I just got myself a copy of Mask, and I'm really enjoying it. It sounds kinda similar to Heaven & Hell (which is awesome, of course), except that it's more moody and less cosmic, and the choral bits are somewhat more spiritual/Christian, especially in Movement 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ebjso1kk4
Are there any other Vangelis albums that combine atmospheric electronics with grandiose, operatic choir vocals the way H&H and Mask do? I think I like this side of him the most.
― Tuomas, Thursday, 11 February 2010 19:59 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kRS4pkrBqE&feature=related
God, "L'Enfant" is so pretty it makes me cry.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 16 November 2010 22:17 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes it is.
I just cleaned up (hiss removal, added a little dynamics "oomph") two sort of hard to find concerts from 1978 & 1979 - Paris and London repsectively. Beautiful live improvs with piano, synths, percussion and other instruments. Incredible live versions of "Spiral" and others. Can up this week if anyone wants.
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 16 November 2010 23:14 (thirteen years ago) link
*respectively
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 16 November 2010 23:15 (thirteen years ago) link
Mind that the sound quality will be what it is cuz these are from mp3 sources but still...
yes please
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 16 November 2010 23:18 (thirteen years ago) link
will do
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 16 November 2010 23:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, I'd like to hear those too.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 17 November 2010 07:47 (thirteen years ago) link
I just Leonardo'd the first of these. Enjoy!
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 23 November 2010 04:27 (thirteen years ago) link
been on a Vangelis kick lately - loved L'Apocalypse des Animaux, such a pretty little album, and I dig how restrained Earth is for how ambitious it wants to be, but Heaven and Hell is the one hitting me hard right now, so many powerful moments scattered throughout
anything else you guys would rec?
― guess it's Honker Burger tonight...#fml (frogbs), Monday, 7 May 2012 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
Antarctis and China have a similar bombastic vibe to H&H, I'd recommend checking out those two first. Mask also has the same combination of choral singing + synths, but it's more subdued and spiritual. A lot of people rate Albedo 0.39 really high, but personally I think the proggy workouts that appear between minimal synth pop gems make that one less than great. If you dig Vangelis's keyboard chops, I'd recommend Opéra Sauvage, which is more moody and atmospheric than H&H, but almost as good, and it has "L'Enfant", which I think is the most beautiful tune Vangelis ever recorded.
Also, if you like the vocal bit in Heaven and Hell with Jon Anderson, do check out The Friends of Mr. Cairo by Jon & Vangelis... It's a bit uneven, but it has three absolutely brilliant prog-pop songs ("I'll Find My Way Home", "State of Independence", "The Friends of Mr. Cairo"), and the rest is not bad either. The other Jon & Vangelis albums are not essential, in my opinion.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 08:32 (eleven years ago) link
Sorry, the first album I mentioned is called Antarctica, not Antarctis.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 08:33 (eleven years ago) link
thanks Tuomas - definitely will check those out, though I'm kind of cautious about the Jon & Vangelis ones
― frogbs, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 13:44 (eleven years ago) link
Antarctica sounds very much like you would want a synthesizer album about Antarctica to sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w0Xy_6WIY0
But you wouldn't go wrong with any of the following:Opera Sauvage, Chariots of Fire soundtrack, Antarctica, or China.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 13:55 (eleven years ago) link
The soundtrack to COSMOS wrecked me, in the best way possible. Went on a major Vangelis kick then (which led through high school). The was a time that I could have rattled off tracks from memory and filled a list out. As it stands, I'm just echoing what's been said above: HEAVEN AND HELL, SOIL FESTIVITIES, ALBEDO 0.39 and BLADE RUNNER (Esper) have something for everyone. But there was a time when Vangelis and Wendy Carlos ruled my world completely and utterly.
― Matt M., Tuesday, 8 May 2012 14:25 (eleven years ago) link
It's easier to make a short list of what to avoid:
OceanicVoicesDirectAlexander
Everything else is worth checking out, pretty much.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 14:35 (eleven years ago) link
There's a great bootleg of that album I found online which has about three times the music. Alas, it died in the Great Crash of 2010.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:52 (eleven years ago) link
So i conjured the Esper Edition of Blade Runner last night and yeah, wow, I get it now. That is, I get why ppl are so obsessed with this particular score. Amazing.
― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Friday, 11 May 2012 19:25 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVQuScFOoEk
For the French speakers here ...
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 11 May 2012 20:22 (eleven years ago) link
I've been listening to this at work after everybody else leaves early:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0QQJfPi3ps
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 11 May 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link
Has anyone heard Demis Roussos' solo LPs? I'm a little scared to dive into them but there's one that Vangelis co-wrote that sounds interesting...
― frogbs, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:18 (eleven years ago) link
Jaxon could probably answer that but I think he quit posting
Demis Roussos "I Dig You" is the Idjut Boys / Phantom Slasher song "Going Greek"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Q1HsPE5cQ
― dmr, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:23 (eleven years ago) link
which I just realized is almost the same as Odyssey - "Who" (which is arr. and prod. Vangelis)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uta02hfUF4o
― dmr, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:27 (eleven years ago) link
Still listening to this Blade Runner boot. So fucking great.
― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Monday, 14 May 2012 18:22 (eleven years ago) link
The Roussos solo stuff that Vangelis had a hand in is a bit heavy on the cheese for me. I would search for albums he produced for other folks in the 70s, especially Italian pop names like Patty Pravo, Riccardo (sp?) Cocciante and Claudio Baglioni. These are all big on the choirs and cavernous "Heaven & Hell" style synth armies. Then there's the lovely, more subdued record he did with Greek teen singer Mariangela. That one has more of an "Opera Sauvage" sound pallette going and is pretty special. All fave records of mine. Avoid most things he produced for others in the 80s I say bar a couple of things like the collabs with Irene Pappas and "Short Stories" with Jon Anderson.
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 14 May 2012 19:45 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIRFK_IBbZ4
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 14 May 2012 20:03 (eleven years ago) link
― A happenstance discovery of asynchronous lesbians (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, November 16, 2010 6:14 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
*raises one paw pleadingly*
― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Monday, 14 May 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
oof - misplaced the drive with these files recently during a big apt. renovation but I do have them stored somewhere. will dig them up and post asap.
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 14 May 2012 22:28 (eleven years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 04:21 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygq4zfOdsdU
Here's an idea of the London one, though I cleaned it up a bit. Will dig for the concerts this weekend.
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 13:30 (eleven years ago) link
http://thegrowingbin.blogspot.com/2012/01/vangelis-tegos-tapes.html
https://soundcloud.com/nev-dorrington^^ contains blunt splices dubbed from the VHS tapes, to remove the narrator's occasional interjections about the spinal surgery closeups onscreen
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 01:24 (ten years ago) link
furiously downloading every track
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 02:13 (ten years ago) link
cases 22-27 are nice and blade runnery
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 02:49 (ten years ago) link
THIS IS RUINING MY LIFE
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 03:52 (ten years ago) link
Anonymous said...!!!DAMN!!! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING.... 4 YEARS AGO I WAS IN DR. TEGOS' HOUSE FOR A CATERING EVENT (I WAS ONE OF THE WAITERS). I HEARD HIM SAYING THAT ONE OF HIS FRIENDS CALLED VANGELIS (A VERY COMMON NAME IN GREECE LIKE "BOB" IN U.S.) IS NOT GOING TO COME BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO HIM. I J U S T "CONNECTED THE DOTS" AND FREAKING REALISED HE WAS REFERRING TO THE V A N G E L I S !!!! I WAS SO CLOSE TO MEETING HIM!!!!!!!! F U C K !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OCTOBER 9, 2012 AT 12:27 AM
― spacemindy, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:03 (ten years ago) link
^^^ilm version of party down
― spacemindy, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:12 (ten years ago) link
omg that surgery video
― polyphonic, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:22 (ten years ago) link
I hope someone dubs over the surgery descriptions with dialog from the Blade Runner voiceover.
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Tuesday, 3 December 2013 04:53 (ten years ago) link
chariots of fire are the same tune as on top of old smokywho old smoky?
― massaman gai, Tuesday, 3 December 2013 13:58 (ten years ago) link
So the soundcloud links total about three hours' worth of music... I wonder if the other nine hours are anywhere online? Because this stuff is awesome.
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Thursday, 5 December 2013 00:31 (ten years ago) link
I could easily imagine there being dialogue or narration over 75% of this. The original masters are just begging for an online release (this is how you do it these days: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nasa-voyager-space-sounds/id336195159)
but yeah it's the good vangelis. he seldom lets himself go longform cosmic, side 2 of l'apocalypse, beauborg, invisible connections, but when the unmoving camera's tightly focused on an opened spine for hours, you've got the license for some deep musical thinking
nice to hear something good from the late period, most of the time now he's just on this sound (still technically amazing): http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/12/04/vangelis-and-the-journey-to-ithaka-documentary-now-available/
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 5 December 2013 00:53 (ten years ago) link
Well, the linked video up above on Youtube has pretty sparse narration... but at this point the rough edits where the narration has been chopped out just sound like part of it. Case 04 has a kind of Soil Festivities/Aphex Twin thing going on, and it is fabulous, while Case 08 is along the lines of the quieter parts of the City. As you say, it's good Vangelis... it sounds very 80s Vangelis for something (supposedly) from 1998, too.
That reminds me, I need to find a copy of Invisible Connections... I bought it ages ago but the the CD was corrupted and wouldn't play.
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Friday, 6 December 2013 05:20 (ten years ago) link
Has anyone heard Demis Roussos' solo LPs? I'm a little scared to dive into them but there's one that Vangelis co-wrote that sounds interesting…
Just grabbed my first cuz it was cheap, The Demis Roussos Magic and I'm diving in now. Track 1: I'm having trouble already with it, but it appears side B contains another (?) version of "Let it Happen," so I'm curious about that.
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:37 (ten years ago) link
Oops, I meant:
revive quote
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:38 (ten years ago) link
The inside-the-gatefold image didn't prepare me for "Mourir Aupres De Mon Amour," the first track.
http://www.demisroussos.info/disc/albums/magicAdd.jpg
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:41 (ten years ago) link
Maybe I'm missing something. Like, knowledge or something.
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:42 (ten years ago) link
OK kind of digging "My Face in the Rain." Kinda like if Terry Reid had recorded with Vangelis.
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:45 (ten years ago) link
Cookin' big production of Chrisma's "U", here "I Dig You" to end side 1. Is it a Chrisma original? Dunno--can't tell from a quick look at discogs.
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:54 (ten years ago) link
Forever and Ever is glorious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3vCB3YBMUo&feature=kp
and this goes so hard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5FAgtWMGj4
<3 Roussos
― J. Sam, Thursday, 13 March 2014 03:57 (ten years ago) link
Damn, the compression on the drums/bass on "Let it Happen" really gives it the feel of a loop.And some real forward-looking synth lead bits. It's not my new favorite version of this tune, but it is pretty great.
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 04:01 (ten years ago) link
By "Damn" I meant more like "dayum" of course
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 04:02 (ten years ago) link
And OK maybe this is becoming my new favorite version
Greek Reggae now. It is islands I guess
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 04:05 (ten years ago) link
Greek Traditional Jamaican Mento rather haha
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 04:06 (ten years ago) link
First one is pretty good tbh!
― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Thursday, 13 March 2014 14:24 (ten years ago) link
I was obv drunk last night. "I Dig You" clearly the forerunner to Chrisma's "U", not the other way around
― andrew m., Thursday, 13 March 2014 15:40 (ten years ago) link