A CLASSIC CASE AMIN BHATIA The Interstellar Suite *****

ISRR8121987, 1987 - REMASTER 2003

When I first heard 'The Interstellar Suite' in 1987, I just could not believe my ears. I love symphonic film music. I love space music. I love science and I love keyboard wizards. It all comes together on this classic album. Amin Bhatia is renowned for his work as a composer of film music (like 'Iron Eagle') and his proficiency with musical equipment. 'The Interstellar Suite' has been described as a kind of follow-up to 'TRON' or a soundtrack for a future 'Star Wars' movie. I could not agree more. The album was released on the Cinema Label, a division of Capitol, which has also released works by the likes of Patrick Moraz, Michael Hoenig and Pete Bardens, but it has not been available for long. Now I have the remastered version before me, which features several extended tracks as well as a new booklet with lots of information. As a kind gesture to the orchestra, Bhatia didn't take any samples of symphonic instruments to create his classical sound but used emulations synthesized by instruments like the Roland JX10 and Yamaha TX816 instead. Because of this, his music is reminiscent of albums like 'Cords'. 'Audion' and 'The Jupiter Menace' by Synergy, 'Digital Moonscapes' by Wendy Carlos and the works of Isao Tomita. The album as a whole is structured like a symphony, with recurring themes and marches. These are accompanied by space sounds and voices from space missions. Some of these tracks are absolutely brilliant, like 'The Ship: Main Theme' and 'Launch: Mission Control and Liftoff/Weightless/Retrieving A Satellite', which Tomita himself could not have done better, and the romantic 'Distress Signal: The Beacon/A Damaged Ship/The Loneliness of Space', which is an extended version of the original piece. Near the end of 'Finale: Theme Reprise/March' a fascinating new (or newer) choral section was added, which could have been a part from one of the soundtracks to the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy or - again - the next 'Star Wars' movie. I for one hope there will be a follow-up to 'The Interstellar Suite'. info: www.interstellarsuite.com

Paul Rijkens/E-dition Magazine, April 2004