Decca Records release Vangelis’s new album Juno to Jupiter. The work, inspired by NASA’s ground-breaking mission by the Juno space probe and its ongoing exploration of Jupiter, is a multi-dimensional musical journey featuring the voice of opera superstar Angela Gheorghiu. The album includes sounds from the Juno launch event on earth, from the probe and its surroundings and Juno’s subsequent journey that have been sent back to earth from the probe, which continues to study Jupiter and its moons: The Juno mission hopes to reveal Jupiter’s structure and history and how our solar system has been formed. The album is now available on CD and digital formats, with vinyl releasing on 04 February 2022 and a limited-edition box set following on 03 June 2022...

Vangelis is a composer whose music I've always admired, but never really embraced. Like Jean-Michel Jarre, he was ahead of his time with electronic compositions. But for some reason I've tended to find these works quickly age and don't hold my attention for that long.

With Juno to Jupiter, Vangelis delivers 18 tracks (1 hr, 12 min, 49 sec) of exploration, wonder and beauty. The inclusion of soprano Angela Gheorghiu adds a whole other dimension to the composers fusion of electronic and orchestral themes.

Vangelis, a pioneer in electronic music, has made the perfect blending between the acoustic and electronic world. His orchestrations for this new album expand once again the horizons of electronic music by blurring the line between it and acoustic symphonic music which culminate in a breath-taking and soothing musical journey.

Talking about the album, Vangelis says: "I thought to put emphasis on the characteristics of Jupiter/Zeus and Hera/Juno that according to the Greek Theogony, had a special relationship. I felt that I should present Zeus/Jupiter only with sound, as the musical laws transform chaos into harmony, which moves everything and life itself. Unlike, for Hera/Juno, I felt the need for a voice. Angela Gheorghiu, represents in this historical depiction of the mission to the planet Jupiter, Hera / Juno, in a breathtaking way."

If I had to single out just one highlight to showcase how impressive this album is, I'd have to chose 'Juno's Tender Call', but 'Zeus Almighty' is another standout moment.

'Zeus Almighty' had segments that reminded me of Ron Jones's 'Tasha's Farewell' from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Skin of Evil' and Ilan Eshkeri's score for Stardust. The ending is very similar to David Bell's music for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode 'The Sword of Kahless'. And did I spot a nod and a wink to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar?

It's interesting, not to mention impressive, how this album captures the wonder and mystery of space exploration. The end result is an ethereal and spiritually uplifting experience.

9

Darren Rea