16. Vandroid Soundtrack
If you haven’t heard the Vandroid story, then grab a drink and get comfortable. The story goes: the year was 1984. In a windowless warehouse building on the outskirts of Palm Springs, California, an unknown purveyor of grindhouse cinema was beginning principal photography on what would be its last movie ever.
The movie was called VANDROID, a sci-fi action spectacular about a home-made humanoid robot gone awry. According to a press release at the time this hugely ambitious production was set to feature, “fast paced action with audacious stunts, jaw-dropping special effects and a raft of memorable characters – all backed by an atmospheric synth score.
But sadly, VANDROID would not be completed according to plan. A few weeks after filming began, a freak fire raged out of control, destroying the studio. The courts found the owners innocent. Insurance checks were cut. And the masters for the film were lost forever. Only the screenplay and a handful of promotional materials have survived.
Now, thirty years later, VANDROID emerges from the ashes with the release of a restored soundtrack and the publication of a comic book series based on the original screenplay.
Quite a story, then.
Upon inspecting the track list there isn’t any Justice or SebastiAn unfortunately, but that’s ok, I can deal with that, as what you do get is a tour de force of Sci-fi-infused electro and synth-wave courtesy of Mr Flash, Busy P, Krazy Baldhead and Mickey Moonlight. The soundtrack hits its stride with Feadz’s ‘Party‘ which falls somewhere between tropical and 8 bit, if such a place exists, but it’s actually one the album’s highlights. The album includes two tracks that are attributed to 40106, who, judging by the tracks, could well be Oizo, as they have that zany quality about them. The second track, ‘Time Is Running Out‘ is particularly brilliant. Baldhead is on hand once again to get the soundtrack back on it’s Sci-fi footing with the cosmic tones of ‘Romance‘ and ‘Destruction‘. Busy P is then left to finish out the soundtrack with his dystopian ‘Fermeture‘, which blends brittle melodies over scattered percussion.
If you’re looking for some compelling futuristic electronica then you’ve certainly come to the right place as Vandroid’s soundtrack is about as compelling as it gets. And it’s also one of Ed Banger’s most forward-thinking compilations for a while.
Written By Andrew Rafter
