Vangelis - Antarctica

Vangelis makes geographically-evocative music like no other, and his theme from the documentary soundtrack "Antarctica" is one of his most striking works in this form. Although "Conquest of Paradise", "Blade Runner" and "Chariots of Fire" are much better-known, this theme ranks among these - slow shimmering strings, an chilling handclaps of percussion and an icily penetrating tune. With its broad landscape it's more evocative of a tour across the continent in a warm, expensive aeroplane, rather than a Scott-like trudge.

Admittedly the full soundtrack album doesn't add much value over its first track, the actual theme. I suppose that's fairly appropriate, as the continent itself isn't known for its variety of colours. A lot of incidental-music style brush strokes are interspersed with variations on that tune. Listening to the whole thing is certainly guaranteed to make it stick in your head.

December 9, 2004

6 out of 10

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