Mxdwn remembers the life, music, and legacy of one of electronic dance music’s most prevalent innovators.
Edgar W. Froese, frontman of German electronic group Tangerine Dream, passed away at his home in Vienna, Austria this past week. His death was reportedly due to a pulmonary embolism.
Known for his dynamic presence throughout the early stages of electronic music, Froese leaves behind one of the most colorful music careers of the past half-century. Born in West Berlin in 1944, he emerged as a key figure in artistic exploration after World War II in Europe. After a brief run with the psych rock band The One, Froese went on to form Tangerine Dream in 1967.
The band began by performing early forms of krautrock in Berlin in the 60’s and 70’s. Its fusion of psychedelics and improvisation helped influence what would soon become known as the distinct Berlin School of electronic dance music. With hit albums like Atem, dubbed Album of the Year in the UK in 1973, Phaedra, one of the first adopt moog analog sequencers and oscillation into its sound, and the progressive rock milestone Stratosfear, Tangerine Dream illustrated the fluid development of rock and dance music in Europe. Over the course of almost 50 years, Froese and his band output a diverse, highly experimental range of music.
In addition to the production of over 100 studio albums, Tangerine Dream is responsible for numerous film and game scores and soundtracks. Some of their most notable contributions include the soundtracks to Risky Business, Firestarter, and Sorcerer, as well as the score to the video game Grand Theft Auto V in 2013.
Froese leaves behind an unprecedented musical career, one that he remained a part of until his passing. It is a legacy that will not be soon forgotten and will continue to prevail as music moves ever-forward.
He was 70.
Learn more about Edgar Froese’s life and death on Consequence Of Sound’s article right here.
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