Do you like synth scores?
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RUNAWAY….the Goldsmith score that even Goldsmith fans have issues with.
I think I sampled it years and years ago, but have no memory of it now.
If you mean RUNAWAY, Goldsmith stated that it was composed like an orchestral score, but with synthesizers in mind. It was not done with synths instead of an orchestra, but specifically written like an orchestral score, but orchestrated for synthesizers.
Yes, I know that and exactly this is what feels a little clashing to me.
What I especially like about RUNAWAY are the set action pieces. It’s rare that electronic music sounds so “aggressive”.
My review of Daniel Lopatin’s MARTY SUPREME, which I’ve raved about elsewhere.
Currently playing through the three soundtracks that I own of British duo Toydrum, which is made up of ex-UNKLE members. They are PREVENGE, FUTURE WORLD and DEEP WATER. Well worth giving a shot for fellow synth score fans. It’s not trip hop like UNKLE, but never TOO pretty either. Shoegaze, indie, fuzz, maybe a little bit of vaporwave. Walks that line between experimental and accessible that I like.
…and on to CHALLENGERS, my favourite score of 2024. The best thing Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross ever did. I think I prefer the Boys Noize mix album, though, just slightly. Any other fans? Or opinions on the work of Reznor & Ross in general?
Vincent Watts appeared on my radar with this delightful synth score from 2014. Then I had to wait almost a decade until he appeared on it again, with his equally fine score for WHO KILLED THE KLF? (2023), where he weaves organically in and out of the music by The KLF.
Never heard of that score. But I recently stumbled on Mark Isham’s nice TV score SKETCH ARTIST (1992) which I have on the Varese CD since the 90s as a bargain buy I think. It’s mostly synth with some guitars. Someone uploaded the whole thing with jump marks. “Jack And Ray” and the end title “A New Day” are probably a good start:
Thanks, I’ve never really checked out SKETCH ARTIST. With my relatively newfound love (well, some 15 years worth, anyway) of Isham, it’s time I do so.
Are any of you familiar with the French trio Zombie Zombie? They entered my radar with their two marvelous scores for IRRÉPROCHABLE (2016) and L’HEURE DE LA SORTIE (2019), reviewed here. Definitely shades of John Carpenter (they’ve also done a Carpenter covers album), lots of retro synths. A guy on Bandcamp describes their music thusly, which I thought was quite fitting: “So, imagine Kraftwerk got bit by Zombie Michael Jackson from Thriller while working on Autobahn, then relocated to Paris where on Halloween night Snake Plissken shot up their studio and all their equipment got stuck on double speed.”
If interested, do check out the scores I mentioned, or their catalogues on Spotify and Bandcamp.
I don’t know many synth scores but the ones that somehow stood out to me while watching the movie are Chariots Of Fire, Blade Runner, Furyo (not full-on synth though) and Never Cry Wolf.
And even when you understandably are tired of Chariots Of Fire, watching the ‘men running on the beach’ scene together with Vangelis’ famous theme, you still have to admit it’s sheer cinematic genius.
I always thought you were heavily into this stuff, Alex, not just a handful? But maybe it’s mostly non-film music electronic music (and of a certain age) you’re into?
I was really into it during my teens and when synths were a revelation. Electronic music was big in the ’70s with radio stations having programs dedicated solely to electronic music. But even then it was mostly Vangelis or Kraftwerk that I truly admired (the same way that you admired JMJ). Never liked Klause Schulze or Tangerine Dream (bought several albums which were OK at best). And when it came to scores, I was more into John Williams.
Oh, talking about Jarre, I forgot to mention Witness and The Mosquito Coast, though I only know them from watching the movies.
I think it was Falkirkbairn who alerted me to this synth gem from 2022. Shades of Jarre here and there, but mostly its own thing. Music by Michael Chambers and Rob Willey – previously unknown to me.
I’ve whittled the insane running time down to a smokin’ 52 minutes across the three discs. Hardhitting darkwave, lots of this, for an animated show based on the videogame, but regular synthwave otherwise. Perhaps not as enthralling as the videogame predecessors FAR CRY 3: BLOOD DRAGON and TRIALS OF THE BLOOD DRAGON, but still great. Funky stuff!
Remake of a Norwegian series, actually. A fine synth score by three different composers (each with their own section). Rob’s is predictably solid, Nousdeuxtheband’s stuff the greatest surprise here, and Sabin’s stuff the least interesting (but he did well a couple of years later, with DRONE). A few words here.
When whittled down to 40 minutes, it’s a pretty solid album. Wrote a few words about it here.
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