Mutant Unveils Acadaemy Award-Winning Composer Michael Giacchino's Album "EXOTIC THEMES FOR THE SILVER SCREEN – VOLUME 1"
MUTANT
We enjoy nothing more than having a nice “Old Fashioned” picking out an album to put on the turntable and chilling to some soundtrack tuneage. It’s a lovely feeling and our friends over at Mutant just sent us some news that has us ready to drop the needle on a new piece of wax.
Now you may be wondering, “This is a horror movie site, why are you talking vinyl?” Well, this new album has a few Sci-fi and horror-related bangers on it that makes the cut.
From the Press Release
Mutant is proud to present Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino's latest album, Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1, featuring iconic scores from Giacchino's extensive portfolio rendered in the retro lounge style of Exotica from the 1950s. Pressed on 2x 140 Gram vinyl and CD, Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 is now available for pre-order at madebymutant.com, and will be released on all streaming platforms, digital retailers, and available for pre-order at independent record stores on July 26.
The first two singles, “LAX” from Lost and “Married Life” from Up, are available on Spotify now.
“This album was inspired by the work of Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny,” says Giacchino. “What would they do with the Star Trek theme? Or video games like Medal of Honor? It was a way for me to play in that world I loved so much growing up. I thought it would be fun to create a fantasy world, where this album was recorded back in 1967 and then lost, only to resurface today.”
The album showcases Giacchino’s unerring talent for melody, stripping down grand symphonies to their essential elements while retaining their aesthetic and emotional core.
“So much was rooted in the big orchestral sound, so it was really about scaling it back. The real trick is figuring out the little fun hooks and things you can add along the way. There were no rules; I was up for anything. It was a way to re-engage with the material and be creative in a new way.”
Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 includes an array of reinterpreted pieces from Michael Giacchino’s career. Highlights include ‘Primordial Forest’ from the 1997 video game The Lost World: Jurassic Park, ‘Life and Death’ from Lost, the ‘Rat Theme’ from Ratatouille, ‘Roar’ from Cloverfield, ‘Enterprising Young Men’ from Star Trek, ‘A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai’ from Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and a Super 8 suite.
What exactly is “Exotic” music anyway though? Well check out this video and it should answer your question. This is some seriously chill music.
“It's no secret that we at Mutant are huge fans of Michael Giacchino,” says Spencer Hickman, Co-Founder of Mutant. “We're excited to release a retrospective of his astonishing three decades as a composer. Rather than just curating a simple compilation of his previous works, Michael went back into the studio, rearranged and re-recorded every major theme from his career. These tracks have been recorded in an Easy Listening style inspired by such greats as Martin Denny and Les Baxter, creating not just a unique and incredible look back at some of the most beloved movie and television themes of the modern age, but also bringing a fresh, exciting take to the beautiful journey he has taken us all on with him. It feels like you are discovering these songs for the very first time: timeless, beautiful, and a joy to listen to. These newly recorded themes transport you to a far-off sunset, looking out at the ocean, complete with a cocktail in hand, providing a much-needed escape from the stress of modern times, and we can all agree that is something we all crave right now.”
Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 spans nearly two decades of Michael Giacchino’s music, from his early video game scores to his television hits and blockbuster films. The album transforms these works through the lens of Exotica, replacing epic strings and thundering drums with vibraphones and marimbas.
Track List
Side One
1. Primordial Forest (The Lost World Jurassic Park)
2. Medal of Honor
3. Bristow and Bristow (Alias)
4. Secret Weapons Over Normandy
5. The Incredibles Suite
6. Take a Hike (Lost)
Side Two
1. Life and Death (Lost)
2. Sky High
3. Space Mountain
4. The Family Stone Waltz (The Family Stone)
5. Le Festin (Ratatouille)
6. Ratatouille
Side Three
1. ROAR! (Cloverfield)
2. Casa Cristo (Speed Racer)
3. Land of the Lost
4. Enterprising Young Men (Star Trek)
6. Married Life (Up)
7. Let Me In
Side Four
1. LAX (Lost)
2. The Turbomater (Cars 2)
3. A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol)
4. Monte Carlo
5. Super 8 Suite
This is an album we will for sure be adding to our collection and we hope you will to. Now sit down in your favorite easy chair, have a drink of your favorite beverage, and chill to the tunes of film, exotic style.
Visit the Mutant official site & social handles for more information:
Website: MadeByMutant.com
Newsletter: MadeByMutant.com/newsletter
Instagram: @MadeByMutant
Twitter: @MadeByMutant
Facebook: @MadeByMutant
TikTok: @MadeByMutant
Stay up to date with “The Dark Side Of Pop Culture” by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.