Vice – Ben Eastman (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Ben Eastman doesn’t just forge instrumental soundtracks that align their sounds under a chosen theme; he has the ability to transport us to that place or time or scene or setting, and create an utterly convincing sonic backdrop for his chosen subject. Whether exploring the idea of alien contact, wandering the American desert-scapes, or experiencing the thrill of the night and all the unknown terror lurking in its shadows, the music is always transformative, compelling, and unquestionably scene-setting.

This time out, our prolific sonic journeyman turns his attention to the 80s, specifically those soundtracks and theme tunes to its iconic films, its action movies, cop films, buddy stories and noir flicks.

After the “Opening Credits” set the scene in a wonderfully Vangelisian fashion (listen to it and try not to imagine flying cars traversing the neon glow above a futuristic Los Angeles), “Sudden Impact” captures the perfect tone of the era’s film scores, here perhaps following a killer car chase or naval jets dueling above desert canyons, a bubbling yet propulsive synth groove. “Ten to Midnight” then reminds us of how prevalent the mighty saxophone was in such an era’s cinematics, its seductive and scintillating tones sparring with shards of guitar and synth interludes to create a wonderfully punchy dynamic.

“Man or Machine” is full of intrigue and atmosphere, echoing and underlining the excitement of that then-new concept of the robotic warrior via films like “The Terminator” or “Robocop,” a wonderful mix of sensuous, night-time jazz sounds and futuristic spirals of synth, slashes of raw guitar, and ambient background washes.

“Utah, Get Me Two” is a direct quote from perhaps the only surf-crime movie in history, Point Break, an improvised line on the part of Gary Busey, that has gone down in film lore. Again, it is not just a piece that reminds us of that film’s music but, like all the tracks found here, is good enough to be an alternate score in its own right. (After careful placement and editing, taking such a film and replacing its original music with this album would be a fantastic and convincing exercise.)

“Sunset Squad” has all the reflective mood of a final scene play-off, which takes us into the “Ending Credits” and a more complex, more guitar fuelled, gnashing take on those Blade Runner-esque opening sonics.

Ben Eastman doesn’t just offer us nostalgic sounds; he makes us time travel, not just back into that decade’s signature sound, but right into those film settings; such is his ability to capture the mood, momentum, action, and energy of the original.