Famous Greek music composer Vangelis (full name Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou) has passed away. He died at the age of 79 in a hospital in France where he was being treated.

If you loved synth work and the music of Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire, you know who he is. Vangelis won an Oscar for his work in Chariots of Fire. The show’s main theme is so popular, it’s been used in commercials and played in malls at one point in the late 80s and 90s.

His work on the movie The Bounty, Francesco, and Alexander were also noteworthy, but his iconic contribution is the synth work and moody sci-fi soundtrack for Blade Runner. Saxophones, ambient passages that soothe the ear but also keep it tense, dark synth notes: it’s a soundtrack fit for a noir sci-fi film set in a dystopian future where humans live awkwardly with robots.

“My music does not try to evoke emotions like joy, love, or pain from the audience. It just goes with the image, because I work in the moment.”

Rest in peace, Vangelis, and thank you for your epic contributions to sci-fi and pop culture.