It is not quad. It is a faked 5.1 and atmos remix by upmix adding multichannel reverb and comb filters and so on. There is no spatialisation at all of instruments. A con.I gotta admit that to my ears, Aphrodite's Child "666" is pretty weak tea to begin with, and I'm kinda surprised that anyone deemed it worthy of a quad remix & re-release.
I should clarify that I'm not speaking here of the new multi-channel mix, ersatz quad or not, but just the original (stereo) album itself and its spotty merits. To my ears, it's kind of a kitschy "art rock" project, certainly ambitious for Greek pop-meisters Aphrodite's Child, but a lot of bizarre avant-garde '60's affections making the whole ship tilt conspicuously.It is not quad. It is a faked 5.1 and atmos remix by upmix adding multichannel reverb and comb filters and so on. There is no spatialisation at all of instruments. A con.
Like, I'm sure, everyone on this website, wish they'd mine Vangelis' stellar back catalogue for ATMOS remixes! Not a fan of Aphrodite's Child 666!I should clarify that I'm not speaking here of the new multi-channel mix, ersatz quad or not, but just the original (stereo) album itself and its spotty merits. To my ears, it's kind of a kitschy "art rock" project, certainly ambitious for Greek pop-meisters Aphrodite's Child, but a lot of bizarre avant-garde '60's affections making the whole ship tilt conspicuously.
IIRC, I bought the LP, and didn’t care for it, so I got rid of it. That’s saying something, as I believe I’ve only done that half a dozen times in my life.I gotta admit that to my ears, Aphrodite's Child "666" is pretty weak tea to begin with, and I'm kinda surprised that anyone deemed it worthy of a quad remix & re-release.
I gotta admit that to my ears, Aphrodite's Child "666" is pretty weak tea to begin with, and I'm kinda surprised that anyone deemed it worthy of a quad remix & re-release.
It is not quad. It is a faked 5.1 and atmos remix by upmix adding multichannel reverb and comb filters and so on. There is no spatialisation at all of instruments. A con.
Like, I'm sure, everyone on this website, wish they'd mine Vangelis' stellar back catalogue for ATMOS remixes! Not a fan of Aphrodite's Child 666!
I backed into Aphrodite's Child & "666" after getting lit up by Vangelis' peak '70's solo releases, Albedo 0.39, Heaven & Hell primarily. So some of the "666" was of course a fairly jagged contrast. Let the record show that I DID buy "666" & I still have it, but I doubt that I'll ever play it again. It doesn't suck BUT it's a deliberately "experimental" project that not everyone's gonna be willing to try to warm to. I file it alongside most Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention albums of the '60's & early '70's, "I admire them more than I like them." You're not wrong if you like "666," but I'm not wrong either if I can't (or won't force myself) to try to get on its particular wavelength.Yikes, lots of haters for this release. This was some pretty groundbreaking stuff when it came out in 1972, from a carryover 60s Greek band. The fact that Vangelis could rock out, HARD in some places, and pair with vocal geniuses like Demis Roussos, makes this a very special album IMHO. Precursor of so much of what was to come in prog rock and even film scores. "Babylon", "Aegian Sea", "The Four Horsemen", and 9:20-10:59 & 13:20-19:19 of "All The Seats Were Occupied" (especially 13:50-14:50) some genius-level stuff worthy of appreciation.
Now this blu-ray very clearly states these were just "up mixes" on all the sales pages I saw - not discrete mixes or pure Atmos. So not sure where the "con" vitriol is coming from. To be frank, let's be fair to Vangelis and his estate for getting this release out in the first place. He left us too soon 2 years ago. It was rumored he was working on this project in the last year or so of his life, but probably simply ran out of energy and time. A music hero gone from this Earth, but so glad they are continuing to release some of the final projects, however imperfect. Getting the high quality stereo disc and Greek LP mix is worth the box itself in my opinion (plus all the write-ups and photos), but sorry others don't feel the same way. I'll take the up-mixes too and can always tinker with them myself with the other versions.
As to releasing other works in multi-channel. Yes and YES! I wish someone like Steven Wilson took a liking to the catalog. Too much goodness here to ignore, and would be incredibly suited to the true Atmos treatment. I hope others would welcome and encourage that.
This is Amazon description in FranceNow this blu-ray very clearly states these were just "up mixes" on all the sales pages I saw - not discrete mixes or pure Atmos. So not sure where the "con" vitriol is coming from.
Agree with much of what you said. If only some of that glory catalog could get the true MC treatment. I'd settle for two compilations rather than have someone forge through all of the discography!I backed into Aphrodite's Child & "666" after getting lit up by Vangelis' peak '70's solo releases, Albedo 0.39, Heaven & Hell primarily. So some of the "666" was of course a fairly jagged contrast. Let the record show that I DID buy "666" & I still have it, but I doubt that I'll ever play it again. It doesn't suck BUT it's a deliberately "experimental" project that not everyone's gonna be willing to try to warm to. I file it alongside most Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention albums of the '60's & early '70's, "I admire them more than I like them." You're not wrong if you like "666," but I'm not wrong either if I can't (or won't force myself) to try to get on its particular wavelength.
Here's what I saw (and continue to see) on Amazon right now. Like you said, they just use what they are given.This is Amazon description in France
"Le coffret comprend : l’album remasterisé avec le mixage original, ainsi que la rare version grecque de 1974 (qui présentait des mixages très différents de ceux de l'album original), ainsi qu'un blu-ray comprenant les mixages Atmos & 5.1 et le mixage stéréo, tous supervisés par Vangelis".
Nowhere it says these are upmixes. It says "Atmos and 5.1 mixes with Vangelis supervision".
I discovered about it when opening the box. I send it back. A con, I stand on my description. Amazon description is not invented by Amazon. They use what they are given.
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