Yanni - Keys To Imagination (1986)

Yanni's 1986 debut release for Private Music remains one of his most striking works. Created in the vinyl era and thus clocking in at a modest 39 minutes, Keys to Imagination nevertheless captures some of Yanni's most expansive, chest-thumping efforts. While some of the electronic voicings used here are beginning to sound faintly dated, Yanni brings his own brand of propulsive, classical-edged thunder to the familiar prog-rock tactic of tension followed by release. The slow-building, Middle Eastern-flavored title track, for instance, circles overhead like a mysterious raven while you explore a deep, narrow desert canyon. In a flash, a torrent of sound roars through the chasm and sweeps you away in a flood of sonic fury. It may not be a perfect record, but it is an entertaining one. --Terry Wood