OXYGÈNE

3.5 stars. I do like this better than the follow-up "Equinoxe" but there are too many sections that annoy me to give this 4 stars. Lots to like to though, and as others have mentioned this album took Electronic music to the masses. By the way the album cover is amazing.

Part 1 features some sounds 2 minutes in that remind me of theremin. If you know what that sounds like then you know it's a high pitched annoying sound often used on early TV shows like "Lost In Space". This continues until about 4 1/2 minutes when some deeper sounds come in only to be replaced by waves of spacey sounds that wash in and out.It blends into Part 2 . A synth melody breaks out before 2 minutes, then a beat after 3 minutes. Spacey winds arrive 5 1/2 minutes in and some prominant mellotron. Part 3 is my favourite. It's darker, even a little haunting. Theremin-like sounds a minute in. It fades out 2 minutes in as waves and the sounds of birds end it.

Part 4 is my least favourite. If there were vocals here it could be an eighties pop song. I found out later that this was his hit song. Yikes. Well it is the most commercial sounding track on the album so I guess that makes sense. The melody stops late as it blends into Part 5. At first you would think you were listening to underwater sounds, until spacey waves of synths take over. Sounds like organ before 3 1/2 minutes. That pulsating beat ala TANGERINE DREAM comes in as synths play over top 7 minutes in. Waves of sound late as it blends into Part 6. A SANTANA (I kid you not) like pecussion sound comes in. Great sound 4 minutes in as the waves continue to roll in right to the end.

Good album, but I will be reaching for Klause, HELDON or TD when I want to listen to some Elctronic-Prog.