EDM for Nerds
COMMENTARY
Hey fellow nerds, I've got some fun news - there's a new Star Wars record.
I'm not talking about The Force Awakens movie soundtrack, which of course has been out for a while, but Star Wars Headspace, a new electronic dance music (EDM) compilation album created by super-producer Rick Rubin.
The US music veteran was given free access to the sound effects and dialogues from the original trilogy, which he then passed out to some exceptional EDM practitioners.
The opening track, C-3PO's Plight by Kaskade, features snippets of dialogue from the anxiety-ridden robot.
TroyBoi's Force uses Darth Vader's heavy breathing and Jabba The Hutt's chuckle to help set the beat.
Ewok Pumpp from Rustie sounds like it comes from a Japanese video game about Ewoks, which is fine.
Rubin himself has tons of fun with NR-G7, in which he makes good use of R2-D2's blips and bloops.
You might think this project sounds really cutting edge and all, but in fact it's not.
After the success of the original Star Wars flick back in 1977, a producer named Meco released an album called Star Wars And Other Galactic Funk, which included a disco version of the Star Wars Main Title Theme.
That song reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts.
The album cover is delightful cheesy, with a guy and gal in purple and orange space suits boogieing at an Art Deco spaceport.
It was the 70s.
I owned that album, and indeed I now own Star Wars Headspace.
One of the most interesting things about the Star Wars movies has always been the music.
I don't think I'm going out on a limb in saying that Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without the stunning scores composed by the great John Williams.
You could probably say that the films owe at least 50 per cent of their popularity to his stellar compositions.
POP CULTURE
The Main Title Theme, the Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme), the Cantina Band number and Princess Leia's Theme are indelibly woven into the fabric of pop culture.
Instantly recognisable, they not only evoke images from the movies themselves, but also memories from our own childhoods.
The music from the Star Wars prequels is also held in high regard by many, though the new stuff from The Force Awakens has left some underwhelmed, except of course for the stirring Rey's Theme.
Why doesn't Kylo Ren have a cool theme?
You know what? I bet Kylo adores EDM.
With his chrome mask, black cape, leather cumberbund and sexy boots, I can totally see him getting down in a space disco somewhere.
Maybe Rubin and Williams can collaborate on something for the guy.
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