OMG! Audio Fidelity have just released the 180 gram double translucent blue vinyl 2014 remastered release of Wendy Carlos’ score to the 1982 sci-fi film 'Tron' ... and it's AMAZING!

Aside from the fact it's a 180 gram double translucent blue vinyl - did I already mention that?! - the iconic double album has always been a favorite of mine since it was released. Indeed, I still have the original vinyl LP of this terrific score upstairs in my collection - but it ain't 180 gram double translucent blue vinyl, that I can assure you!

But this new 2014 one is and considering Disney's pioneering 1982 effort in computer animation had once only garnered a small but devoted cult audience, these days the movie itself (with this delicious soundtrack attached, of course) has a massive cult following.

'TRON' tells the story of hacker/arcade owner Kevin Flynn, who is digitally transformed into a data stream by a villainous software pirate known as Master Control and reconstituted into the internal 3-D graphical world of computers. It's there, in the ultimate blazingly colorful, geometrically intense landscape of cyberspace, that Flynn joins forces with Tron to outmaneuver the Master Control program that holds them captive in the equivalent of a gigantic, infinitely challenging computer game.

Remastered by Kevin Gray and Michael Fremer at Cohearant Mastering, this new 2014 version comes with a beautiful, and highly distinctive gatefold jacket. Audio Fidelity have also numbered them, although I honestly don't know what the cut off number is, sorry.

It also includes colorful photos from the popular cult film and generous and informative liner notes written by the composer - Wendy Carlos ('A Clockwork Orange' and 'The Shining') - as well as music maven, Michael Fremer who, at the time, served as the film’s soundtrack supervisor.

The original release had more than 50 minutes of music performed by a 108-piece London Philharmonic Orchestra. This release includes three (3) bonus tracks along with two (2) songs, 'Only Solutions' and the rock guitar-driving instrumental, '1990′s Theme' provided by Journey; one of America’s best selling and most beloved bands ... both then AND now!

Track listing:
1. Creation of Tron
2. Only Solutions (performed by Journey)
3. We’ve Got Company
4. Wormhole
5. Ring Game and Escape
6. Water, Music, and Tronaction
7. Tron Scherzo
8. Miracle and Magician
9. Magic Landings
10. Theme From Tron
11. 1990′s Theme (performed by Journey)
12. Love Theme
13. Tower Music / Let Us Pray
14. The Light Sailer
15. Sea of Simulation
16. A New Tron and the MCP
17. Anthem
18. Ending Titles
19. Tronaction (original version)
20. Break In (For Strings, Flutes, and Celesta)
21. Anthem for Keyboard Solo

Interestingly enough, Composer Wendy Carlos has also gone to great lengths over the years to explain why some of the recordings (soundtracks and otherwise) of the early to mid-80's may not be able to be heard again.

As Wendy explains, "Ampex introduced another even higher output oxide, with a newly formulated binder as well, that exacted a deadly curse upon all who used it. Of course it wasn't realized at first, it took a few years. The new binder was no longer the stable, inert formulation it had been. The supplier of the new batches had inadvertently allowed many short molecules, much shorter than before, to dominate the mix. These are very hygroscopic molecules, which simply means they absorb water readily, right out of the air."

"The water causes a change in the state of the binder -- it becomes a semi-liquid, and migrates from behind and in between the oxide particles, gluing them together and to the backing, up to the front oxide surface, where in its softened state it acts as a pretty effective glue, sticking to heads, guides, leader tape, fingers, rat hairs and floor sweeping... all the things you don't want attached to your magnetic tape surfaces, which ought be smooth, dry, clean, and slippery!"

So there you have it, all of you out there wondering why 'The Dark Crystal' and perhaps even 'The Black Hole' soundtracks have never been released thus far!

www.Disney.com