Ulrich Schnauss

As a composer of lush, ambient soundscapes in the vein of mid-era Tangerine Dream and the later recordings of Slowdive, German-born composer Ulrich Schnauss has made quite a name for himself in the international dream-pop underground. In addition to playing keyboards in Long-view, Schnauss has collaborated with Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins and Mojave 3. One of his compositions appeared in a GMC commercial that was featured in the 2008 Super Bowl. With three solo releases under his belt, Schnauss writes upliftingly breezy songs that tickle the imagination with the promise of endless possibilities while deftly capturing the sense of retro-futurism contained in the Edward Bellamy classic Looking Backward. His gorgeous melodies, though, reveal a mind that's always looking forward.