Tangerine Dream

Optical Race

- Studio, released August 1988 -

Covers

CD release Germany 1989
Design: Norman Moore
Concept: Monika Froese

CD release Spain
Concept: Monika Froese

Tracks


1.	Marakesh	8:17
2.	Atlas Eyes	4:04
3.	Mothers Of Rain	5:13
4.	Twin Soul Tribe	4:28
5.	Optical Race	3:13
6.	Cat Scan	5:35
7.	Sun Gate	4:44
8.	Turning Off The Wheel	6:11
9.	The Midnight Trail	5:54
10.	Ghazal (Love Song)	5:00
Total running time		52:39

Details


Recording date	April - May 1988
Recording site(s)	Vienna & Berlin
Recording engineer(s)	Edgar Froese, Paul Haslinger
Composer(s)	Edgar Froese, Paul Haslinger, Ralf Wadephul
Musician(s)	Edgar Froese, Paul Haslinger
Producer(s)	Edgar Froese, Paul Haslinger

Notes

"The visible creates a work in form -- the invisible defines its worth"
- Lao Tse - Tao Te King

After Chris Franke had left the group and the contract with Jive Electro had come to an end, the remaining duo of Edgar Froese and Paul Haslinger signed with the Los Angeles-based Private Music label that had been founded back in 1985 by former TD member Peter Baumann. 'The Melrose Years' had begun. The first album released by Private Music was Optical Race in 1988. The sleeves of some of the releases featured a figure die-cut out on the front and a small square die-cut out on the rear side. Together with the multi-coloured paper insert this led to a very special effect.

To promote the album, TD performed an extensive US tour in August/September 1988, and it is a pity that this material has not been released officially. Nevertheless, average audience recordings and soundboards recordings of very high quality exist and have been released as bootleg recordings, e.g. Spherical Harmonics One.

The complete album was re-recorded in 2002 and released as part of the 3CD set The Melrose Years. Finally these recordings were re-released as Optical Race (2009).

Releases


Australia	1988: Private Promo-LP: VPL 16803; black/blue/white labels, cover with printed figure and promo sticker LP: VPL 16803; black/blue/white labels, cover with printed figure CD: VPCD 6803; booklet with printed figure
Canada	1989: Private/BMG LP: 2042-1-P; multi-coloured labels, cover with die-cut figure LP: 2042-1-P; multi-coloured labels in different colours and the writing printed upside down, cover with die-cut figure CD: 2042-2-P; booklet with die-cut figure
Europe	1989: Private/BMG LP: 209 557; multi-coloured labels; cover with die-cut figure CD: 259 557; booklet with die-cut figure
Germany	1989: Private/BMG Promo-LP: 209 557; multi-coloured labels, cover with die-cut figure, promo textsheet plus photos
Greece	198?: RCA/BMG LP: RCLP 70142; black labels
Japan	1989: Private/Victor CD: R32P-1189
Mexico	1988: Private/BMG Promo-LP: LAP 008; multi-coloured labels, cover with printed figure and promo stamp LP: LAP 008; multi-coloured labels, cover with printed figure
South Korea	198?: Private/Seoul LP: SPPR-002; multi-coloured labels, cover with die-cut figure
Spain	1995: Ediciones del Prado CD: 259557
USA	1988: Private Promo-LP: 2042-1-P; multi-coloured labels, gsc with die-cut figure LP: 2042-1-P; multi-coloured labels, cover with die-cut figure; some copies appeared with a sticker on the upper left hand corner stating 'TANGERINE DREAM 1988 DEBUT ON // PRIVATE MUSIC // #2042' CD: 2042-2-P; booklet with die-cut figure; some copies appeared with a sticker stating 'TANGERINE DREAM 1988 DEBUT ON // PRIVATE MUSIC // #2042'
Venezuela	198?: Top Hits/Cordica LP: 102-43004; multi-coloured labels