Blade Runner

Blade Runner was one of the finest sci-fi movies ever made, yet, due to contractual difficulties, Vangelis' moody score was never made available. But here 'tis, with some soundscapes not featured in the film.

For years, the soundtrack to Blade Runner held legendary status among fans of Greek synthesist Vangelis. Except for a few cuts on the Themes compilation, it had never been released on vinyl or CD, although there was an orchestral version of the score. But in 1994, 12 years after Vangelis composed the dark, edgy soundtrack to director Ridley Scott's archetypal science fiction thriller, the music of Blade Runner came out in all its cybernoir glory.

Vangelis couched his electrosymphonic score in percussive rhythms and shadowed timbres. Effectively interpolating dialogue from the film, the CD moves from the threatening tension of "Blush Response" to the ethereal wordless vocal of Mary Hopkin over a water-drop synthesizer sequence on "Rachel's Song." A few tracks, notably "Love Theme" with Dick Morrisey's smarmy saxophone solo, drip with Hollywood sentimentality, but Vangelis quickly wipes that away with the hyperdrive of "Blade Runner (End Titles)." --John Diliberto