Latest release: British Aisles Volume 2 (2019)
Gent (2007)
The Dutch collective Free System Projekt have long been considered one of the finest groups playing in the Berlin School revivalist style. Raging sequencers, mellotron overlays, and analog synthesizer soloing are the order of the day.
Moyland (2005)
Free System Projekt is yet another band we're featuring here that comes from the Tangerine Dream retro movement, that is found more predominantly in the UK, but also has a huge following in the Netherlands as well. When Tangerine Dream moved in a different direction following their "Virgin" years after 1983, no one really took the baton and ran with it. Now that doesn't mean electronic music died. Not even close. There were tons of other artists operating in this field, almost all of them solo acts, and none had the massive amount equipment that Tangerine Dream possessed (other than maybe Klaus Schulze of course). And as any fan of classic Tangerine Dream will tell you, it's a style of music that has many possibilities. The key to success is not only a large amount of both old and new keyboard toys, but it also helps to have more than one band mate - for the synergy of ideas that multiple people can create.
The big names in the Tangerine Dream renaissance are the British bands: Radio Massacre International, Redshift, AirSculpture, Under the Dome, Arc and many more. And the main representative in Holland is Free System Projekt. And truth be told, FSP are probably the most sycophantic to the original T. Dream sound (especially the Baumann trio years). But it's still highly original music within the confines of the style. It's as if someone uncovered numerous more Tangerine Dream recordings from 1974-1977. You can't wrong with a Free System Projekt album, at least of the ones I've heard, and that's most of them. Moyland is but only one great example. If you love complicated sequences, with mellotron overlays and wild synth soloing - the Free System Projekt is for you.
Protoavis (2004)
The hard part about reviewing any Free System Projekt album, at least from this era, is trying to come up with something new to say. I suppose figuratively one could make a similar claim about FSP - that is, musically they have nothing new to say. But nothing new, while still being great, are not mutually exclusive comments. On Protoavis, Free System Projekt have completely zoned in on the 1974-1975 era of Tangerine Dream, where the sequences remind one of Phaedra and the overall atmosphere and style are more toward Rubycon. This is my personal favorite years of Tangerine Dream, so of course I'm going to enjoy Free System Projekt. Not enjoyment at the same level mind you - one cannot replace the magic of initial discovery in one's youth - but the familiarity makes it comfortable. A safe place to cuddle up in.
Passenger 4 (2004) w/Dweller at the Threshold
Probably the least inventive of the FSP albums. Not only is it influenced by Rubycon, it's almost a cover version of the album. Which doesn't make it a bad effot. But given how many albums I already own in the style, including by Tangerine Dream themselves, this album comes off as "too much of the same thing.". Gotta go, Joe.
Atmospheric Conditions (2002)
Atmospheric Conditions is a two CD set compiled of various outings from 2001 and 2002, including live stints in the USA and England. The Dutch collective Free System Projekt have long been considered one of the finest groups playing in the Berlin School revivalist style. Raging sequencers, mellotron overlays, and analog synthesizer soloing are the order of the day. Though the various tracks are all improvised, the sound is remarkably consistent, and the end result seem like variations on Tangerine Dream's Rubycon. In my mind, that is T. Dream's finest moment, so any group who can emulate that same composition style are much welcome here.
Okefenokee Dreams (2000) w/Dave Brewer
There are few bands that emulated Tangerine Dream's mid 70s years as effective as Free System Projekt. At this point FSP was just Marcel Engels, and on the first Okefenokee gathering, he's joined my American electronic musician Dave Brewer. They go about creating 73 minutes of sequencer based Berlin School music. No surprises here at all. Honestly I have too much of this kind of music, but I have a soft spot for this title, as it was one of the earliest revival CDs I had picked up (real time when it was released). For the next 6 years or so, I loaded up on dozens of titles like it. I have already begun to shed some of those titles, selling to an audience still hungry for anything and everything Tangerine Dream like. But I won't do that with Okefenokee Dreams. Not so much because it's that much better (it's not), but rather its place in my personal history.
6/3/07; 7/20/11 (new entry); 9/14/16; 9/24/17; 4/19/20
