Collection (3cd)

Performer: Vangelis
Distributor: MSI Music Distribution

Notes: This three-disc collection presents a trio of albums by New Age/ambient composer Vangelis, and includes "Freefall," "Alpha," and "Spiral." 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

Greek electronic composer Vangelis's first taste of fame was as a founding member of the 1960s rock group Formynx, who enjoyed wild acclaim in their home country of Greece. In 1968, Vangelis left Greece for Paris, where he formed the prog-rock group Aphrodite's Child, whose main legacy is a long-form concept album called 666, based on the book of Revelations. In 1974, after a tentative foray into film scoring, Vangelis released his first solo album, the synthesizer-laden EARTH. He continued to record both as a solo artist and as a member of the duo Jon & Vangelis, with Yes's Jon Anderson, but didn't hit it big in the U.S. until the early '80s, with his smash hit film score for CHARIOTS OF FIRE. He followed this with the critically loved BLADE RUNNER score, and has continued to craft well-loved electronic/New Age solo albums and film scores notable for their expansive, dramatic lushness.

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