LOGOS

Considered one of the lesser known underground geniuses of the 20th century, IGOR WAKHÉVITCH started out as a humble child of Russian immigrants who who settled in the south of France but rose to prominence at least n the 1970s amongst the world of the avant-garde. Born in 1948 in the town of Gassin, WAKHÉVITCH's attraction to music led him to become a child prodigy under the tutelage of French composer Olivier Messiaen and spent his teen years at the Conservatorie de Paris later finding guidance from Pierre Schaeffer. Inspired equally by the modern classical sounds of composers like Igor Stravinsky as well as the burgeoning psychedelic rock and jazz-fusion of the 1960s, WAKHÉVITCH's explorative nature landed him in the forefront of musicians exploring the amalgamating effects of merging the world of 20th century classical sounds with the sounds of progressive rock, electronica and psychedelia.

WAKHÉVITCH released seven albums throughout the 70s and also scored the role as chief composer for Salvador Dalí's opera "Etre Dieu" in 1974. Crafting a mishmash of sounds so weird and alienating, WAKHÉVITCH remained an outsider but found a cult following after he was included on Bible of weirdo music, namely the Nurse With Wound list composed by Steve Stapleton. After writing numerous compositions for dance schools and winning a slew of accolades for his musical inventiveness throughout the 60s, WAKHÉVITCH began releasing his own albums which began in 1970 with this debut LOGOS. The music was originally recorded for a Norbert Schmucki ballet which premiered at the Festival d'Avignon 1970. The album showcased WAKHÉVITCH's haunting darkness that forged a bridge between the orchestral, the psychedelic and the newer sounds that electronic instrumentation were offering.

A veritable intermingling of taped electronics and the psychedelic prog rock courtesy of the French band Triangle backing it up, LOGOS mixed hypnotic percussive beats with ghostly choral parts that once manipulated electronically and loaded with spliced recorded parts became the what sounds like thesoundtrack for a house haunting. In addition to the rock and electronic aspects, an uncredited classical section provides haunting violins and other instrumentation however the spectral choral vocals are what leave the most long lasting impression. The album itself is relatively short playing with a running time of only 33 minutes and features eight tracks that alternative between ethereal minimalist classical moments such as the opening "Ergon" and then gradually incorporates more rock elements which by the time the seventh track "Danse Sacrale" begins features more robust guitar parts and energetic drum rolls however even that track quickly nosedives into an avant-garde frenzy.

A true underground gem of avant-garde mind f.u.ck music, LOGOS is the equivalent of Pink Floyd's "Saucerful of Secrets" hooking up with a classical composer like Gyorgy Ligeti along with a psychedelic prog band (Triangle in this case). Add to that the obscure rarity given the album was limited to 500 copies and is impossible to find. Only a box set that features many of the original albums is accessible in physical form. A veritable journey into tripper's paradise, LOGOS was too freaky, too dark and too outside the parameters of even what was considered outsider music of the era to have made a significant impact. While classical purists will frown upon the liberties taken, for lover's of psychedelic rock and electronica, this one will simply fly over their heads as it features the tight-knit compositional structure of the abstract nature of 20th century classical albeit fortified with the more contemporary sounds that were emerging in the late 60s and early 70s.

LOGOS is utterly unique even within WAKHÉVITCH's own solo canon as it was primarily constructed as a classical ballet and had not yet committed fully to the world of prog rock and the newly emerging progressive electronic. A comparison with the following "Docteur Faust" will reveal LOGOS as a true anomaly that defies any comparisons. LOGOS truly is one of the darkest and most freakiest albums ever to have been recorded and the true soundtrack for an apocalypse. One listen and it's little wonder why Salvador Dalí, one of the greatest surrealists of all time chose WAKHÉVITCH to compose for his ambitions in the world of opera. This really is one of those unrecognized masterpieces of the era and a true highlight in the world of abstract outsider weirdo music that takes you on one of those alternative reality rides.

4.5 rounded UP!