Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese once said, "There is no death, there is just a change of our cosmic address." Last night, his band members quoted him—adding, "Edgar, this is a little comfort to us"—as they reported the news that the formidable musician had passed away. He suffered a pulmonary embolism on January 20 in Vienna, aged 70.
Froese started Tangerine Dream in 1967, and throughout the band's long life was the only consistent member. With their roots in krautrock (emerging from the same scene as Kraftwerk and Can), the band became hugely influential in the Berlin School of electronic music, as well as exploring ambient and electronica, releasing over 100 albums.
As well as their own records, Tangerine Dream were known for providing spine-tingling soundtracks for horrors, thrillers, and the occasional Tom Cruise-starring blockbuster in the 1980s. As recently as 2013, they even provided the score for Grand Theft Auto V. Here's a small selection of their vast catalogue—just the tip of an overwhelmingly innovative iceberg—some of it set to the original movie footage it was composed for. RIP, Edgar Froese; we were lucky to have you at this cosmic address.
Sorcerer, 1977
Thief, 1981
Risky Business, 1983
The Keep, 1983
Flashpoint, 1984
Firestarter, 1984
Legend, 1985
Near Dark, 1987
Shy People, 1987
Miracle Mile, 1988
Grand Theft Auto V, 2013
Lead photo credit: Ilya S. Savenok / Getty Images
