Peter Baumann - Trans Harmonic Nights (1979)

Peter Baumann's second solo album appeared three years on from his debut: he'd been busy in the interim setting up his Paragon studio, and producing Conrad Schnitzler's Con and Roedelius' Jardin Au Fou there.  Whether or not the influence of those albums filtered through to Baumann's own music that he continued to sketch out whenever there was free time, Trans Harmonic Nights does share some surface similarities: some sparse, atmospheric electronics like the former, and sunny, melodic material like the latter.

There's also still some Berlin-school sequencing to be found that harks back to Baumann's time in Tangerine Dream, notably on Chasing The Dream and The Third Site.  A new aspect introduced here is his first use of vocals, the use of vocoder on short, repetitive phrases making them an interesting precedent to Dorothea Raukes' Deutsche Wertarbeit album.  Opening track This Day is a really lovely album highlight, with the plaintive refrain of "This day will fade away" giving it a melancholic shading.  Can't work out what's being sung on Biking Up The Strand, but the electronic vocal texture is a really nice touch on the short, catchy track.

Elsewhere, Baumann continues to delve deeper into succinct, melodic instrumental material, with occasional input from guest musicians: Wolfgang Thierfeldt from Release Music Orchestra contributes a couple of really striking drum performances on Meridian Moorland and the closing Dance At Dawn.  After this, Baumann's output would become more commercial, and then to focus on other ventures he'd put his solo career on ice until just a few years ago.  Haven't heard Machines Of Desire or the Haslinger collaboration yet - anyone know if they're worth picking up?

link

pw: sgtg

Peter Baumann at SGTG:

Phaedra (scroll past main post)

Stratosfear

Romance 76 
Encore

Peter Baumann - Romance 76 (1976)

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Peter Baumann's solo debut was recorded in mid-1976, at roughly the same time as his final studio work with Tangerine Dream.  He'd remain on board for their 1977 tour, as sampled on Encore, but then fully re-directed his energies into setting up his own studio (and later a record label), and some more solo work to follow on from this great little album.

Romance 76, with its striking 'half Bowie-inspired' cover portrait, also audibly divides neatly into two halves.  A side of lean, stripped back melodic electronica comes first, then an ambitious orchestrated suite fills side two.  Berlin-school sequencing is present, but in short, concentrated doses, as Bicentennial Presentation, Romance and Phase By Phase allow Baumann's talent for melody and atmosphere to shine.  It's not a million miles away from the sound of Stratosfear, especially on Phase By Phase, but much more succinct.  

 

The Meadow Of Infinity suite, with its interlude appropriately titled The Glass Bridge, is a different offering altogether, with Baumann helped out by members of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.  It begins with martial percussion and choral vocals, then the 'Bridge' brings in strings and oboe (not sure if these are still real instruments or mellotron/otherwise sampled, as the MPO are only credited for Meadow Pt. 1), against minimal electronics.  Part 2 gradually builds all the elements together for a striking finale (fairly sure there's mellotron here), making for a memorable 14 minutes of symphonic prog in total.  Rather than pursue this angle though, Baumann would continue to make stripped-down electronic music, as would be seen on his second solo album - coming next week.

link

pw: sgtg

Peter Baumann at SGTG:

Phaedra (scroll past main post)

Stratosfear
Encore