Iasos was a musician whose 1975 album “Inter-Dimensional Music” was one of the early examples of New Age music.
- Died: January 6, 2024 (Who else died on January 6?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 76.
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Iasos’s legacy
Born in Greece, Iasos came to the U.S. with his family as a child and studied music. Relocating from upstate New York to Berkeley, California, in the late 1960s, he became involved in the local psychedelic music scene. Around this time, Iasos said he began hearing music in his head, which he began calling “paradise music” or “interdimensional music.” He said he believed the music was transmitted directly to him by a being on another plane of existence.
Iasos began making his own music, inspired by the music in his head. His early technique used electronic effects on acoustic instruments, and he later began using synthesizers. His debut album, “Inter-Dimensional Music,” became a classic of New Age and ambient music. Later albums included “Crystal Love,” “Jeweled Space,” “Realms of Light,” and his most recent release, 2023’s “Garden of Salathooslia.” In addition to releasing his own music, Iasos played electric flute on Steven Halpern’s genre-defining New Age album “Spectrum Suite.”
In a 1989 study on near-death experiences, participants were played several pieces of music and asked which sounded closest to music they heard during their near-death experience. Participants chose Iasos’ “The Angels of Comfort” by a significant margin.
Notable quote
“[N]o matter how ‘vague’ my original inspiration might be, I KNOW – with 100% ABSOLUTE conviction and certainty – that, as long as I keep FOCUSING my MIND on my intentions, eventually, all the details materialize and eventually become actual SOUND. Always. Always. ALWAYS.” —from a 2020 interview for It’s Psychedelic Baby magazine
Tributes to Iasos
Full obituary: Pitchfork
