SPIRAL

Spiral is opened by the title track that starts with an "electronic waterfall" that permeates the whole track, and probably is the sonic representation of a spiral, on which he puts first a symphonic part based on organ, then it's back to pure electronic. Unlike the disconnected parts that composed his two previous works, both soundtracks, Spiral is clearly a "composition" with a complex structure on which Vangelis gives the impression to have spent some time and effort.

On "Ballad" there's an unusual utilization of voices on a non trivial sequence of open chords with short interludes of orchestral accents. Even if the 7 notes which are the core of the song are almost always present, there's a number of changes specially in the second half of the track that I see as an ancestor of Blade Runner Blues.

The third and last track of Side A is "Dervish D". Inspired to the Dervish Dance, is famous in my country for having been used to open a TV news for years. It's a good piece of electronic music, but it doesn't transmit the sense of circular movement, or spin, that's the main characteristic of the Dervish dance. It's just a sort of electronic boogie on which Vangelis uses sounds that can be found also on "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo".

"To The Unknown Man" is repetitive and based on major chords. It's the kind f track that can be found on "L''Apocalypse Des Animaux". Relaxing and easy. At half of the track some drums give it a "martial" sense that transforms it into a bolero. The change into the pop realm of the last minutes is very similar in the structure to "Alpha", which opens the B-side of Albedo 0.39.

"3+3" is the final track. Another electronic track that could remind to Edgar Froese. With an important difference: It doesn't last 35 minutes as it's usual for the German instrumentist. The difference with Froese stays in the melodic line. Repetitions are important but are not the principal element of the track that evolves in a melodic sense.

A good work, really better than the previous two, but not essential.

3-stars

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