ANTARCTICA (OST)

One for listeners who enjoy the more approachable and melodic end of progressive electronic music, Vangelis' 1983 work `Antarctica' is the soundtrack to a movie on the same topic. While it's not going to gain the same status or level of attention as his pioneering `Blade Runner' soundtrack, it's certainly not deserving of being completely dismissed or ignored either. Perfectly enjoyable purely as its own work, this is the artist at his most warm and easy listening, with the music, although soft and gentle, never simply becoming bland new-age muzak, and some darker flavours here and there are welcome as well.

The main `Theme from `Antarctica' has soothing washes of synths that lap at the background over unobtrusive programmed percussion, quickly taking on symphonic and victorious themes. Synths rise and fall in a delicate manner throughout the pretty and dream-like `Antarctic Echoes', with the tiniest little electric piano tip-toes. The dramatic `Kinematic' has a skittering frantic programmed beat over imposing electronics, and `Song of White' floats wistfully on ambient flute-like synths before a reprise of the main theme. The synths glisten as if brilliant crystal-like shards on `Life of Antarctica', some darker tones almost resembling Tangerine Dream in parts, and it's one of the more memorable moments on the album. `Memory of Antarctica' is a low key and placid alternate take on the main theme with brief cinematic-like touches. `Other Side of Antarctica' (another refreshingly darker highlight) has a slightly eerie, foreboding, even alien quality, and `Deliverance' closes the album with spiralling synth loops and soothing victorious strains.

Over his career, Vangelis has tackled many different genres and styles, especially fascinating is his early to late 70's period that is full of scattered experimental gems, each more baffling and unique than the last, but all well worth discovering. `Antarctica' is not exactly cutting edge or as genre-bending as those works, but it is evidence of this sort of an artist having completely honed his electronic skills. This is an often hypnotic work, full of movement and variety, making it perfect for newcomers to the progressive electronic genres.

Three stars.