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Topic: Vangelis 'Electronic' Recordings. Posted: May 17 2011 at 08:11
Recently listened to my couple of Vangelis 'Best Offs' & really enjoying them.Now my question is which of hisalbums would say come more under the banner of 'electronic' or 'synth' based ? Maybe along the lines of 'Pulstar'.Thanks
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Posted: May 17 2011 at 09:49
Most of his later '70's stuff is worth checking out. The first Jon and Vangelis album is rather good. My favorites are Heaven and Hell and Albedo 0.39. Like Spiral as well.
Edited by Slartibartfast - May 17 2011 at 09:52
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted: May 17 2011 at 10:32
Slartibartfast wrote:
Most of his later '70's stuff is worth checking out. The first Jon and Vangelis album is rather good. My favorites are Heaven and Hell and Albedo 0.39. Like Spiral as well.
Agreed but I add China to the list
Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com
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Posted: May 17 2011 at 13:52
octopus-4 wrote:
Slartibartfast wrote:
Most of his later '70's stuff is worth checking out. The first Jon and Vangelis album is rather good. My favorites are Heaven and Hell and Albedo 0.39. Like Spiral as well.
Agreed but I add China to the list
I like China, Bladerunner, Antarctica, too. If you really really really want to challenge yourself - Beauborg.
Edited by Slartibartfast - May 17 2011 at 13:53
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted: May 17 2011 at 13:55
Slartibartfast wrote:
octopus-4 wrote:
Slartibartfast wrote:
Most of his later '70's stuff is worth checking out. The first Jon and Vangelis album is rather good. My favorites are Heaven and Hell and Albedo 0.39. Like Spiral as well.
Agreed but I add China to the list
I like China, Bladerunner, Antarctica, too. If you really really really want to challenge yourself - Beauborg.
That one is bit challenging effectively
Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com
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Posted: May 18 2011 at 10:47
All of his albums post Heaven and Hell (1975) are 'electronic recordings'. Before that he didn't use synthisisers at all that I am aware of. I have nearly all his albums and can give a brief run down of his best work post 1975.
RCA releases
Heaven and Hell (1975)
Albedo 0.39 (1976)
Spiral (1977)
Beauborg (1978)
With perhaps the exception of the 'avante garde' Beauborg these were aimed at the seventies prog audience that wanted more Rick Wakeman/Mike Oldfield and Tangerine Dream so are the ones that fit best into this site imo.
During the seventies he also did several soundtracks that could almost be regarded 'new age' including
Ignacio (1975)
La Fete Sauvage (1976)
Opera Sauvage (1979)
These don't perhaps fit so well!
After Vangelis left RCA and went to Polydor his music became more interesting to me. I would count this as his most creative period (1979 - 1985) although perhaps less aimed at a prog market.
Significant releases
China
See You Later
Chariots Of Fire
Blade Runner
Antarctica
Soil Festivities
Mask
a great run of albums in my opinion
also during this time he did 3 albums with Jon Anderson. I only own the Best Of and Private Collection and thats enough for me
After 1985 Vangelis quit England and Polydor and set up his own recording studio in Greece.His career from here is very patchy with some good albums and not so good.
The heaviest from an electronic perspective must surely be Direct (1989). This sits alongside Albedo and Spiral as great electronic prog but judging by other peoples reviews I seem to be the only one who really likes this.
In the 90's I like Oceanic and Voices. The latter especially is one of my favourite Vangelis albums although not 'heavy'.
The other significant release is perhaps El Greco which to me is an albsolute masterpeice. Very atmospheric and one of the most serious of all Vangelis compositional works although again not heavy.
Brief summary
If you are looking for a heavy electronic prog style:
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Posted: May 18 2011 at 11:02
Invisible connections, recorded for Deutcsche Grammophon, is totally electronic in a literal sense but it's hardly listenable unless you are a fan of that kind of music. So I won't suggest starting from it even if i quite like it.
"quite like it" = "I can listen to the whole album without falling asleep"
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Posted: May 18 2011 at 14:13
^Mythodea is also much more a classical recording utilising operatic vocals rather than the heavy electronic style music the OP is looking for (although there are synths). Its very good although I would recommend the DVD as a much more interesting experience.
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Posted: May 18 2011 at 16:30
Hey you prog fellows ! Vangelis is my field but you did the whole job before i come maybe i can suggest Earth even if not quite electronic and the two albums with Irene Papas , Odes and Rhapsody , about the Blade runner trilogy the second cd with unreleased stuff is average, the third cd with new stuff is very good, i had the chance to get the Sex Power soundtrack lp and i like it very much because it displays the old Vangelis sound ( selfmade Hammond with a lot of effects ) i know the other Chapier movie soundtrack ( Amore ) has been released in the late sixties but it's rare and expensive and i know ther's a lot of unreleased tv and movie soundtracks from late sixties seventies and eighties
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Posted: May 18 2011 at 16:42
You can have a look to this dvd too , Georges Mathieu ou la fureur d'etre , a F Rossif movie showing Vangelis and the painter Mathieu performing and creating simultaneously, great time, it's from 1971, Vangelis did many other soundtracks for Rossif about painters ( Picasso, Braque.....) and for other subjects like the Nurember trial
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Posted: May 19 2011 at 01:21
Well if we are going into earlier Vangelis recordings I will chuck in The Dragon as well as the already mentioned Earth. Another very beautifull Vangelis album is Apocalypse Des Animaux which is more in a 'new age' style but it does contain some stunning music.None of these albums has synths though.Earth is more percussive in style and energetic and so might be more interesting to the OP.
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Posted: May 19 2011 at 02:42
It's nice to see that Vangelis has so many fans here on PA. Effectively more or less ALL his production deserves to be listened to. I suggest "Everything but See you Later"
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Posted: May 19 2011 at 03:48
richardh wrote:
Well if we are going into earlier Vangelis recordings I will chuck in The Dragon as well as the already mentioned Earth. Another very beautifull Vangelis album is Apocalypse Des Animaux which is more in a 'new age' style but it does contain some stunning music.None of these albums has synths though.Earth is more percussive in style and energetic and so might be more interesting to the OP.
I saw Vangelis on stage in Paris after Earth release, he played the dragon and it was tittled La chanson du serpent ( the snake song ) it was powerful with about 15 girls singing and playing percussions but when i met him around 1980, he told me he didn't wanted Dragon and Hypothesis to be released because they're unfinished, anyway i got them though and love them. Apocalypse des animaux is great , i just love Creation du monde, but i don't agree about telling it's new age , new age was not born at the time ( even the word )
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Posted: May 19 2011 at 03:49
octopus-4 wrote:
It's nice to see that Vangelis has so many fans here on PA. Effectively more or less ALL his production deserves to be listened to. I suggest "Everything but See you Later"
Love this one too Specialy the long track with Koulouris playing the guitar
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Vangelis 'Electronic' Recordings.
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Slartibartfast wrote:
maybe i can suggest Earth even if not quite electronic and the two albums with Irene Papas , Odes and Rhapsody , about the Blade runner trilogy the second cd with unreleased stuff is average, the third cd with new stuff is very good, i had the chance to get the Sex Power soundtrack lp and i like it very much because it displays the old Vangelis sound ( selfmade Hammond with a lot of effects ) i know the other Chapier movie soundtrack ( Amore ) has been released in the late sixties but it's rare and expensive and i know ther's a lot of unreleased tv and movie soundtracks from late sixties seventies and eighties
Specialy the long track with Koulouris playing the guitar