequent albums "Ricochet," "Stratosfer", "Clycone", "Force Majeure", and "Tangram". For many, this was the best lineup in the band's history, something I personally disagree with. While I don't doubt the instrumental and creative abilities of Chris Franke and Peter Baumann, and always leave no doubt about Edgar Froese, the quintessential creative mind of TD, this band has also included highly prestigious musicians such as Klaus Schulze, Conrad Schnitzler, and Johannes Schmoelling, among others. What is certain is that this lineup would be the most well-known and commercially successful worldwide, releasing what is considered TD's progressive era. “Rubycon”, a title taken from a historic Italian river from Roman times that held special importance in Roman law, as it was forbidden for any Roman general to cross it with his army, is an album that transports us to another dimension, the perfect record for an audio experience, a complete journey with vast, dizzying electronic landscapes, pulsating rhythms, deep analog hums and a Pink Floyd-esque structure, making this work one of the essential recordings of the seventies.