MIRACLE MILE (OST)

Soundtracks can be very bad like "3 O'clock High" or masterpieces like "Blade Runner". Without being a masterpiece they can improve the movie's quality like the OST of Highlander, the one that includes the orchestral parts written by Michael Kamen other than the songs of the Queen.

This "n"th TD soundtrack could have improved the movie experience, but I haven't seen it so I can't say, but it luckily doesn't belong to first or the second categories.

As often happens with soundtracks there are no long pieces and the longest track is just above 5 minutes, but this is true Tangerine Dream music. Since the starter "Teetering Scales" the sound is full of the typical square waves. The influence of the 80s is still perceivable in the melodies but this album gives the impression of a return to a good shape of what has become a duo after Franke's leaving.

As in all the TD production of the 80s I see occasional contact points with Peter Bardens' solo productions but it's probably a consequence of the sounds standardization happened in the 80s.

Froese applies a bit of distortion to his guitar that can be heard on "After The Call" and " on "People In The News". There is a highly melodic piece, maybe too melodic, like "On The Spur Of The Moment", which features "Doh" and "Ooh" sounds just to enter the electro-funky world with the bass line of "All Of A Dither". This is like fishing the few good things available in the 80s from a sea of garbage.

"Final Statement" was probably functional to some movie situation as it's very atmospheric. We can hear a classical influence. The 'dim' chords remind to Mahler's 3rd symphony that was soundtrack to Visconti's "Death in Venice". Similar mood. "In Julie's Eyes" starts very electronic but goes slightly in minor and diminished chords restoring the classical mood of the previous track. "Running Out Of Time" with the deep bass over the drone drums is one of the best tracks, also this reminding of the Pete Bardens of Seen One Earth. "If It's All Over" has a bit of Vangelis but reprises what is now clearly the main theme: the diminished chords of Final Statement.

"People In The News" is the most rocking track, between Jarre and the Vangelis of "The City". Froese's guitar is back again. Finally "Museum Walk" closes the album with major chords and "ooh"s. I think it was on the end titles as it's a bit different from the other tracks (and a bit less good, too).

So even if it's one more of the many soundtracks released in the 80s, this is not a bad one, not too distant from the classic TD even if very far from Phedra , of course.

3 stars are my rating.