Jean-Michel Jarre was one of the early pioneers of popular electronic music. Along with artists like Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, Jarre brought electronic music and popular music together, making music that was artistic but fairly accessible. Les Chants Magnetiques, Magnetic Fields, is a set of 5 synth tracks that capture Jarre at his peak. For… Read More Jean-Michel Jarre – Magnetic Fields – Les Chants Magnetiques
Oceanic is a collection of tone poems with Ocean themes. On this 1996 release, Vangelis creates a soothing 50 minute journey through deep oceanic spaces, sounding a bit like a Hearts of Space show. The new age music showcases his wonderful ear for melodies and lush synthetic orchestration, but does not have the edge or… Read More Vangelis – Oceanic
Aquaria: A Liquid Blue Trancescape is light new-age music in the style of Enigma. The music is polished, professional and produced, but also a little ponderous. This light new-age trance pop tries to be sexy, but fails to generate much heat. It cops a feel, in a groove sense, from Enigma, to the point that… Read More Diane Arkenstone – Aquaria: A Liquid Blue Trancescape
In the early eighties, Vangelis helped redefine the world of soundtrack music with his scores to films like Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner. Chariots of Fire won him an Oscar, but his music for Blade Runner is even better.… Read More Vangelis – Blade Runner
The First Seven Days is one of the great early works of popular electronic music. Released nearly 30 years ago, the music is a set of seven rock-fusion tone poems inspired by the idea of the seven days of creation. It was a head-trip when it was released, and the remastered CD re-release makes it sound… Read More Jan Hammer – The First Seven Days
Conquest of Paradise is a sumptious combination of orchestral electronica, folk melodies, choral vocals and renaissance influences. Vangelis is the Tchaikovsky of electronic music; he’s a fountain of beautiful melodies and an innovative orchestrator, but occasionally more concerned with style over substance. Like Tchaikovsky, Vangelis’ best known work is programmatic. On 1492: Conquest of Paradise,… Read More Vangelis – 1492 Conquest of Paradise
Sirens is an interesting mix of space music and classical programatic music. It is minimal orchestral electronica, with occasional acoustic instrumentation added to provide interest and flavor. Fans of new age music and Danna will enjoy this 1991 release. Danna is a hugely prolific Canadian composer. His work is of uniformly high quality, and draws… Read More Mychael Danna – Sirens
The combination of catchy tunes and ambient textures that Jarre put together on Oxygene made it both experimental and very accessible. Oxygene has gone on to become one of the most popular recordings of electronic music ever released, and a classic of synth music.… Read More Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene
This 1988 Vangelis CD is a bridge between the symphonic electronica sound that Vangelis made popular in the eighties and his current, more dense orchestral sound. Direct is a mixture of electronica, new age, space music, and folk sounds, mixed together in Vangelis’ unique way. The CD starts of with “The Motion of Stars”, a… Read More Vangelis – Direct
Vangelis has been one of the most acclaimed electronic musicians of all time. He has recorded a great variety of music over the last thirty years, won the academy award for musical score, composed hit songs, and written the scores for several ballets. Vangelis is best known for his music that was featured in the… Read More Vangelis
