Description
- Theme from Antarctica [7:28]
- Antarctic Echoes [5:55]
- Kinematic [3:45]
- Song of White [5:15]
- Life of Antarctica [5:57]
- Memory of Antarctica [5:27]
- Other Side of Antarctica [6:52]
- Deliverance [4:30]
Great atmosphere
Great atmosphere
Weight | 105 g |
---|---|
Medium | CD |
Package | Jewel Case |
Ivar de Vries –
In this soundtrack to a Japanese film about the large white continent, Vangelis the ultimate mood-painter is at work again, using crystal-clear sounds to set up an intense atmosphere of fighting-for-survival and personal reflection, or so it appears, because the tracks alternate in nervous excitement and contemplation.
The opening piece is simply breath-taking, a magnificently orchestrated blend of harmony and percussion. Its drawn-out melody is trademark Vangelis – using only a few notes and achieving harmonic resolution by the simplest of means it’s got class written all over it due to its spacious arrangement. A portion of the same piece also closes out ‘Song of White’ (which starts off with a beautiful wandering melody of a type similar to ‘Blade Runner Blues’) and its melody is reused in a few of the slow tracks to dream-like effect.
Another track that really stands out is ‘Life of Antarctica’, a dramatic piece that uses sequencers, various layers of harmony and flute-sounds to set up a dark brooding atmosphere.
In a few aspects of the album one can sense forebodings of the later album ‘Mask’ but its own overall effect is one of virtuosity, an inspired Vangelis at a high point in his musicianship.
1999. Ivar de Vries
Wilfred Smit / The Netherlands –
A great Vangelis album. Bought it back in the 80’s as an import CD, directly form Japan. The track ‘Song of white’ is often imitated in Dutch commercials.
I haven’t seen the picture, but it’s easy to imagine a white cold empty nothing.
A ‘classic’, must have album!
2005. Wilfred Smit / The Netherlands
Jon Fry –
In theory, there’s nothing wrong with the concept of New Age music (except for perhaps the misnomer of the title). Ambient and space music are certainly nothing to be ashamed of listening to, and New Age shares many borders with those more venerable styles. In reality, though, much of what is shelved in the New Age section of music stores is bland and overly sentimental, occupying an especially soothing and artificial pit of Hell with smooth jazz and any music played by you average 9-5 Office Alternative” radio station. So