Record Review - Spirit Of Akasha (Soundtrack) / MOTE Reimagined

Published in the February issue of Rolling Stone (January 2014).

Various

Spirit Of Akasha Soundtrack

Warner Music Australia

4 / 5 

Various

Morning Of The Earth Reimagined

Warner Music Australia

3 / 5 

A little over forty years ago, Albert Falzon released the now seminal surf flick, Morning Of The Earth. It was a film which captured hearts and minds the world over, due in no small part to its soundtrack. Given the film contained no dialogue or narration, it was the music that told the story, painting a vivid picture alongside the images themselves.

Four decades later, and fellow filmmaker Andrew Kidman has done the same thing, a homage of sorts, with Spirit Of Akasha. Its soundtrack serves the same purpose, and Kidman (whose band, The Windy Hills, offer opening track, ‘To Be Young’), has brought together a stellar cast of artists to contribute to this second coming.

Brian Wilson’s instrumental, ‘In My Moondreams’, is a standout, all shimmery guitars and wordless harmonies; Grouplove contribute ‘Drifting On A Daydream’, a pop-infused gem, pure summer; Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s ‘Starcrossed Lonely Sailor’, a warm, ‘70s sound to it, burns strong. Elsewhere, Matt Corby, Dirty Three, Xavier Rudd and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy feature, as do a host of others over this two-disc set, including original soundtrack staples Tim Gaze and Brian Cadd, dueting on ‘Dancing Through The Air’ – an incredible soundtrack to a stellar film.

As a companion piece, Warner have also seen fit to commission a reimagining of the original MOTE soundtrack, performed by a slew of modern bands. Mick Turner takes the theme, ‘Morning Of The Earth’, stripped back and subtle; Goons Of Doom tackle Ticket’s ‘Awake’, livening it up somewhat; while Tamam Shud’s epic ‘Sea The Swells’ is taken under wing by Kidman and the Windys. It’s never going to be as good, or have the impact the original did, but a fine companion none the less.

Samuel J. Fell

Akasha Soundtrack

4/5

Key Tracks: Drifting On A Daydream, Starcrossed Lonely Sailor, What The Devil Has Made

MOTE Reimagined

3/5

Key Tracks: Morning Of The Earth, Sea The Swells, Simple Ben