The Chosen Themes: Program II vinyl

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and Maxwell August Croy's Root Strata present this retro inspired imaginary soundtrack, by the Vision Heat project of California-based musician Jared Blum. Said to be "inspired by countless soundtrack compilations and blog mixes of rare, foreign library and VHS music" as well as John Carpenter (naturally!) and Tangerine Dream. There's twenty odd tracks on offer here but they're all quite short, clocking in or around the three minute mark and all appropriate for various scenes. There's the beatless instrumentals for the rolling of the credits ("Vision Heat Logotone #2, "Manhunter"), moments of suspense ("Tonight's The Night", "Final Flight Excerpts 1-4") and of course the love scenes ("A Delicate Love" or "In Cab Reflections"). But it's the scenes at the disco that some might enjoy the most, such as the cheesy and funky "Beatin' The Heat On The Street", the Giorgio Moroder style cosmic disco of "Patrick's Theme" or the rebellious synthpop of "Slogovia's Theme". An impressive and convincing homage to a decade of decadence.