Vangelis-Albedo 0.39 (1976)

The seventh album by Greek composer Vangelis is a masterpiece of electronic music, a work in which the musician further solidified his grasp on electronics and more ethereal concepts. Around this time, Vangelis began exploring Yamaha synthesizers, which, along with other electronic keyboards and synthesizers, plus a range of acoustic and electronic percussion instruments, allowed him to create unmistakable soundscapes akin to the typical progressive and symphonic rock. With "Albedo 0.39", the Greek musician completed a spectacular trilogy that had begun with the earthly "Earth" (1973), and continued with the mystical "Heaven and Hell" (1975), masterfully concluding it with a work in which his music is created from the perspective of space observing Earth. Outstanding pieces such as the spacey and powerful "Pulsar", the grandiose "Alpha", the astronomical "Main Sequence", the exotic "Free Fall" or the progressive divided into two parts "Nucleogenesis", make up one of the most avant-garde and solid works created by the Greek wizard of the keyboards.

Vangelis-1492: The Conquest of Paradise (1992)

In 1992, "1492: The Conquest of Paradise" was published, the film by Ridley Scott that recreates the feat of Christopher Columbus and its subsequent consequences.
Ridley Scott made a film in which a situation similar to that of the Tower of Babel took place: a few Spanish actors, a French Christopher Columbus, an American Queen Elizabeth ... It is clear that the historical rigor was obviously suffered, and probably was one of the causes of its unfair commercial failure.
The entire film and as it would happen a decade before with another film masterpiece and its soundtrack "Blade Runner" was actually an immense video clip in which the music and sounds created by Vangelis, almost constantly accompany the images creating unique environments. All the sound creativity manifested in the form of a soundtrack was unable to be reflected in a disc that contained everything that the musician worked on, and coinciding with the premiere of the film the "official" soundtrack was published, which and due to its timing (not yet it is understood that it was not published as a double album) it does not contain much less all the music of the film and if instead it contains musical pieces that are not included in the film itself.
But unlike the film, the album that contained the soundtrack was a resounding sales success.
Coming from Vangelis we already know that his is a pure electronic composition, of course, but that it adequately captures the epicism of the story, despite breaking the fine line between his own musical style and the service he provides to the film on certain occasions. In addition, his desire for prominence is imposed on the images of the film - due, above all, to the fact that he surpasses them. The isolated musical composition is superb and spectacularly beautiful, as evidenced by that imposing and stately central theme that, in my opinion, although sacrilege, far exceeds that of his famous "Chariots of Fire".
The album (as evidently the film itself) is an almost interrupted succession of impressive choral passages, electronic ambient sounds, beautiful melodies of medieval, tribal, dreamy influences ... and acoustic sounds that cover a wide range of instruments, from violins to mandolins. , including flutes, Spanish guitar, and even in one of the songs a flamenco singer, in addition to the inevitable electronic sounds so characteristic of Vangelis
Perhaps the most striking thing about this album are the choral pieces of which, without a doubt, one of them, has become a classic of current music, with a strange vocabulary in the meaning of the words and is that this song is built with a curious invented language ... without a doubt a true jewel of electronic music in particular and contemporary music.

Vangelis-Direct (1988)

Vangelis had started the eighties with numerous solo projects in addition to collaborations with Jon Anderson contributing great works such as "The Friends of Mr Cairo", "Chariots of Fire", "Mask" or "Invisible Connections" among others.
They all had a common denominator, they had been born in large European cities, especially London, but for his next album "Direct", Vangelis would choose to move to his hometown, Athens, trying among other things to reconnect with the flavors of his home and his childhood.
For this new work Vangelis would abandon the long suites divided into movements to record a series of shorter, very rhythmic, contemporary and commercially more urban themes.
From the spirited "The Motion Star", to the immeasurable "Intergalatic Radio Station", passing through the exotic and rhythmic "The Will of the Wind", the epic "Metallic Rain", the cosmic "Elsewhere", the majestic "Dial Out" or the sublime "Glorianna" make up the indisputable work of a genius like Vangelis

Vangelis-Heaven and Hell (1975)

In 1975 Vangelis had just signed a succulent contract with the record label RCA, he settles in London where he begins the construction of his own recording studio, which he calls "Nemo Studio", at the same time that he begins to compose and record this great work.
Vangelis in this sumptuous album achieves a sound as revolutionary as it has been unpublished until then, a true fusion of classical forms with electronic music, and where the collaboration of Jon Anderson also appears for the first time.
In "Heaven and Hell" the Greek musician creates an impressive variety of atmospheres ranging from the frantic to the dramatic and the sublime.
With a part as aggressive as before, Vangelis had never experienced, and his mastery of classical piano, demonstrating the formidable technique of the musician.
It's no wonder that a band like "Yes" were so interested in hiring him to replace Rick Wakeman when he left the band in 1974.
A preliminary version of the classic "Chariots of Fire" already appeared in "Movement 3", which would appear years later and would become a Hollywood Oscar-winning song, but "So Long Ago, So Clear" is the most unforgettable song of the album with Anderson's voice as the main attraction.
"Heaven and Hell" was an innovative work at the time and today it is still so current and intact.

Vangelis-Voices (1995)

In the 1990s, Vangelis finally abandoned the experimentation he had displayed in his work during the 1970s and 80s, years in which his symphonic avant-garde style permeated most of his compositions. At this point, the Greek musician based his style on ethereal music, built on more grandiose chords, with superb orchestral arrangements and lyrical choirs, which, far from being pretentious, are simply the result of his many years of continuous experimentation. With his twenty-seventh album, Vangelis takes a further step, giving the human voice a prominence never before seen. Navigating between melodic sounds and soothing new-age music, Vangelis presents a series of atmospheric and fluid pieces, with beautifully haunting lines and an omnipresent mysticism. This time, he enlists the collaboration of various voices, including Caroline Lavelle, Stina Nordenstam, the Athens Opera Chorus, and singer Paul Young. Pompous pieces like "Voices" contrast with the ethereal atmospheres of the Celtic "Come To Me", the beautiful melody of "Ask The Mountains", the evocative "Losing Sleep (Still My Heart)", the paradisiacal "Prelude", and the spacey "Dream In An Open Place".

Vangelis-El Greco (1998)

For many, "El Greco" is the culmination of the vast discography of the Greek composer Vangelis. Conceived as a concept album, it was officially released in 1998, following an expanded reissue of a work titled "Foros Timis Ston Greco", which had been released in limited quantities by a Greek museum in 1995. On this occasion, the Greek musician delves into the life of the Hellenic religious painter, Doménikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco, who lived in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. In this work, Vangelis continues to demonstrate that he is a true artist who pays no attention to commercialism, presenting a sober and ethereal album, emotionally profound and spiritual music for the eyes of the mind. Composed of ten extraordinary movements, it portrays the suffering of the painter and his works, almost oppressive in nature, representing life as a concept and the mortality of the physical sense. During its nearly 73-minute duration, the keyboardist attempts to convey a profound emotional charge and a pleasing, sophisticated musical aesthetic, where medieval and Byzantine music are extraordinarily intertwined, at times resembling a powerful film soundtrack. The music also possesses a delicate sphere of mysticism and melancholy, making this thirty-fourth album by the Greek musician one of his great masterpieces.

Vangelis-Spiral (1977)

Following the magnificent albums "Heaven and Hell" (1975) and "Albedo 0.39" (1976), not forgetting lesser-known works like "Earth" (1973) and "L'Apocalypse Des Animaux" (1973), Vangelis created one of his masterpieces with his fifth album, "Spiral". With this album, Vangelis began one of his most fruitful periods, both in his use of electronic instruments synthesizers, sequencers, and all kinds of electronic and acoustic keyboards and in the melodic composition of his music. On this new record, he gradually moved away from the progressive and experimental sounds of his earlier work and its complex and intricate compositions, becoming more romantic and grandiose, gaining in simplicity and thereby attracting a wider audience with his accessible electronic music. All of this is demonstrated in tracks like the commercially successful "Dervish D", the addictive epic "To The Unknown Man", and the meticulously crafted "Ballad", "Spiral", and "3+3". Over the next four years, the Greek musician would release a mix of major works and others with less media impact, including the experimental "Beaubourg" (1978), the exotic and brilliant "China" (1979), and the stunning "Chariots of Fire" (1981), among half a dozen other albums.

Vangelis-Blade Runner (1994)

"Blade Runner" was the first of two soundtracks Vangelis would compose for director Ridley Scott; the other was "1492: Conquest of Paradise", both excellent and successful examples of the Greek musician's genius and talent. However, the "Blade Runner" soundtrack wasn't officially released until many years after the film, and to compensate for this, a reinterpreted version by the New American Orchestra was released. Twelve years later, in 1994, the original version was finally released, and a few years later, in 2007, an extended version was released, which also contained a series of cuts not included in the official theatrical release. For the music, Vangelis brilliantly uses a perfect fusion of futuristic, ambient, and traditional sounds. With each track, Vangelis transports the listener to a distant future (nowadays, not so distant thanks to current technological advancements), embellishing the music with strange effects, Eastern influences, and the sounds emanating from his multiple synthesizers, keyboards, and other electronic and acoustic instruments. Among his magnificent passages are the heart-wrenching "Memories of Green", the Eastern influence of "Damask Rose" and "Call Out The Dogs", the blues-tinged "Blade Runner Blues", the pacifist ambient "Rachel's Song", the smooth jazzy touch of "Wait for Me", the epic "Blade Runner (End Titles)", and the grandiose and comforting "Love Theme".

Vangelis-Chariots Of Fire (1981)

This is the most accessible and successful album by the Greek keyboard wizard Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, better known as Vangelis. For millions of people around the world, this was their introduction to Vangelis's music, thanks to the enormous popularity of the film "Chariots of Fire" and its instrumental accessibility. Unlike much of Vangelis's work, the music on this album is not overly complex, presenting a romantic and sensitive atmosphere in its piano and synthesizer melodies. The main theme is a beautiful, majestic symphonic piece and boasts one of the most recognizable melodies ever written. This theme, along with the entire repertoire of the album's first part, unfolds with epic mastery, reaching an emotional climax in the final epic an extensive suite of unparalleled atmospheres, melodies, and grandeur. Four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Score, and over three million copies sold, attest to this fundamental work by Vangelis and to electronic music in general.