Audio Fidelity has released a limited edition virgin vinyl release of the Wendy Carlos soundtrack to the 1982 sci fi film Tron.
Carlos’s score combined electronic elements, played on Moog and GDS synthesizers, with orchestral elements, performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the UCLA Chorus. The fusion of elements worked well with the film, which paired live action with early computer animation.
Audio Fidelity specializes in audiophile releases, and they give Tron the deluxe treatment, delivering just about everything that soundtrack fans might want.
While the original release was cut to fit onto one LP, the new release features two LPs in a gatefold jacket. The LPs are pressed on gorgeous 180g translucent blue vinyl, which fits perfectly with the visual design of the film.
The album has been remastered for the new release. This, combined with the additional physical space allowed by spreading the album across two LPs, means that this is the best vinyl release Tron has ever had and is ever likely to get.
Inside the gatefold are liner notes by Carlos and soundtrack supervisor Michael Fremer. Carlos offers her take on the creation of the Tron score, and also explains the background of some tracks that didn’t make it onto the original album release. Fremer gives some of the technical background for the soundtrack, including why Carlos was chosen to score it and some of the tough decisions that had to be made along the way.
True to the original, the new pressing features two tracks by Journey, a vocal track, Only Solutions, and a rock instrumental, 1990’s Theme. While a lot of Carlos fans would probably have preferred to have an album dedicated purely to her soundtrack, the decision to include the Journey tracks may be essential to fans that grew up with the film.
All in all, the new Audio Fidelity release of Wendy Carlos’s Tron soundtrack is a welcome, classy release.
Expect the Audio Fidelity release to have limited availability. It’s currently listed as ‘coming Summer 2014’ at their site, priced at US $49.99.
Tracks:
SIDE 1
1-Creation Of TRON
2-Only Solutions – Journey
3-We’ve Got Company
4-Wormhole
5-Ring Game And Escape
6-Water, Music, And Tronaction
SIDE 2
1-TRON Scherzo
2-Miracle and Magician
3-Magic Landings
4-Theme From TRON
5-1990’s Theme – Journey
6-Love Theme
SIDE 3
1-Tower Music – Let Us Pray
2-The Light Sailer
3-Sea Of Simulation
SIDE 4
1-A New TRON And The MCP
2-Anthem
3-Ending Titles
Tempting! Not bought any vinyl for 20-odd years!
I used to have blue vinyl as a kid! It was an album by the Smurfs. True story.
Sweet! Audio Fidelity are the same guys that remastered and reissued the Blade Runner OST!
I saw that red vinyl release, but was put off by the price. Is it worth the money?
Nah, red vinyl doesn’t come close to blue when it comes to fidelity.
Unless you’re color blind – then they all sound the same!
Hey – colour deafness!
Came to check out the blue, stayed for red. To be honest, the TRON soundtrack is ballsy, but there’s only really 2 tracks I like on it, and it’s all a bit disjointed when considered as an album on the whole.
The Blade Runner soundtrack I could listen to over, and over, and over… well that’s about it, after 4 even I probably would succumb to the saxophone cheese 🙂
Vinyl? wtf?
It’s so inferior to any form of digital storage but maybe 8bit.
What is wrong with people that they despise modern technology?
go out the fucking way man
Vinyl sounds great, and a lot of people enjoy the tactility of holding an actual album, and enjoy the packaging. A vinyl album inhabits your home, whereas digital files have no physical presence, and can basically be lost and forgotten about on a disc drive that holds thousands of “tracks”. Some people just like the experience of handling records and turntables.
Why go to a live show, when the digital file sounds better, and costs less, right? (sarc)
What I DO miss is the great artwork, which translates for sh*te as a CD sleeve. You can get better jpg versions online, but its still a -1 sort of experience.
Inferior in some areas (fidelity (depending on the digital format), portability, compatibility…)
Far superior in other areas (novelty, enjoyment, activity, people not jumping through every track on an album in 2 minutes because they don’t actually like the songs, they just want to show you how great their taste in music is… etc.)
Where can I buy the MP3?
At http://www.wendycarlos.com, the opening plate states that most of her titles are in distribution limbo, which is a shame. She’s one of those rare renaissance people who not only composes, but explores a variety of other areas. Read the bio. People always think of “Switched-On Bach” first, but you can’t really take in the breadth of her talents until you’ve heard the less-lauded works like “Sonic Seasonings” (basically the first serious ambient nature-&-synth album), “By Request” and the deep eeriness of the soundtrack to “The Shining.” Her “TRON” work stacks up well with things like Jerry Goldsmith’s use of synths in “Explorers.” This is a boutique/collector’s buy, but the music itself is like a primer on How To Do It. C’mon, somebody take up her catalog.
It’s astonishing (but not surprising) that one of the greatest modern composers has trouble getting a distributor. I expect Beethoven had the same problem – “Well, it’s okay Ludwig, but riff-based music is on the way out.” “What’s that Johann Sebastian? I’m sorry, it’s too prog for us.”