So, it’s a Vangelis collection: two discs of his scores, themes, solo album cuts and collaborations, all in a rubbish sleeve. The press release tells us that this is being released in order to coincide with the 2012 Olympics – ah, of course, it goes with Chariots Of Fire, which seems as good a reason as any.
Anyone familiar with the Greek musical god’s sound will already have pretty much everything here, but Disc Two does include one unreleased cue, Remembering. As for the 30 other cues featured, there are the obvious classics (the Blade Runner theme, I’ll Find My Way Home) mixed in with some of the lesser-known but equally worthy cues, such as the superb Theme From Bitter Moon, which rarely gets an outing. Also great are the inclusion of instrumentals such as Little Girl Of The Sea and To The Unknown Man, works from Vangelis’ 70s back catalogue that consistently outstrip any modern attempt at futuristic synthesised ambient beauty.
This is fabulous music most of the time, though the late scores are a touch on the bombastic and unsettling side. The joy really is in the 70s and 80s solo work and collaborations with Jon Anderson, which will never get bettered. Shame about that artwork.
