The creative collaboration of two former Tangerine Dream members, the immersive electronic duo Neuland retained some of the core elements of their legendary band's synth-heavy sound, but expanded into more modernized territory as well. After decades of conceptualization and groundwork, the project came together in the form of a sprawling, self-titled double album which was released in late 2019. Neuland was first imagined as an electronic collaboration between musicians Peter Baumann and Paul Haslinger. Baumann was a founding member of Tangerine Dream and Haslinger was active in the band between 1985 and 1990, so both were familiar with lush synthscapes and electronic music that held cinematic tension. As early as 1992, Haslinger and Baumann had worked together on a similarly toned project called Blue Room. Their material was recorded but never released, and the two stayed close friends and traded notes as ambient music changed and shifted throughout the years. Beginning in 2018, they came together for what became multiple sessions in different West Coast cities, fleshing out the moody, dark, and often minimal compositions that would become Neuland's self-titled album. The massive double album finally arrived in November of 2019 and the pair planned for live performances to be held in celebration of its release. ~ Fred Thomas