electronic music directory

Editor: Jörg Saretzki This is an English edition only (unless other stated)

Unviersal Ave. (Double Fantasy) / Timewaves

Universal Ave.-Cover    In 1986 Robert Schroeder started a second career, Double Fantasy. In the US, Canada and Germany Double Fantasy's album Universal Ave. promptly made headlines.

The artists Dreamstar (R. Schroeder) and Charly McLion (C. Buechel) are the golden combination which makes Double Fantasy unique. Double Fantasy's style is incomparable and independent in its way. Soft, rhythmical and floating melodies and electronic sounds accompanied by pleasantly stimulating and emotional played and remixed guitar sounds. This is complemented with many highlights for a good feeling. ThisUniversal Ave.-Cover type of music is especially preferred in the US because of its typical characteristics, named as "easy listening music". That is why Double Fantasy became popular there.

In Germany, this duo ranked several times in the yearly event of electing best newcomer, best track, best album and best musician in the WDR broadcast "Schwingungen" (oscillations). In 1986, Double Fantasy ranked fourth in category "best newcomer", eighth in category "best group", second for the "best album" and ranked three times in the category "best tracks of 1986", thus rank 8, 12, and 15.

Beginning of 1987, Robert Schroeder released solo album number 8: Timewaves. This album is a journey throught history of Timewaves-Coverelectronic equipment and synthesizer. Many different moods are integrated on this album resulting from almost 20 years of synthesizer history. From meditation, sound-collages and soft electronic to nice-sounding synthi pop-rhythms. Especially the c-d version of Timewaves is a masterwork with over 60 minutes. It was important as a reference for 1987 with idea, composition, production and Sound because Timewaves got in WDR's "Schwingungen" election perfect results: Timewaves became third best album of 1987, Robert Schroeder became second best artist and the tracks "The Message" was elected best track of 1987.

Driftin' / Hamaja

   Most often, "traditional" electronic music was regarded as a media for relaxation and frequently was a means of escape from reality into a free world of your own fantasy. So it became kind of a drug helping the listener to supersede everyday problems and freeing thoughts.

Driftin'-CoverRobert Schroeder counteracted this standard and developped a new conception for his l-p/c-d Driftin' in January 1989. Assuming a new awareness in production and for the listeners of music, Driftin' emerged from the objective, that motivating, thought and energy-stimulating impacts on the listener are created. The listener's attitude towards himself is positive.

Schroeder's Driftin' set a new distinct counterweight to "traditional" electronic music. Driftin' offers a good and interesting combination of meditation, dance-rhythmic and hit-suspicious catchy tunes. Whereas about 50% consists of short tracks and intend to enjoy commercial sounds, lovers of "marathon electronic tracks" do not come off badly with the "Elements" track (around 32 min.).

Schroeder's success of his conception was confirmed by media. In WDR's "Schwingungen" election 1988 Robert was awarded with following placing: In the "best track" category two tracks of this album won, "Elements" on place 11 and "Driftin'" on place 17. The album became third best "album of the year 1988" and Robert Schroeder was elected fourth "best artist of 1988".

In 1991 Robert Schroeder split up with da-music GmbH and founded his own label NEWS-music. Robert and his team did all the work around his releases anyhow since some years. If all is done by oneself, then founding an own label is a logical sequence.

Nevertheless, a risky enterprise, because in the longstanding cooperation with da-music Schroeder's back catalogue was already available in many countries around the globe. Now, this sales network needed to be rebuild for NEWS-music.

Schroeder's NEWS-music Hamaja-Coverfoundation debut was his tenth solo album: Hamaja was released on September 20th, 1991 as c-d.

At least, the split up with da-music had no artistical disadvantages for Schroeder. Not at all, Hamaja became best rated Robert Schroeder album at all in Keyboards magazine (edition 3/92). Style magazine even called him "King of meditation" (edition 3/92) as an answer to Hamaja.

Hamaja is animation for the senses, synthesizer music for the spirit, for heart and soul. Hamaja, that is meditative sphere sounds, romantic melodies and dynamic rhythm parts. It is a "sythitive" opus for sensitive hours. Hamaja is Hebrew and means "Place of refuge". Robert Schroeder made his work Hamaja for this place.

Edgar Thönnissen stated: "HAMAJA - this is not a place to sit at or to look at. Hamaja is the place you set up for yourself, where you are alone with your thoughts, emotions and senses. Create this place for you whereever you like and whenever you need it. When you found your own individual place, enjoy Hamaja, unite your forces with your fantasy and you will find your very personal place - a place of refuge - HAMAJA."


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