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Music

Pilotpriest’s Tron homage

The release of Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy score (read the review here) serves as a reminder that sci-fi films have a long and rich history of merging the classical with the computerized.

With that in mind, NOW asked Toronto-based producer and remixer Pilotpriest (a.k.a. Anthony Burns) to create an exclusive mix inspired by classic science fiction movie soundtracks. An avid and sci-fi cinephile, Burns immediately agreed and set about creating the Master Control Program mix, a dizzying, 40-minute tribute to the synthesizer’s contribution to cinema.

The mix blends recent and unreleased Pilotpriest music, with Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy score, Vangelis’ Blade Runner score, the music of English avant-garde group Throbbing Gristle and classical works by Polish composer Krzystof Penderecki that have featured in director Stanley Kubrick’s films.

In fact, Burns – who is also one third of the directing collective Common Good – is such a fan of movie music he says the next Pilotpriest album is inspired by the film scores that he grew up listening to.

“All my favorite soundtracks contain synths and a dark eroticism to their themes,” he says. “I am obsessed with scores that can truly stir emotion on their own. The biggest mistake of Ridley Scott’s career (he’s had more and more of them recently), was re-editing Legend without the Tangerine Dream score.”

“Obviously, I completely love the Blade Runner score by Vangelis,” Burns adds. “It’s so cheesy, yet it can grip you and bring tears to your eyes.”

The name Pilotpriest should be familiar to hardcore Daft Punk fans and Tron-philes alike.

In January, rapper Kanye West mistook his song Body Double (track number two on the Master Control Program mix) for a Daft Punk Tron cut and posted it on his blog. Burns still doesn’t know how Yeezy first heard the song, but it wasn’t his only bit of work to find it’s way on to an A-list producer’s hard drive.

Earlier this year, producers DJ Ammo andPoet Name Life heard his remix of Toronto band Lioness’ single You’re My Heart and sampled its piano intro for Kelis’ summer banger 4th of July (Fireworks), a track featured on her recent Flesh Tone album.

“It really felt good to know others enjoyed the music enough to work with it, but it hasn’t changed my ‘profile’ in the business at all,” he says of the exposure. “The best thing to come out of that mix-up was an audience for my music. It really put my sound out there, and I’m really thankful for that.”

TRON Legacy – Master Control Program Mix by Pilotpriest

Download Pilotpriest’s Master Control Program mix for NOW here.

1. Intro: Excerpt from St.Luke’s Passion – Krzystof Penderecki

2. Body Double – Pilotpriest

3. The Son of Flynn – Daft Punk

4. Night Beat – Thomas Bangalter

5. Thief – Pilotpriest (unreleased)

6. Armoury – Daft Punk

7. Le petite fille de la mer – Vangelis

8. Streets of Fire – Pilotpriest (unreleased)

9. Solar Sailer – Daft Punk

10. Excerpt from Reqiuem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano – Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

11. Hot on the Heels of Love – Throbbing Gristle

12. Manhunter – Pilotpriest (Yongeblood Remix)

13. Creation du monde – Vangelis

14. The Black Hole (theme from MTV) – Pilotpriest (unreleased)

15. End of Line – Daft Punk (Greetings Programs Remix)

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