Zeit

For the German newspaper, see Die Zeit.

Zeit
1972 LP album cover, 2002 CD album reissue
Studio album by Tangerine Dream
Released	August 1972
Recorded	1972, Dierks Studio
Genre	Electronic, Dark ambient
Length	74:29
Label	Ohr
Producer	Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream chronology
Alpha Centauri (1971) Zeit (1972) Atem (1973)
Alternative cover
1986 reissue

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
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Zeit (1972) (German: time) is the third album by the German electronic music group Tangerine Dream. A double LP, it was the first release featuring Peter Baumann, who joined Chris Franke and Edgar Froese.

Overview

The style of this album is slower and more atmospheric than their previous albums. Its atmospheric drone music tone is similar to ex-member Klaus Schulze's solo album Irrlicht (released the same month) as it stemmed from a common idea that Schulze and Froese couldn't agree on and parted ways about. Florian Fricke from the Munich-based group Popol Vuh, playing Moog synthesizer, and four cellists appear on the first track. The album cover depicts a solar eclipse.

As explained by Paul Russell for the 2002 reissue, "Zeit, which means 'time', was based on the philosophy that time was in fact motionless and only existed in our own minds." And concluding, "Without doubt Zeit is a Krautrock master work still capable of surprises without having to shock. The album which took the band to the edge of international recognition, still sounds timeless 30 years on."

Devotees of dark ambient music often refer to it as being one of the first (and perhaps finest) examples of the genre.

Running times and releases

Before the 2002 reissue there were two common releases on CD: a single CD release and a double CD set. The single CD release from Castle Music Ltd in 1999 has catalog number CMACD 555. The double CD set from Relativity in 1987 has catalog number 88561-8070-2, and is slightly longer by a few seconds, mainly due to longer inter-track gaps.

The sound of the two releases is also strikingly different, the original Relativity release having a much brighter and more detailed sound. The Castle release was remastered from the original master tapes over a decade later and there seems to have been a deterioration in quality since then, as it exhibits a notably muddier and bottom-heavy sound. The double CD set has a light blue border on the front and back covers.

The 2011 release includes a second CD with the November 25, 1972 Klangwald concert at Cologne WDR Sendesaal in Germany, previously released as Tangerine Tree 52: Cologne 1972.

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Birth of Liquid Plejades"	19:54
2.	"Nebulous Dawn"	17:56
3.	"Origin of Supernatural Probabilities"	19:34
4.	"Zeit"	16:58

Personnel

Musical

Tangerine Dream

• Edgar Froese – sound generators, gliss guitar
• Peter Baumann – keyboards, vibraphone, VCS3
• Christopher Franke – keyboards, cymbals, VCS3

With guest musicians

• Florian Fricke – Moog synthesizer on "Birth of Liquid Pleijades"
• Steve Schroyder – Organ outro on "Birth of Liquid Pleijades"
• The Cologne Cello Quartet — Cello intro on "Birth of Liquid Plejades"
  • Christian Vallbracht
  • Joachim von Grumbcow
  • Hans Joachim Brüne
  • Johannes Lücke

Technical

• Dieter Dierks – Recording engineer

Graphical

• Edgar Froese – Cover art
• Monique Froese – Cover and sleeve photography

References

• Zeit CD booklet, 2002, Castle Music for Sanctuary Records, CMRCD490