New six-disc edition of Tangerine Dream's Phaedra to be released to celebrate the album's 50th anniversary

(Image credit: Cherry Red)

German electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream are to have a 50th-anniversary box set of their seminal Phaedra album released through Universal Music on April 18.

The six-disc set features a live recording of the band's first-ever UK show at Victoria Palace Theatre in June 1974, as well as a remastered version of the original album, out-takes from the original recording session, a Blu-ray of Steven Wilson’s 5.1 Surround Sound mix and an illustrated book with a new essay by Tangerine Dream authority Wouter Bessels.

Released in February 1974, Phaedra began what is referred to as Tangerine Dream's Virgin Years era. Having signed to Richard Branson's fledgling record label and recorded the album at Branson's Manor Studio in Oxfordshire. The band's earlier, more experimental albums were titled the Pink Years era as the band's then record label Ohr featured a pink ear on their label.

"It's really timeless," Peter Baumann told Prog in March of last year when we had the story of the album on the cover of the magazine. "It was always in its own world: it didn't fit into any a category."

"Phaedra has a kind of sense of being on the edge and slightly out of control, that the technology is almost controlling the musicians, " adds Steven Wilson. "Nowadays a record like that would just get lost in the daily shuffle."

Pre-order Phaedra 50th Anniversary Edition.

Tangerine Dream: Phaedra 50th Anniversary Edition

CD One - Phaedra
1. Phaedra
2. Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares
3. Moments of a Visionary
4. Sequent C
5. Phaedra (Steven Wilson stereo mix) [Bonus Track]
6. Sequent C (Steven Wilson stereo mix) [Bonus Track]

CD Two - November 1973 - Phaedra out-takes volume one
1. 2nd Day
2. Flute Organ Piece
3. Phaedra Out-Take version 2A

CD Three - November 1973 - Phaedra out-takes volume two
1. Phaedra Out-Take 1
2. Phaedra Out-Take 2B
3. 2nd Side Piece 1
4. 2nd Side Piece 2
5. Organ piece (5.48)

CD Four - “Live at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London. 16th June 1974” **

The Victoria Palace Concert Part One

CD Five - “Live at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London – 16th June 1974” **

1. The Victoria Palace Concert Part Two
2. The Victoria Palace Concert - Encore

Blu-ray - “Phaedra” 5.1 Surround Sound mix by Steven Wilson

1. Phaedra
2. Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares
3. Moments of a Visionary
4. Sequent C

** Previously unreleased

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.