Vangelis - Blade Runner (Album Review)

 

Vangelis - Blade Runner

(1994)


My copy: 2015 reissue by Warner Music Group and EastWest.


The Ridley Scott directed adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? was released originally in 1982, featuring this fittingly synth-heavy soundtrack from Greek composer Evangelos Papathanassiou (AKA Vangelis). The film is able to extrapolate on themes of the original novel through rich, neon-soaked imagery and dense, emotionally suspenseful music - giving further weight to the idea of artificial humans developing personalities and complex feelings. For its time, the soundtrack must have truly felt like the sound of some esoteric future dystopia, and even now, the music maintains an amazing balance between drama and introspection. 

The first half utilizes movie dialogue frequently to envelop listeners in the film’s pacing, dosing iconic lines on “Main Titles,” etc. with reverb to blend them into the atmosphere of the droning synth bass. Vangelis understands the themes of the film, thus his combining of buzzing, synthetic chords with sparks of smooth melody to muddy the line between machine and human. “Blush Response” picks up a relaxed drum loop with hissing digital cymbals (predating the official Trip-Hop movement), building determination slowly but steadily with breathy saxophone. Jazz is further invoked on “Wait For Me” where icy keys ring over a tribal percussive loop. The layers and sequencing become more calculated, as elements are patiently added one at a time. “Rachel’s Song” is beautifully childlike in its dotted staccato key pinpricks, eventually reverberating into the background under Mary Hopkin’s vocalizing. 

Vangelis did not set out to create something generic; and his clever writing matches the mystery and occasional sense of unease that permeates the film proper. “Love Theme” is awash with sensual chords, but eventually is overpowered by a building dissonance, rising in volume until its romantic spark is once again ignited in the end. “One More Kiss, Dear” was arranged as an homage to a jazz/vocal-pop standard by The Inkwells, and stands out thanks to Peter Skellern’s lyrics and Don Percival’s crooning. 

The second half of the record/film is home to some of its more chaotic and ambitious moments, as is reflected by the soundtrack. “Blade Runner Blues” basks in a strange serenity - one that could only exist in such an odd dystopia. The synth drones represent an underlying dread, and yet gentle chimes expose a mysterious beauty hiding just under the cold, metallic surface. The chilling, warbled piano of “Memories Of Green” is a highlight, with quiet dissonance and assorted digital effects passing by solemnly. “Tales Of The Future” and “Damask Rose” both revel in Eastern scales and instruments, with mystical bells and climaxing foreign vocals. 

The most propulsive action track comes via “Blade Runner (End Titles)” featuring booming percussion that rises to powerful crescendos under steady synth arpeggios. The record so aptly closes with replicant  Roy Batty’s (portrayed excellently by Rutger Hauer) perplexing and iconic speech as rain falls on the surrounding rooftops. 

Blade Runner is an immersive film - and a fair portion of this is owed to the genius soundtrack. Vangelis seemed to understand the core mental conflict of the film extremely well, and understood that nuance was necessary to portray concepts that were much more alien to audiences in 1982 than they are in the current day. Nothing feels overly bombastic, though there are indulgent moments. Fitted with the film, it is a cohesive experience, though the record itself is also a wonderful bath of atmosphere.

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