Themes is one of the most entertaining and thorough of any of Vangelis'
collections, with excerpts spanning such albums as
Opera Sauvage,
China,
and the ever-popular Chariots of Fire release from 1981. Most of the
selections from Themes speak for Vangelis' movie contributions,
including the infamous "Chariots of Fire" track as well as the
lonesome-sounding theme from Missing and the powerful openings from
Mutiny on the Bounty. With this music, Vangelis has implemented some
variations in rhythm and some noticeable fluctuation in his synthesizer
work, making these tracks much more colorful and animated than his new
age meanderings of the '70s. Also, his ability to cast visual imagery
through his keyboard playing is represented by many of these excerpts,
but proven best on tracks like "Antarctica," in which the white, barren
wasteland is conjured up perfectly through his wispy synthesized
textures, and then again on "End Titles From
Bladerunner," which was
previously unreleased, simulating the impersonal, android-like world in
which the movie was based. Both of his cuts from
China include
oriental-flavored backdrops, while Bladerunner's love theme remains one
of Vangelis' most beautiful pieces. Themes is a definitive purchase as
far as compilations are concerned, since a majority of his best material
lies in the 14 tracks. |
