1-01. Prologue And Main Titles
1-02. Leon's Voight Kampff Test/Sushi Bar
1-03. Damask Rose
1-04. Spinner Ascent (Los Angeles November 2019)
1-05. Blush Response
1-06. Wait For Me
1-07. Deckard Meets Rachel (Rachel's Voight Kampff Test)
1-08. Rachel's Song
1-09. Tales Of The Future (On The Trail Of Nexus 6)
1-10. Bicycle Riders (Harps Of The Ancient Temples)
1-11. Chew's Eye Lab
1-12. Memories Of Green
1-13. Blade Runner Blues [Extended Version]
1-14. Pris Meets J.R. Sebastian
1-15. One More Kiss, Dear
2-01. Deckard's Dream
2-02. Thinking Of Rachel [Love Theme Different Take]
2-03. Esper Analysis (Animoid Row, Pt. 1)
2-04. Animoid Row, Pt. 2
2-05. Taffey Lewis' Night Club
2-06. Salome's Dance
2-07. Zhora's Retirement
2-08. I Am The Business
2-09. Love Theme [Extended Version]
2-10. I Dreamt Music [Alternate Love Theme]
2-11. Morning At The Bradbury
2-12. The Prodigal Son Brings Death
2-13. Deckard Enters The Bradbury
2-14. Dangerous Days
2-15. Wounded Animals
2-16. Tears In Rain
2-17. Rachel Sleeps
2-18. End Titles [Extended Version]
Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner (adapted from Philip K. Dick's novella Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?) is widely considered to be one of the premier films of the genre. Despite this, the drama that unfolded over the actual production and release of the film seems to often precede the film itself, as Scott's vision was butchered and bastardized by the studio until Blade Runner: Final Cut was released in 2007, in which Scott's definitive version of his existential rumination on humanity was truly realised. Unsurprisingly, composer Vangelis' soundtrack to the film suffered has suffered a similar fate, though is still without an official Final Cut-esque release.
It is all very surprising to me, really, as the soundtrack is actually as good as the film itself and is certainly one of the best scores ever created. For the film, Vangelis created cold, foreboding soundscapes mostly from synthesizers, matching the aural terrain of the film perfectly. In the original release of the soundtrack in 1994, most of the music of the film was noticeable absent. Two more official releases later, the same can be said. This is where we (finally) get to the Esper Edition of Blade Runner OST.
The bootleg Esper Edition purportedly claims to be the most complete of any version of the soundtracks and it is clear to me that this is completely true. Combining songs from various sources (the official soundtracks, other boots, the film itself), this is the quintessentialBlade Runner soundtrack. All of the classics are included: the iconic opening theme "Prologue And Main Titles," the melancholic, saxophone-driven "Love Theme," and many more. My two personal favorites are the extended version of "Blade Runner Blues" and the stunning "Tears In Rain," which is perfectly prefaced by Roy Batty's (played by Rutger Hauer) jaw-dropping final lamentation.
As previously mentioned, the two hours of music collected here comprise one of the best scores ever created. If you are a fan of the film, you NEED to have this. If not, I still recommend you check this out, as it stands on its on as a musical piece, not just a serviceable accompaniment. And my god, those samples. The clips of the film's dialogue no only don't fail, they truly punctuate the sentiment of both the film and the score. As Edward James Olmos' Gaff states at the end of the film "It's too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?"
