Customer Reviews

Voices

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most likely Vangeles' all time peak. The title track is his grandest most inspiring track yet. Echoes continues the melody from voices into a searching mode. Probably my favorite Vangelis track ever is 5- "Ask the Mountains". Musically, it takes you on a clear moonlit nighttime journey through the peaks. I've never heard anything with such an original appealing sound! No review can do it justice. You've got to hear it to beleive it!

Although the opening title track is a bit derivative, Voices, as an album, tends to get somewhat deeper (and more interesting) the further in you go. The most provocative tracks include "Come to Me," "Ask the Mountains," and "Losing Sleep (Still, My Heart)," which feature guest vocals by the likes of Caroline Lavelle, Stina Nordenstam, and Paul Young, respectively.

Overall, this is a somewhat unusual album, melodically, and though it's perhaps not as readily accessible as Direct nor as prolific as Mythodea, Voices has a voice of its own.

I have listened to Vangelis' work for over 25 years and it is a testament to his genius that he keeps on producing high quality music. I dismiss the Amazon reviewer's thoughts on this 1995 work... Swine and pearls come to mind. From what position of talent is he/she coming from? Has the reviewer ever heard "L'Apocalypse"? I doubt it.

The album is a formidable peice of electronic artistry. "Ask the Mountains", "Losing Sleep...", "Come to Me" and "Messages" are quite simply fantastic songs. This may be not another Blade Runner but it still another remarkable effort.Who would guess Paul Young on vocals for "Losing Sleep"!!

Vangelis is in a league of his own and Voices cements his reputation as the main man of electronic music.

There is something compelling about this album. It's not the 'Voices' or 'Echoes' or even the captivating vocals on 'Come to me' and 'Ask the Mountain', it's what lies beneath. Vangelis is a musical magician and he draws us in with the clever vocal orchestration and arrangements on these tracks, but we are propelled along by something else. It's the beat. Listen to it, it's also your heartbeat. Like a march, it's rapid, strong and pumping at first in 'Voices', slowing to a walk in 'Echoes' and then you are barely aware of it by the time you reach the the appropriately titled 'Losing sleep (Still. My heart)'. The remaining tracks gently take us out of our reverie.

This 9-track cd features some of the best New Age music that I have ever heard. Although it is probably unintentional, each of the songs seems to flow like a story. Some of the songs do flow together, like 'Voices' flows into 'Echos' or 'Messages' flows into 'Dream In An Open Place'.

The storyline that I got from the music was something along the lines of a struggle in a community (a famine, or a drought) and what is done to cope with the problem.

Although the cd is not narrated it is not difficult for someone to imagine this music as the score for a movie. I don't know if it has ever been done with this album, but if it has been or will be, there won't be any complaining from me.

This is not Vangelis' best work. Having said this, it does not fall short in terms of compositional brilliance, epics sound and susubtle detail. Where this album falls short is the lack of real sonic inventiveness that vangelis is so adept at, and in between tracks of brilliance there are rather uneventful "filler" songs.

If you are new to his work, buy this album later. Get "china", "the city" or "the conquest of paradise" instead. if you already own a lot of his work, this album still does have some very memorable gems.

His true capability as modern musical genius only shows in a few tracks, leaving the ears wishing for more. The opening track "voices" is an uplifting and epic work, showcasing his mastery of "big" sound, but soemwhow it does not quite reach its full potential. There are moments where Vangelis eludes at what this track could be, yet it never quite gels.

The downers on this album are some more lyrical pieces, that altough hauntig and dreamlike, lack direction. It's as if he has not come up with anything new in terms of songs since the days of Jon + Vangelis collaborations.

Four pieces on ths cd stand out, and are enough reason for me to play the whole thing pureley because the way they interweave with the music before and after.

The first is "voices", the opening track. This dissolves into an awesome soundscape called "echoes", that shows Vangelis in fine form. Variations on the opening theme re-interpreted on various instruments over an ethereal layer of rythms usign different time signatures blend together effortlessly. It is the longest track yet it is always over far to soon. "Messages" is another beauty showing his mastery at blending organic and electronic sounds together, the orchestration is fantastic and so is the melody. This is a fitting prelude to the amazing closing track. Another epic, spatious and uplifting, and one that simply leaves you wondering what to play next. It is one of his most amazing pieces ever and it has no just follow-on but contemplative silence.

Be warned, I'm about to confuse you. In my opinion, Van. is the greatest living musician...but he's not my favorite (David Arkenstone takes those honors). Voices is my second favorite album of all time ( my #1 is D.Ark's Quest of the Dream Warrior)...but I believe El Greco is Vangelis' greatest creation. You see, music isn't about what you understand- it's about what you feel...how it touches you. Van. is more musically matured than David (he's had more time in the game), but Arkenstone's gets to me more. I reallize El Greco is simply the best work Vangelis has ever done...but Voices "speaks" to me. His opening title track is like a soundtrack for the creation of the universe and Echoes is like the creator's quiet reflection. I agree with what the others in this column have said about tracks 3 and 5. Still My Heart seems like a very personnal statement for V.(a well known recluse). Track 9: Dream In Open Spaces is peaceful yet sad. A lot of deep gut feeling went into this recording, and it shows. Duke Wally Mondo sez =]

When it comes to relaxing music which makes your soul recover and you brain waves move in an harmonic way Vangelis' Voices is a must. Chariots of Fire and Oceanic are also Vangelis albums that has a beautiful overall feeling and can also be considered masterpieces withing their genre but Voices is the album that at least for me works best when it comes to relaxing and just feeling good after a stressful day or after a day full of pumping rock music around you.

The reason I think many people like this album even though they don't like New Age in general is Vangelis' capabilities to mix colourful, touching and melodic music into something soulhealing and relaxing that makes your soul get lighter and easier. Many New Age artists has the ability to write music that works as a stresshealer, but many listeners I think get turned of by the lack of emotion in the music. There's a lot to take in here; a loads of touching sounds and beutiful harmonies and a sound that sometimes makes me feel like I can touch it, like it moves into my body like a healing energy making me leave the place I'm in for the moment. Works excellent for both meditation and background music but maybe not for party :).

I don't particularly care for new age music as stand alone entertainment. I find it works extremely well as background music for films, especially futuristic films, but sorely lacks interest as real stand alone music.

After listening to Voices for a few years I've come to the conclusion that it is the only new age thing I've heard that is successful because Vangelis has found a way to find accompaniment within the music itself. What it is accompanying I haven't the slightest idea but it certainly isn't standing alone as simple new age music. Maybe its the voices or the organic rhythms, I don't know.

Call me a romantic, but to me, "Voices" sounded like an album from a man, who doesn' need to compete any more. It sounded like it had no real deep purpose to it, as if the musician had had nothing to strive for.

While "1492 - Conquest of Paradise" was full of strong emotions, "Voices" struck me as a bit bland in this aspect. In style, this album is quite close to some later works of Mike Oldfield, IMO.

Nevertheless, this is a well put together album, and I'm sure most of the listeners will derive pleasure from listening to it.