OPTICAL RACE.

I started running. I don’t mean running for love, running for money or running in the heat of the night — but actual jogging. Though I’m not convinced at this point if it’s worth it, for the time being, I’ll keep running.

It probably has something to do with it being Spring. The season of new beginnings, optimism and ‘Optical Race’ — the 1988 Tangerine Dream album. The sound of this record represents a tidal shift in the band’s career, something that’s immediately noticed as these songs are more upbeat, energized and rooted in electronic rock.

*The cover artwork matches the music perfectly as it features a die-cut runner over a multicolored inlay.*

I’ve always unintentionally associated Tangerine Dream records with seasons of the year. It comes from somewhere in my subconscious but as the weather changes, I seem to gravitate towards certain albums of theirs. ‘Optical Race’ sees the group progressing towards richer, broader sounds of the late-1980’s with a more sleeker production. The album focuses less on dark, hypnotic themes of previous works but still remains extremely cinematic and powerful as ever.

Just listen to the track Marakesh which opens the record and you can almost see the morning dew on a fresh cut lawn, the sun coming up behind the mountains, followed by a crushing synth odyssey of mystic rhythms and technical mastery. It’s a delight.

This album also represented a new era for Tangerine Dream, not only in lineup changes as band member Christopher Franke was out of the band and also the first album to be programmed with a computer. Not just a computer but an ATARI.

“THIS ALBUM HAS BEEN PRODUCED ON THE ATARI ST USING STEINBURG/JONES SOFTWARE”

Without getting too geeky on the technical side of ATARI ST computer recording production, just knowing that a pack of German synthesizer guys using ATARI to record music is fun to imagine. Do you think while Edgar Froese stressed over trying to get the right chord production, the other guys in the studio played Dungeon Master, Stunt Car Racer or The Secret of Monkey Island?

OK, let’s back it up because it’s getting a little nerdy around here. Before going for a jog this afternoon I had this weird idea of taking a few photos of ‘Optical Race’ by our local track & field. I like how it turned out and now we need to make a music video.