Jon & Vangelis Essentials

Jon & Vangelis are a super-duo with an unassailable progressive-rock pedigree: Jon Anderson sang for Yes, and Vangelis is a synthesiser pioneer. After sporadic collaborations in the '70s, the two officially joined up in 1980 with Short Stories. Their first single, “I Hear You Now”, is sweetly understated synth-pop whose streamlined shape befits its single-take origins; by 1981's “The Friends of Mr. Cairo”, the two were experimenting with far more elaborate melodies and structures. On the hypnotic “He Is Sailing”, they home in on a rich, buzzing drone of layered synths and vocoder, to heavenly effect.