# Johann's Blade Runner is out!



## D Halgren (Aug 12, 2021)




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## ptram (Aug 13, 2021)

A vitrified-sand-hot music, as suspended in a dust-foggy atmosphere, with the same extremely slow pace and the same non-unsleashed tension of the movie. Disturbingly dark, as if told by the good and fearful Sapper Morton and by the bad and fearless Luv.

The blending element that I find sorely missing from that masterwork.

Paolo


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## jeremiahpena (Aug 15, 2021)

After listening to the album a few times, based off the music and the title of the first track (Head Full of Mush, a pretty good summary of K's mental state at this scene), I had a hunch and tried lining up the music to the Sea Wall scene near the end of the film. And I'm stunned by how well it fits. Here's the clip with the music replaced: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dm8xagvrvvvwk6i/BR2049Johannsson.mov?dl=0

Of course there's no way of knowing for sure, but it's at least a taste of what a Jóhannsson Blade Runner could have been like.


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## ptram (Aug 15, 2021)

jeremiahpena said:


> tried lining up the music to the Sea Wall scene near the end of the film. And I'm stunned by how well it fits.


Fabulously modern. It's abstract, not tied to the deepest frequencies, atmospheric, ice-cold. There is a word, in Italian, describing what I feel ('algido'), that is not exactly 'cold', but something with no mass, no weight. Don't know how to translate it into English.

I don't know, maybe it was too 'unheard' to please the producers?

Paolo


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## dcoscina (Aug 15, 2021)

Very hypnotic. I like it. Very different approach than the original Vangelis outing which I admire.


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## Niah2 (Aug 15, 2021)

Very cool and different from what I expected. Curious how you guys know that this is the rejected score to Blade Runner 2049, is it confirmed?


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## Ray Cole (Aug 15, 2021)

Thanks for posting this! I'm listening now and my first impression is that Johannsson's music has the tension, the high tech atmosphere, and some of the sadness of the Vangelis score for the original movie. It's leaner, though, without the luxurious decadence of Vangelis's music. But the sequel film is also less luxuriously decadent, so this may be intentional and appropriate. I hope we get an official release in a lossless format.


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## D Halgren (Aug 15, 2021)

Niah2 said:


> Very cool and different from what I expected. Curious how you guys know that this is the rejected score to Blade Runner 2049, is it confirmed?


In the YouTube comments the official channel says that they 'can neither confirm or deny' with a wink emoji. Plus, just the sound and feel of it


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## D Halgren (Aug 15, 2021)

For the record, I love and own Hans and Ben's soundtrack. This would have been a much different film. Interesting how much of the feel would have changed.


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## Hans-Peter (Aug 15, 2021)

Watching the sequence with Johannsons score, I much prefer his version over the RC one. Perhaps I would have ended up liking the movie better … actually, most likely.

Oh, and this is so obviously Blade Runner. It feels related to the original, but stands very much on it’s own foundations! Love the vibe of this evolution.


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## goalie composer (Aug 15, 2021)

jeremiahpena said:


> After listening to the album a few times, based off the music and the title of the first track (Head Full of Mush, a pretty good summary of K's mental state at this scene), I had a hunch and tried lining up the music to the Sea Wall scene near the end of the film. And I'm stunned by how well it fits. Here's the clip with the music replaced: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dm8xagvrvvvwk6i/BR2049Johannsson.mov?dl=0
> 
> Of course there's no way of knowing for sure, but it's at least a taste of what a Jóhannsson Blade Runner could have been like.


That. Was. Awesome. 
Thanks for sharing that.


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## Sunny Schramm (Aug 15, 2021)

D Halgren said:


> In the YouTube comments the official channel says that they 'can neither confirm or deny' with a wink emoji. Plus, just the sound and feel of it


sounds much more "horroresque" to me.


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## Toecutter (Aug 16, 2021)

To give JJ the boot was one of the greatest crimes against film and dumbest moves in recent memory. don't know what they were thinking playing safe with RC but THIS is the music BR2049 deserved imo. 

Still pisses me off
“The thing I will say is that making movies is a laboratory. It’s an artistic process. You cannot plan things. Jóhann Jóhannsson is one of my favorite composers alive today. He’s a very strong artist,” “But the movie needed something different, and I needed to go back to something closer to Vangelis. Jóhan and I decided that I will need to go in another direction — that’s what I will say. I hope I have the chance to work with him again because I think he’s really a fantastic composer.”

Iceland Review reported last month that Jóhannsson is contractually forbidden from commenting, meaning we may not hear his side of the story anytime soon."









‘Blade Runner 2049’ Soundtrack: Denis Villeneuve Finally Reveals Why Jóhann Jóhannsson Left the Project


The three previously collaborated on “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” and “Arrival.”




www.indiewire.com





We need a Johann's cut!


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## IvanP (Aug 16, 2021)

It works very well indeed with the scene at moments (thanks for putting that), and Johann's music is truly amazing...But IMHO it doesn't feel like a Blade Runner Sequel. It feels like great Sci-Fi, just not Blade Runner, another movie for sure. 

Here's one preferring Hans' version


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## dylanmixer (Aug 16, 2021)

Johann was one of my favorite composers. I would have loved to see a version of BR2049 with his score. With that being said, I still think HZ and Benjamin knocked it out of the park. I love the score that is in the film (even own it on Vinyl). Let's not compare apples to oranges here and just appreciate that we can listen to his take. RIP, king.


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## Brainfed (Aug 18, 2021)

Wow I love this!!!
Those synth >>> string transitions in Watching My Armour Melt are killer.
It almost seems like the score Zimmer and Wallfisch did was an attempt to land somewhere between this and Vangelis.


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## Ian Dorsch (Aug 18, 2021)

I loved the BR2049 score, but this stuff is terrific. I'm so glad we get to hear it. And man, that scene with the Jóhannsson score - love that woozy, sickening, cold intensity.


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## Satorious (Aug 18, 2021)

Going against the general grain - I absolutely *hate* the BR2049 score. I much prefer this, more original and think it would have heightened the tension and atmosphere in the movie. I can understand them wanting to get some "bladerunnery" CS-80 synth in there, but it wasn't used that effectively in the film score in my opinion- what a bad call if this was what we could have had instead. Oh well, only an opinion, and really glad we got to hear this.


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## AdamKmusic (Aug 30, 2021)

Head Full Of Mush is absolutely phenomenal, I can just picture this with some of BR2049s visuals! The sounds & textures are out of this world!


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## toomanynotes (Aug 30, 2021)

Sad it wasn’t Vangelis returning to do the soundtrack. This sounds like Jimmy page jamming on Death Wish 2.


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## funnybear (Aug 31, 2021)

My guess is that this is material he made for Dune and not Blade Runner. The terminology of Gold Dust, Flying with the Cross, Watching my Armor Melt all fits in with the "Spice World" universe of Dune.

Villeneuve's involvement with Dune dates back to 2016 so maybe Jóhannsson made this as a study for a possibly collaboration with Villeneuve on the movie before he tragically died in 2018.

I also heard an early Blade Runner trailer that was supposedly featuring material from JJ and that had a totally different aesthetic.


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

toomanynotes said:


> Sad it wasn’t Vangelis returning to do the soundtrack. This sounds like Jimmy page jamming on Death Wish 2.


I think Vangelis is quite old now and may not be very interested in dealing with the modern day film industry. But more importantly, I think Vangelis is a legendary artist and Bladerunner was a work that he did a long time ago and he may not be too interested in revisiting a work he did 40 years ago. Just as I am sure Scorecesse and De Niro would not be interested in remaking Taxi Driver today. I really liked the Rosetta release Vangelis did in 2016. Haven't heard his lasted yet.


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

Thanks for posting this OP. I can't believe I missed this thread. I was/and am a huge Johannsson fan. His passing really hit me hard.

Listening to this now.

btw.. a group of guys in Iceland are doing a kick starter thing to release and publish a big book on Johannsson. In case anyone interested.


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

funnybear said:


> My guess is that this is material he made for Dune and not Blade Runner. The terminology of Gold Dust, Flying with the Cross, Watching my Armor Melt all fits in with the "Spice World" universe of Dune.
> 
> Villeneuve's involvement with Dune dates back to 2016 so maybe Jóhannsson made this as a study for a possibly collaboration with Villeneuve on the movie before he tragically died in 2018.
> 
> I also heard an early Blade Runner trailer that was supposedly featuring material from JJ and that had a totally different aesthetic.


It says part of the "Mother Sketches for Opera" project.









Mother! - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org


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## funnybear (Aug 31, 2021)

darkogav said:


> It says part of the "Mother Sketches for Opera" project.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where does it say? Can't seem to find it on the wiki.


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

funnybear said:


> Where does it say? Can't seem to find it on the wiki.


under the "music" section on wiki.


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## funnybear (Aug 31, 2021)

darkogav said:


> under the "music" section on wiki.


It only says that JJ's material for "Mother" was not used which I knew. Id does not say the "Gold Dust" EP release is that material?


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

funnybear said:


> It only says that JJ's material for "Mother" was not used which I knew. Id does not say the "Gold Dust" EP release is that material?


I am just going by the track info posted on YT.

"
Artist​
Johann Johannsson

Album​
Mother Sketches for Opera"
"


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## funnybear (Aug 31, 2021)

Ah I see, thanks.

There is also a reply from the JJ YT account in the comments to the question "I wonder if some of these pieces were meant for Blade Runner 2049." with "We can neither confirm nor deny that. ".

So maybe a mixture.


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## darkogav (Aug 31, 2021)

funnybear said:


> Ah I see, thanks.
> 
> There is also a reply from the JJ YT account in the comments to the question "I wonder if some of these pieces were meant for Blade Runner 2049." with "We can neither confirm nor deny that. ".
> 
> So maybe a mixture.


anything is possible.


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## D Halgren (Aug 31, 2021)

Wherever this material comes from it's amazing! Let's hope there is more that leaks out from all the projects that we missed out on!


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## Chamberfield (Aug 31, 2021)

Thanks for posting this... I didn't know it was released! After listening, I immediately thought how suited this would have been for Dune, not Blade Runner. What a shame Johann didn't have a chance to score Dune!


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## muziksculp (Sep 1, 2021)

If this is his rejected score for Blade Runner 2049. 

I'm not very surprised. I would guess it might have been a bit too serious, and dark, (not commercial enough sounding) for the general audience for this type of Scifi movie, especially given the original Vangelis score. It's just too different sounding.


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