artist: Cliff Martinez country of origin: USA style(s): Soundtrack, orchestral, ambient essential releases: Solaris [soundtrack] (2002, Superb Records)

Is this the best science fiction film soundtrack since Vangelis' Blade Runner (1982)? Composer Cliff Martinez and American filmmaker Steven Soderberg have worked together for many years and their collaborations have always been interesting, particularly the soundtracks for Sex Lies & Videotape and Traffic, even if the accompanying albums were erratic. Soderberg's philosophical sci-fi love story Solaris was one of the best films of 2002 and is the second attempt at filming a difficult novel, the first being an extremely slow, long and arty Russian movie made in 1972. It's interesting that the more recent version successfully tells pretty much the same story in a much shorter running time of 90 minutes.

Solaris is the kind of film score that has you muttering "I must buy this" as you walk out of the cinema. Martinez's bubbling, chiming, luminous soundtrack is amazing. It's not exactly sweet but it's not quite depressing either. It's a quiet, contemplative work that occupies the same ambivalent space as the film itself. The weird thing is that it sounds electronic yet the roll call of instruments reveals most of sounds are orchestral. While not actually sounding anything like the classic Vangelis score for Ridley Scott's more famous film, it does share one crucial quality: emotion. Emotional issues are what both Blade Runner and Solaris are really about, so it makes sense that Martinez’s soundtrack feels as much about inner space as it is about outer space. Put this one and prepare to be transported...in more ways than one.

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