Tangerine Dream

Tangram

- Studio, released May 1980 -

Covers

CD release UK 1984 (red) Photo: Monika Froese	CD release UK 1984 (purple) Photo: Monika Froese
CD release Europe 1995 Photo & Design: Monika Froese

Tracks


		[a]
1.	Tangram Set One	19:47
2.	Tangram Set Two	20:28
Total running time		40:15

Details


Recording date	1980
Recording site(s)	Polygon Studios (Berlin)
Composer(s)	Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Johannes Schmoelling
Musician(s)	Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Johannes Schmoelling
Producer(s)	Edgar Froese, Chris Franke

Notes

In 1979 Edgar Froese met Johannes Schmoelling, who joined Tangerine Dream to reestablish the trio status of the group. This lineup would come to be regarded by many fans as the strongest in the band's history. The first record project of the new line-up was Tangram (the title originating from a very old Chinese puzzle), released in the spring of 1980. It was recorded in Chris Franke's new Polygon studio complex in Berlin, and once again the music filled up two complete sides of an LP and had a warmer, almost symphonic sound than previous TD albums. Tangram is regarded to be one of the most dramatic albums ever released by the group. The mixture of smoothness with familiar TD elements landed the album in the British Top 40.

In 1995 Virgin re-released the album on CD in the so-called "Definitive Edition" series, featuring the original front cover artwork. The sound quality of this release, using the Super Bit Mapping technology, is probably the best up to now, but like most of the other releases of this series, it contains some little errors: Peter Baumann's name is misspelled Baummann in the booklet; the spelling is correct on the backside insert, but anyway this is the wrong place: Johannes Schmoelling should appear as composer instead of Peter Baumann.

In 2008 a completely reworked version of this album has been released as Tangram 2008.

In 2012 the original album was re-released as part of the compilation box The Virgin Years 1977-1983.

Releases


Australia	1980: Virgin/CBS Promo-LP: V 2147; white promo labels, gsc LP: V 2147; red/green labels Promo-LP: L 37268; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol and sticker LP: L 37268; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol
Benelux	1980: Virgin/Ariola LP: 202 169; yellow/red picture labels with Tangram symbol LP: 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol
Canada	1980: Virgin/Polygram LP: VL 2205; red/green labels 198?: Virgin LP: VL 2205; red/white labels 1995: Virgin/EMI CD: 840 263-2
Europe	1995: Virgin CD: 840 263-2; identical to UK version from 1995
Finland	1980: Virgin/Polarvox LP: V 2147; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol and sticker LP: V 2147; red/green labels
France	1980: Virgin/Polydor LP: 2473 756; black/silver labels 1981: Virgin LP: 202 169; red/green labels 1984: Virgin CD: CDV 2147; identical to UK version from 1984
Germany	1980: Virgin/Ariola Promo-LP: 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, insert LP: 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, coloured picture inner sleeve with Tangram photos LP: 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, black/white picture inner sleeve with Tangram photos LP: 202 169; red/green labels, white inner sleeve 1984: Virgin/Ariola CD: 610 380; identical to UK version from 1984 with the German order number on a sticker fixed on the jewel case 1993: Virgin CD: 786 681-2
Greece	198?: Virgin/Polygram LP: 2473 756; red/green labels
Israel	1980: Virgin/General Music LP: BAN 2137; two green of the red/green labels
Italy	1980: Virgin/Dischi LP: VIL 12154; red/green labels 198?: Virgin/Dischi LP: OVED 112; red/green labels
Japan	1980: Virgin/Victor Promo-LP: VIP 6957; white promo labels LP: VIP 6957; red/green labels 1990: Virgin CD: VJCP-2519 Promo-CD: VJCP-2519; same as regular release, but with additional red promo sticker
New Zealand	1980: Virgin/RTC LP: V 2147; red/green labels
Portugal	1980: Virgin/VADECA LP: VV-33054Y; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol
Russia	1997?: Spurk Counterfeit-CD: UL 98411; white/black disc
Spain	1980: Virgin/Ariola LP: I 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, cover stating release year 1978 (sic!) LP: I 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, cover stating release year 1980 1981: Virgin/Ariola LP: I 202 169; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol, cover stating release year 1981
UK	1980: Virgin LP: V 2147; white/red picture labels with Tangram symbol 1984: Virgin CD: CDV 2147; red insert and booklet CD: CDV 2147; purple (maybe a printing error) insert and booklet 1985: Virgin LP: OVED 112; red/green labels LP: OVED 112; white/gray labels 1995: Virgin CD: TAND 11
USA	1980: Virgin/JEM Promo-LP: VI 2147; skin coloured labels, cover with promo sticker LP: VI 2147; skin coloured labels 1991: Caroline CD: CAROL 1805-2; purple insert and booklet; matrix code: 1805 (V) Mastered by Nimbus 1995: Caroline CD: CAROL 1805-2; purple insert and booklet; matrix code: 1805 01 02-03-95 SP 1-1-2 EMI JAX 1997: Caroline CD: CAROL 1805-2