Mutant released a new album of iconic Michael Giacchino scores, Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1, on CD today. Fans can currently download the album on MP3 and a vinyl release will follow on November 1.

The scores from Giacchino’s extensive portfolio rendered in the retro lounge style of Exotica from the 1950s. It was released digitally back in July with pre-orders beginning on July 26 for physical media. All of his iconic themes are here with new arrangements and new recordings.

“It’s no secret that we at Mutant are huge fans of Michael Giacchino,” says Spencer Hickman, Co-Founder of Mutant. “We’re excited to release a retrospective of his astonishing three decades as a composer. Rather than just curating a simple compilation of his previous works, Michael went back into the studio, rearranged and re-recorded every major theme from his career. These tracks have been recorded in an Easy Listening style inspired by such greats as Martin Denny and Les Baxter, creating not just a unique and incredible look back at some of the most beloved movie and television themes of the modern age, but also bringing a fresh, exciting take to the beautiful journey he has taken us all on with him. It feels like you are discovering these songs for the very first time: timeless, beautiful, and a joy to listen to. These newly recorded themes transport you to a far-off sunset, looking out at the ocean, complete with a cocktail in hand, providing a much-needed escape from the stress of modern times, and we can all agree that is something we all crave right now.”

Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 spans nearly two decades of Michael Giacchino’s music, from his early video game scores to his television hits and blockbuster films. The album transforms these works through the lens of Exotica, replacing epic strings and thundering drums with vibraphones and marimbas.

“This album was inspired by the work of Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny,” says Giacchino. “What would they do with the Star Trek theme? Or video games like Medal of Honor? It was a way for me to play in that world I loved so much growing up. I thought it would be fun to create a fantasy world, where this album was recorded back in 1967 and then lost, only to resurface today.”

According to Mutant, the album is a showcase for Giacchino’s unerring talent for melody, stripping down grand symphonies to their essential elements while retaining their aesthetic and emotional core.

“So much was rooted in the big orchestral sound, so it was really about scaling it back. The real trick is figuring out the little fun hooks and things you can add along the way. There were no rules; I was up for anything. It was a way to re-engage with the material and be creative in a new way.”

Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 includes the following reinterpreted pieces from Michael Giacchino’s career:

• Primordial Forest (The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• Medal of Honor
• Bristow and Bristow (Alias)
• Secret Weapons Over Normandy
• The Incredibles Suite
• Take a Hike (Lost)
• Life and Death (Lost)
• Sky High
• Space Mountain
• The Family Stone Waltz (The Family Stone)
• Le Festin (Ratatouille)
• Ratatouille
• ROAR! (Cloverfield)
• Casa Cristo (Speed Racer)
• Land of the Lost
• Enterprising Young Men (Star Trek)
• Married Life (Up)
• Let Me In
• LAX (Lost)
• The Turbomater (Cars 2)
• A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol)
• Monte Carlo
• Super 8 Suite

Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 is now available on CD.

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