HYPOTHESIS [AKA: VISIONS OF THE FUTURE]

Vangelis' first solo effort, recorded in May of 1971 while Aphrodite's Child was still officially together, is an avant-garde jazz piece in two parts only because of the limitation of the vinyl record, and barely runs over 30 minutes total time. The piece starts on a single and complex chord, somewhat dissonant, which is repeated until a turgid rhythm is developed. Then the bass and the drum come in and the music shifts into full swing. This first section blends into a nice groove, which in turn blends back into the more experimental sound of the beginning. This is the pattern of the album throughout; side two begins in much the same way. As a jazz piece, the musicianship is a bit rough, but the chordal structures, the rhythmic patterns, and the lead performances are all interesting. Overall, I am split on the album. Parts of it I find quite enjoyable, yet other parts are a bit hard to take because of the turgid dissonance. I see it, though, as a necessary step in Vangelis' career. Here he is still a member of Aphrodite's Child which still maintains untapped potential, and yet clearly he feels the need to branch out to something more. As a solo artist, it is unclear if he had a plan for any career direction at this time. Above all, this piece remains an experiment, one that provided the foundation for much of Vangelis' later work and development as an artist. The album is a rarity in my neck of the woods, so I am glad that I picked up this copy on vinyl when I did in the early 1980s, released on the heels of the success of Chariots of Fire. A necessary addition for the completist, since it is his first solo foray. Outside of that, the only other possible fans of this recording would be those of avant-garde jazz. His later New Age and Rock fans would probably be disappointed unless they too would be willing to entertain such a hypothesis as is presented here.