Tangerine Dream
Exit (Ausgang)
Kiew Mission
Pilots of Purple Twilight
Choronzon
Exit
Network 23
Remote Viewing
Electra, 1981
There are certain albums/ CD's that i can only play during certain times of the year. This doesn't mean that the quality of music depends on what season it is, but i think it's fairly safe to say that certain songs sound better in the summer and perhaps autumn and winter lend themselves to more... dark and cerebral musics. Exit is forever going to be one of those CD's i put in when it's a rainy night and it's cool enough to leave the door open.
Tangerine Dream can be very hit or miss. Though i am far from experiencing all they have to offer, i'd say they hit about once ever third to half of the time they produce something, and in my opinion, they're hitting less and less now that Chris Franke is off doing his own work. Of those albums that stand out to me from Tangerine Dream, Exit is at the top of the list, followed by Green Desert and the soundtrack to Sorcerer. Before you rush out and get Sorcerer, i have to admit that it's not very accessible to most people.
Exit is ambient, but it's also cohesive. It has a science-fiction feel to the whole thing (Track 5 is called Network 23, which was the network that Edison Carter and his alter ego, Max Headroom, worked for). The tracks are energetic, bright in places but never demand the listener to get up and dance or anything like that. No, Exit is an exercise in turning off your mind and letting it flow with these 6 pieces that ebb, flow and crest in ways that personally, i find very satisfying.
If you're not familiar with this CD, one of the things you might be surprised at finding is that even though this music was published some 20 years ago, it holds up against the test of time in a way that very little music, let alone early electronica, has. It's a shame that Tangerine Dream didn't pursue more projects like this; expermenting with new sounds while still remaining fairly accessible to those looking for new experiences.
On the other hand, if you've wanted to have at least one Tangerine Dream CD in your collection, i'd strongly consider this one. If you find yourself on a cool rainy night looking for something to fill the air, Exit is at the top of the list... along with Henri Gorecki's Symphony No. 3, but that's another review for another time.