Vangelis - Topic

A collection of top songs featuring Vangelis.

This warm, lyrical album was derived from Vangelis's music for a French television series. Rich, electronic orchestrations range from grandly symphonic to simple and serene. Curiously enough, this title has experienced a major revival since the opening cut, "Hymne" was used for a Gallo Wine commercial. This 1979 release is an excellent introduction to his music. ~ Backroads Music/Heartbeats, Rovi

Vangelis uses ringing synthesizer textures and stately rhythms to evoke the majesty of China, in a similar fashion to another of his "geography" works, Antarctica. While a few tracks use acoustic piano and other organic instruments, the centerpieces "Chung Kuo," "The Dragon" and "Himalaya" use bracing percussion and synthesizer effects to emphasize the subjects (each reflected by its title). ~ John Bush, Rovi

As far as Vangelis' early work is concerned (pertaining to the five years of his solo career), Spiral stands up quite well, although it's almost always regarded as an inessential effort. Although the structures and the overall dynamics of the pieces are less complicated and less sophisticated, Spiral's keyboard utilization is still extremely effectual, even if it does take awhile to get off the ground. The five tracks that make up the album aren't as atmospheric or as elaborately shifting as 1975's Heaven and Hell or 1976's Albedo 0.39, but his musical movement does seem to transgress toward full, complete soundscapes, especially in "To the Unknown Man," the album's best example of Vangelis' artistry. The album is based on a dancer's appreciation of the universe and how it spirals into infinity, a concept which came to him through his own pirouettes. Both "Spiral" and "Ballad" touch ever so lightly on melody, appropriately relating to the album's theme, while the lengthy "3+3" begins to unveil Vangelis' creativity and sense of electronic exploration. After Spiral, Vangelis' style changed somewhat, with more of a smoother, more melodic approach to the synthesizer, implemented to create a closer relationship between classical and electronic music. Albums such as Beauborg and China lay claim to this, also employing stronger ties between the theme and the music, while 1981's Chariots of Fire has him merging the two styles completely. ~ Mike DeGagne, Rovi

Voices is a deep and engaging album from an e-music legend, Vangelis. This CD predates his regular use of symphony orchestras to augment his synths. His synths are, however, very symphonic. He creates broad atmospheres and dramatic soundscapes with synth hooks, chant vocals, and samples. Vangelis also adds some experimental textures and smooth melodies to cap his soundscapes. This is an exciting CD. Vangelis is in a league with few peers. In terms of stature and emotional response, this disc will appeal to fans of Enya and Yanni. ~ Jim Brenholts, Rovi

Soil Festivities dates from 1984, before Vangelis was working with orchestras. Some would say that it was before he "sold out" or when he was a "real musician," but those opinions are totally subjective. It is certain that this is a different kind of CD. The album features five movements, each a self-contained soundscape. Vangelis surrounds a subtle drone with heavy sequences and dense atmospheres. He uses a symphonic synth to create pastoral textures. This is a very accessible CD. It will appeal to fans of Constance Demby, Wendy Carlos, Victor Cerullo, and Yanni. ~ Jim Brenholts, Rovi

The CD release of Direct includes bonus material -- which fits the flow of this intense and dramatic offering -- not included on the cassette or vinyl releases. Like most Vangelis, this defies categorization. It has strong elements of rock & roll, symphonic synth ambience, and new age instrumental aspects. At the same time, the bold synthesizer strokes and washes fit the Berlin school of electronica. Given Vangelis' proclivity for soundtrack work, it is no surprise that this disc sounds like great film music. It is a great CD that will appeal to many different audiences. Fans of Kitaro, Deuter, and Constance Demby will like this disc. ~ Jim Brenholts, Rovi

This is a day in the life of a city, its denizens shaking off sleep and moving through the busy streets and promenades only to return home and (presumably) start the process all over again. Vangelis' city is cosmopolitan, tastefully blending exotic sounds and disembodied voices, at once futuristic yet reassuringly familiar. Where Direct was remote, The City is almost sensual; swiftly coursing rhythms and bursts of sensation create a tactile quality. As program music, it succeeds at connecting events seamlessly for the first half of the disc. You can actually see the weak morning light dissipate the darkness on "Dawn" and watch the characters shuffle through their morning ministrations on "Morning Papers." The day starts in earnest on "Nerve Centre," an internal clock implied in the music's mechanized movement, but listeners are soon granted a midday reprieve with a pleasant stroll along "Side Streets." The City does sag slightly in the middle, lapsing into new age amenity on "Good to See You" and "Twilight," but the composer quickly recaptures his muse on the contagious carnival atmosphere of "Red Lights." "Procession" sums things up with a typically poignant melody from Vangelis, where the events of the day wash over listeners in reflection. True, there are some gaps in The City where key events seem to be missing, but Vangelis clearly had the beginning and the end of a good idea here. The rich, full sound of The City makes it easy for listeners to immerse themselves in the music. This is the work of a master sound painter, one whose wide musical travelogue reappears in a composite creation that challenges the composer to create new pictures from past experiences. Moreso, it's a disc that listeners will want to revisit often. ~ Dave Connolly, Rovi

Albedo 0.39 represents some of Vangelis' most fascinating material from the early portion of his career. Using transforming tonal washes and lengthy runs of calm but effective synthesizer passages, Vangelis tackles the wonder and allure of the galaxy and its planetary bodies, making for an entertaining display of his keyboard expertise. Likened to Heaven and Hell (but with shorter passages) and to Spiral, the album that followed Albedo 0.39, the tracks are mesmerizing trips of assorted rhythms that include elements of jazz and mild rock, adding some welcomed differentiation to the nine pieces. The title track includes narrated statistics about planetary distances and such behind a forwarding voyage of tempered notes, making for one of Vangelis' most novel compositions. Along with "Albedo 0.39," the two parts of "Nucleogenesis" are among the strongest cuts that keep his cosmic theme from deviating, while the livelier "Pulstar" involves some impressive instrumental range and electronic buoyancy. Even in shortened form, his distinct pastiches are quite compelling, and the stretches of notes and rhythms don't become weary or monotonous at any point of the album. Vangelis' intention of conjuring up the vastness and immensity of space is soundly accomplished, and for the remainder of his career he employed the same type of atmospheric sketching (taking advantage of technological advancements in the area of synthesized music, of course) for numerous soundtracks and other conceptual works. ~ Mike DeGagne, Rovi

As its title indicates, Vangelis' Oceanic is a quiet, meditative work evocative of the sea. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Anyone wishing to own a worthy slice Vangelis' '70s material should look no further than The Collection. While it shouldn't be regarded as a staunch gathering of all his best work, it should be looked upon as an excellent way in which to explore the distinguishing characteristics of each individual album from which the tracks originate. All of the cuts represent the albums Albedo 0.39, Spiral, and Beaubourg, offering an entertaining trip through his jazz, rock, and new age-infused synthesizer work. A good feel for his keyboard artistry and for his flair at producing specific images can be heard in tracks like "Dervish D." and "To the Unknown Man" from the Spiral album, while "Pulstar," "Main Sequence," and both parts of "Nucleogenesis" are taken from the cosmic realm of Albedo 0.39, whose main theme is based on man's fascination with the planets and space. The three albums from which these cuts are taken managed to spawn their own diversity even though the overall method in which Vangelis used his synthesizers is quite similar throughout, which is an attribute that has followed him throughout his career. Whether this set is used to experience this portion of Vangelis' music or simply as a hearty gathering of some appealing keyboard work, The Collection is sure to satisfy. ~ Mike DeGagne, Rovi

An excellent introduction to the greater part of Vangelis' pre-Chariots of Fire work, sampling even the gloomy Beauborg, as well as the splendid bolero of "To the Unknown Man" and several key moments from Heaven and Hell. ~ Steven McDonald, Rovi

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