The new version of Koyaanisqatsi is available for Pre-Order (release date of May 15th) on iTunes (with digital booklet) or Amazon (release date May 19th). This is in my opinion the best and most thorough recording of the score. You can preview never-before-released tracks like "Pruitt-Igoe Coda", "SloMo People" and "Microchip" which add dramatically to the listening experience. While it's true there were small edits to make it fit on a single CD, the reward of listening to this disc (at 76+ minutes) complete with sound-effects, is far superior to the other available recordings. The audio has been remastered, and this is in fact the original soundtrack from the early 1980s and not a re-recording.
5 thoughts on “Koyaanisqatsi (Complete Original Soundtrack)”
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This is way awesome news! Koyaanisqatsi may be my favorite soundtrack ever and I’ve always preferred the original recording. I’m very excited to finally be able to hear a more complete version of the score.
One question: apart from sound effects, is all of the music heard on the disc by Glass? Thanks!
YAAAAHOOOO!!!!!
Does “never-before-released” mean not-released-on-previous-soundtrack-CDs, or are these musical “outtakes” that weren’t heard in the film?
“Does “never-before-released” mean not-released-on-previous-soundtrack-CDs, or are these musical “outtakes” that weren’t heard in the film?”
I doubt it. All of the music that you hear on the film should be on this new issue, and on the 1998 re-recording. Both recordings have to have been slightly shortened down to fit on one CD, which doesn’t affect the essence of the music, due to its high repetitiveness.
My only comment about this is, I thought the 1998 re-recording was supposed to be the ultimate version of this music. The movie being out on DVD, as well as some very old CD versions which left out a lot of the music, and the 1998 re-recording also out, what is the point of releasing yet another version of the music soundtrack? I don’t really see a good reason.
I’d much rather see the release of any of the several Glass pieces (PGE works, operas, concerti, etc.) that have not been released for the first time, such as “Los Paisajes del Rio”, than another release of something we’ve know for years and which apparently offers very little in addition to what is already available.
Esteban, I respectfully disagree with you.
First of all, you are referring to the original CD release of the soundtrack as if it was something ancient and completely useless. It was never fully supplanted by the new release. Many people, myself included consider it to be the difinitive version of the score.
Don’t get me wrong, the 1998 re-release is fantastic (the full version of “Grid” is phenomenal) but it sounds different and the vocals on “Pruit Igoe” don’t have the same effect.
Second, this release DOES contain a lot of new material and for this reason alone it should be most welcome. Let’s not pretend like it doesn’t. And the fact that this new version is probably going to have better audio quality is even more awesome. How is a superior relelease containing nearly twice the music as the original release exactly “pointless”.
Third, ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ righfully remains one of Glass’ most popular works. If it sells well it may only help other releases.
I think all of us here would agree that we would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to see more of Philip’s music released on CDs. I completely understand and share with your passion and frustration. However this doesn’t mean that a superior relase of an older work is pointless.
Call me biased but this particular release makes me very happy 😉 .
P.S. Sorry but I sort of diagree with this also: “which doesn’t affect the essence of the music, due to its high repetitiveness.” A shorter Pruit Igoe would be an INCOMPLETE Pruit Igoe.