Chosen Themes - Program I

Recorded between 2012 and 2014, Jared Blum's (GiganteSound, The Talking Book (with Bill Gould of Faith No More), Blanketship, Vulcanus 68, et al.) Vision Heat project is a laser-guided, hyper-vintage conflation of early-to-mid-'80s-centric production, montage, and style. Recalling such luminaries as Tangerine Dream, John Carpenter, Harold Faltermeyer, Craig Safan, and such lofty houses as KPM, Bruton, and Parry with nods to oddballs from Russia and the Eastern Bloc, Blum still manages to be forcefully yet effortlessly unique. Inspired by countless soundtrack compilations and blog mixes of rare, foreign library and VHS music, Vision Heat varies in production style and technique as if it were the definitive archive, deftly genre-skipping from moody sci-fi suspense, incidental queues, and dramatic scores to uplifting electro-boogie, synthpop, and cinematic arrangements. Ultimately so much more than an homage, The Chosen Themes are a subtle and skilled conjuring of a full spectrum re-imagined past. Part one of a two-volume set. LP includes download code. Exclusive video stills provided by Jennifer Juniper Stratford.