One more album from Vangelis' time at RCA, and an album where another important piece fell into place to create his classic sound: the newly-released Yamaha CS-80 enters the picture at this point. Still plenty of electronic prog bombast to enjoy, but there's also a heavy dose of sequencing here, both making the opening title track particularly memorable. Next up comes one of Vangelis' rare uses of his own voice, processed throughout Ballad.to great effect. Dervish D is lots of fun, a bouncy, even bluesy sequencer piece that does indeed suggest a whirling dancer.
Two long tracks make up the album's second side. To The Unknown Man is perhaps the best known track from this album, featured in television soundtracks and elsewhere, and expands Bolero-style on a simple melodic theme over different sections. To finish, 3 + 3 overlays a driving sequence with a gorgeous melody to great effect. One of Vangelis' best pre-Polydor albums, if not the best outright.
pw:sgtg
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