Vangelis - Direct (1988)

The sole album from a short stint on the label, Vangelis' Arista period overlaps chronologically with Tangerine Dream's move to Private Music.  There's definite similarities: MIDI, FM synthesis, all the digital-era trimmings - but what still sits at the core of Direct is the talent of a fantastic composer and musician, with the technology serving the music.

And in terms of music, there's a lot of it compared to previous Vangelis albums - just over an hour, so a good cross-section of moods, tempi and so on.  The Motion Of Stars kicks off in high gear with twinkling sequences and a couple of nice ambient interludes, and things progress from there with other Vangelis trademarks: a couple of tracks with wordless vocals (Gloriana and Ave), harp stylings in The Oracle Of Apollo, and more.  Quite a few anthemic rock-like tracks, some that would be very good soundtrack music (Elsewhere is a personal favourite), and a memorably odd album closer with a spoken voiceover.  Lots to recommend.

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Previously posted at SGTG:
L'apocalypse Des Animaux

La Fête Sauvage

Albedo 0.39

Spiral

Opera Sauvage

Antarctica
Soil Festivities

Mask
Invisible Connections