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Irene Papas is an international star best known for her work in the films The Guns of Navarone and Zorba the Greek (both with Anthony Quinn) and her lead in Elektra. She had worked previously with Vangelis earlier on in the 1970s, in Aphrodite Child's 666, turning in a radical vocal performance on the track "∞," that to my understanding delayed the release of the album. Odes is really like a Vangelis solo album bequeathed in Papas' name, as he is clearly the driving force of this. The synthesizers and percussive effects fit snuggly within his 70s Polydor albums. However, what sets this one apart from the other albums of this prolific period in his career is that most of the material is comprised of traditional Greek songs, save for two instrumentals, "La Danse du Feu" and "Racines." While the unhinged "∞" on 666 called to mind something along the lines of a Diamanda Galas, Papas' vocal performance on this effort is much more conservative. Combined with the space drawn by Vangelis, the musical product here reminds me of the future work Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance though with a smoother and less elemental tone. This can be divined in "Neranzoula" and "Le Fleuve," where melody comes to the fore; these are the two finest moments on the album. The songs capture the various shades of Greece beautifully, from the martial "Les 40 Braves" to the soothing "Menousis." Papas adjusts her affect accordingly, defiant and imperial on the former, then hospitable and genial on the latter. This album provides a welcome inroad for increasing one's exposure to Greek folk through the use of modern synthesizers and capable voice. review by Joe McGlinchey — 1-28-04 —