Rubycon 50th An̈niversary Edition- Progressive Voyages Review PV072
Rubycon 50th An̈niversary Edition - Progressive Voyages PV072
Rubycon - Remastered Cd cover
Rubycon was released in 1975 on the 21st March on the Virgin records label. At that time Virgin had moved from being a mail order operation to opening a string of record shops. Rubycon was the follow up album to 1974's highly original album by German group Tangerine Dream, Phaedra had been a very successful album, one that had opened the ears and doors to Tangerine Dream in a totally new way and had afforded them several fantastic opportunities such as their concert at Coventry Cathedral in 1975 along with shows in York and Liverpool Cathedrals as well.
Rubycon was released after these shows in the autumn of 1975 and once again Tangerine Dream undertook touring in support of the album, although what they played was usually improvisations based on melodies and sequences that may have occurred in the Rubycon album, this meant that no two shows were ever quite the same. They were constantly evolving and changing, truly Progressive at the time as was their tendency to be unilluminated and performed with only the lights of their keyboards giving any light. This was to help the audience get into their own “zone” and thus concentrate on the strange music that was being made for their enjoyment.
I saw Tangerine Dream in Birmingham Town Hall in October of 1975 and it was a truly unique and memorable experience for me, sitting in the dark with the music all around me it was very different to any other concert I had ever Been to before, parts of the concert later materialised on the Ricochet album.
Rubycon was another success for Tangerine Dream and many people were probably as captivated by the striking image that adorns the album as I was. The image of a single drop of water splashing onto a surface and creating a series of concentric rings. The image was captured by Monique Froese (Edgar Froese’s then wife), As she felt it captured the albums sonic themes, it certainly is a very striking cover. One that suited the music the album contains, Dreamy, & Airy this was music that takes you on a journey (A progressive journey perhaps?)
If you seek a detailed breakdown of the equipment used for this recording and a deep dive into the musical structure there is a very detailed analysis in the booklet.that does a far better job than I ever could have. It is very informative and will help you obtain the best experience whilst listening to this remarkable album.
Into strange and ambient soundscapes with the use of synthesisers, Mellotrons, Sequencers and Flutes amongst others, The music has an Ebb and Flow which makes Christoph Frank’s remark that “Liquid that’s a very important word for our music, each part flowing from one point to another, very smooth, very liquid, you don’t have big cuts or breaks, It’s like water, sometimes a waterfall maybe, but no stop” a very fitting description for the sounds and music the Rubycon sought to encapsulate instrumentally to such grand effect.
This is reinforced by the inside sleeve showing water flowing over gravel, I personally feel the album is possibly best heard in the quiet darker twilight on headphones to truly be immersed in its sonic sound.
50 years on and it sounds better than ever with a deeply sympathetic remastering by Ben Wiseman.and the usual high quality repect and care of the wonderful folks at Cherry Red/ Esoteric label these folks have done re-releases real justice. as this wonderful set clearly shows. Rubycon has always been a landmark album to me as was its succesor Ricochet, both are worthy volumes in the Tangerine Dream Canon.
What enhances and adds extra value to this set is the extremely informative booklet and the two live concerts that appear here (they were previously available on the mammoth and now hard to find 18 CD box set In Search Of Hades (virgin from 1973 to 1979). These being the Live At The Rainbow from October 1974 and Live At the Royal Albert Hall from April 1975 albums that set contained. With that set long being unavailable the reappearance here is most welcome indeed as you can hear the progression of their sound alongside their growing confidence.
In addition you also have the Steven Wilson extended introduction to Rubycon which is a delight in its own right, His sympathetic remix works extremely well with Tangerine Dream ‘s music bringing out hitherto buried or obscured nuances into the open where they can be fully appreciated by the discerning listener.
I can’t praise the remarkably sensitive handling of this legendary and innovative album enough and I can only suggest that you grab a copy whilst you can as it may not be around for long as previous similar releases will testify.
Most definitely worthy of you attention folks.
Info here: Tangerine Dream: Rubycon, 50th Anniversary 5CD Edition https://share.google/M3u3FW0TyP1oLItmA
Author John Wenlock-Smith