Vortex ~ France

Les Cycles de Thanatos (1979)

Now here's a group, and an album, that I had almost no recollection of. I bought the CD the year before I started taking more diligent notes about my collection. And I acquired the LP almost a decade before that. But I haven't revisited either album since. Let's tackle Les Cycles de Thanatos since it was chosen randomly.

The album opens up like a highly structured and composed jazz fusion album. The playing is very tight and complex, and expert musicianship abounds. One expects music like this to be charted, though unlike many bands in the avant prog space, this album both swings and rocks. I mention avant prog, a posthumous designation, as Vortex would not have known that term, nor were they are part of the ancestor Rock In Opposition movements at the time. They did play, however, with other adventurous French and Belgian groups of the day such as Art Zoyd, Univers Zero, Xalph, Yochk'o Seffer, and Uppsala. And those collectives provide an idea of the music found here. While the first side rocks out, the second goes in more for chamber orchestra composition. Both Art Zoyd and Univers Zero become more obvious references. At 25 minutes, the duration of this side can be a bit trying if not in the mood for intellectual listening. Fortunately they rock out towards the end that relieves the foreboding tension. And provides some Zeuhl sounds not prevalent elsewhere.

The CD adds two bonus tracks that take us back to Side 1 of Les Cycles de Thanatos, though it remains unclear the source of these recordings. We are left to presume from the same session.

Ownership:
1979 FLVM (LP)

2003 Le Triton (CD) with Vortex (1975). Booklet with lengthy historical notes in French and an abridged version in English. Many photos and two bonus tracks from this era.

1994 (LP acquired); 2003 (CD acquired); 1/19/26 (review)

Also own and need to review Vortex (1975).

1/19/26 (new entry)