The Songs of Distant Earth (album): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}

{{Album ratings

|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r210781|title=''The Songs of Distant Earth'' review}}</ref>

'''''The Songs of Distant Earth''''' is the sixteenth studio album by English musician, songwriter and producer [[Mike Oldfield]], released on 21 November 1994 by [[Warner Music|WEA]]. It is a [[concept album]] based on the 1986 science fiction novel ''[[The Songs of Distant Earth]]'' by [[Arthur C. Clarke]].<ref name="Notes">{{cite web |url=http://tubular.net/discography/TubularBellsII.shtml |title=Notes about ''Tubular Bells II'' |publisher=Tubular.net |accessdate=15 May 2008}}</ref> The album reached No. 24 on the [[UK Albums Chart]].

In 1993, Oldfield completed his [[Tubular Bells II 20th Anniversary Tour|1992–1993 tour]] to promote his previous album, ''[[Tubular Bells II]]'' (1992), his first concert tour since 1984. The album was his first of the initial three that he was contracted to produce for Warner Music UK, following his signing to the label in 1992.{{sfn|Oldfield|2008|p=248}} When Oldfield was ready to record a follow-up, label chairman [[Rob Dickins]] suggested that he make a [[concept album]] based on the 1986 science fiction novel ''[[The Songs of Distant Earth]]'' by [[Arthur C. Clarke]].{{sfn|Oldfield|2008|p=244}} Oldfield deemed the story not one of Clarke's best, "but it had lots of atmosphere" and started to think of musical ideas on travelling through space and landing on another world and the events that take place on it.{{sfn|Oldfield|2008|p=244}} The title of the book particularly attracted Oldfield, calling it "intrinsically musical, a natural starting point".<ref name=WEAPR2>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1994_xxb/Promotional-blurb-for-The-Songs-of-Distant-Earth|title=Promotional blurb for 'The Songs of Distant Earth'|year=1994|publisher=WEA|accessdate=3 February 2020}}</ref><ref name=IACT95>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1995_02c/Totally-Tubular|title=Totally Tubular|first=Charlie|last=Salem|date=February 1995|work=Internet and Comms Today|accessdate=4 February 2020}}</ref> Oldfield travelled [[Sri Lanka]], where Clarke was living, to discuss the possibility and found out he was a fan of his soundtrack to the 1984 film ''[[The Killing Fields (film)|The Killing Fields]]'' and felt "delighted" about the album. Clarke was given a copy of ''Tubular Bells II'' for listening; he was impressed enough and agreed to collaborate.<ref name=WEAPR>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1994_xx/Prerelease-promotional-blurb-for-The-Songs-of-Distant-Earth|title=Pre-release promotional blurb for 'The Songs of Distant Earth'|year=1994|publisher=WEA|accessdate=3 February 2020}}</ref>

Oldfield deliberately avoided to retell the story in the same sequence as the book and opted to have the album follow the plot "loosely".<ref name=WEAPR2/> The story details the destruction of Earth in the year 3600 after the Sun goes [[nova]], for which the planet has 1,600 years to prepare, and sends spaceships to nearby planetary systems.<ref name=IACT95/> The album took longer for Oldfield to complete than he had initially planned, because the album's science fiction concept limited the type of instruments he could use. This was the case with his 12-string and acoustic guitars that he usually played, which he thought sounded too "Earth-bound" for the album. Instead he had to create a "new vocabulary" of sounds in the studio.<ref name=WEAPR2/> Oldfield felt he widened his sound as a result, departing from the Celtic and folk-oriented music thathe became known for and write songs that would appeal across multiple generations.<ref name=WEAPR2/> Looking back on the album, Oldfield classedit as "very [[Ambient music|ambient]]".<ref name=SOS95>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1995_02/Tubular-Worlds|title=Tubular Worlds|date=February 1995|work=Sound on Sound|first=Paul|last=White|accessdate=3 February 2020}}</ref>

Oldfield made extensive use of samples, much of which originated from sampling CDs, including ''Datafile One'' (1991) by Zero-G, and film soundtracks. This was the case for the [[world music]] vocal sounds. Included are sounds recorded in [[Polynesia]] and [[Sápmi|Lapland]].<ref name=SOS95/>

While the album was being mixed and cut, Oldfield was concerned that being an solely digital recording, it would sound too "angular". As a test, a copy was made onto recording tape using [[Dolby SR]], a type of [[noise reduction]], which he thought produced some nice results but greater loss of clarity.<ref name=SOS95/>

The liner notes contains a foreword by Clarke about the development of his book, from short story to novel. He ends it with a note about the album: "Since the finale of the novel is a musical concert, I was delighted when Mike Oldfield told me that he wished to compose a suite inspired by it. I was particularly impressed by the music he wrote for ''The Killing Fields'' and now, having played the CD-ROM of ''The Songs of Distant Earth'', I feel he has lived up to my expectations. Welcome back into space, Mike: there's still lots of room out here."<ref name="LP-text">{{cite AV media |title=The Songs of Distant Earth (Mike Oldfield vinyl LP cover) |author=Arthur C. Clarke |date=1994 |publisher=Warner Music UK Ltd |id=4509-98581-1}}</ref>

Oldfield faced difficulty in writing music to the story at first and needed some "in between space" to help visualise it. This was alleviated when he received a copy of the 1993 graphic adventure puzzle game ''[[Myst]]'' for the PC and was impressed with the graphics, which greatly influenced his decision to have 3D computer-generated video accompany the music for the album on the [[Enhanced CD]] format, combining features of a standard CD with CD-ROM content. The result was graphics that Oldfield had in his mind while writing the music.<ref name=BB94>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1994_11/Oldfield-Pioneers-Music/Cyberspace-Border|title=Oldfield Pioneers Music/Cyberspace Border|work=Billboard|date=5 November 1994|first=Marilyn A.|last=Gillen|accessdate=3 February 2020}}</ref> Oldfield felt contemporary music at the time of recording lacked any real excitement, but felt the reverse as he worked on the interactive technology. This, and his interest in ''Myst'', sparked his wish to make his own game that helped the player on their own [[spiritual development]].<ref name=IACT95/> While composing for the CD-ROM Oldfield had trouble adapting a theme by [[Jean Sibelius]] for it, which turned into a rage where be "banged out a theme. Like a sort of miracle, it worked!"<ref name=IACT95/>

The CD-ROM allows users to travel through a futuristic city onboard a spaceship and towards a central control system, inside of which houses a musical tower. The user must answer a musical puzzle which provides a series of options that trigger a different song on the album.<ref name=IACT95/>

The album was released in the UK on 21 November 1994. It went to No. 24 on the [[UK Albums Chart]] and reached gold certification by the [[British Phonographic Industry]]. Its US release followed in January 1995 on [[Reprise Records]].<ref name=BB94/><ref name=PR94>{{cite web|url=https://tubular.net/articles/1994_11b/The-Songs-Of-Distant-Earth-Press-Release|title=The Songs Of Distant Earth Press Release|publisher=WEA|date=30 November 1994|accessdate=3 February 2020}}</ref>

The enhanced CD content, for [[Apple Macintosh]] [[PowerPC]] computers only, was rendered on [[Silicon Graphics]] computers and used [[Apple Inc.|Apple's]] [[QuickTime]] II technology.<ref name="CD-text">{{cite AV media |title=The Songs of Distant Earth (Mike Oldfield CD cover) |date=1994 |publisher=[[Warner Music]] UK Ltd |id =4509-98581-1}}</ref> The re-release back cover lists the "CD ROM Track" as track 000 (where all tracks have a three-digit number), and a length of 0:00. Produced in 1994 it was an early example of Enhanced CD content.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov02/articles/mikeoldfield.asp |title=Mike Oldfield |magazine=[[Sound on Sound]] |date=November 2002 |accessdate=21 May 2011}}</ref>

Oldfield used [[Logic Pro|Emagic Logic Audio]] for sequencing and [[Pro Tools]] hardware for the recording of the album using a combination of tape and hard drive recording.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://tubular.net/articles/1995_02/Tubular-Worlds |title=Tubular Worlds |author=Paul White |magazine=Sound on Sound |date=February 1995 |accessdate=8 February 2015}}</ref>

'''Part I'''

'''Part II'''

*Eric Cadieux – additional programming

*Members of Verulam Consort – vocals

*"Vahine Taihara" by Tubuai Choir

*Mike Joseph – self hypnosis tape on "Crystal Clear"

*Eric Cadieux – additional programming

*Simon Fowler – portrait photography

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Mike Oldfield|title=The Songs Of Distant Earth|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=1997|certyear=1998|certref=<ref>{{cite book |last=Salaverrie |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.mediafire.com/file/pd758fesp2w7i7f/Spanish+Certifications+for+1996-1999.pdf |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=Spanish |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=[[Sociedad General de Autores y Editores|Fundación Autor/SGAE]] |page=940 |isbn=84-8048-639-2 |accessdate=20 June 2019}}</ref>}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Mike Oldfield|title=The Songs of Distant Earth|award=Gold|certyear=1995|relyear=1994|accessdate=2 May 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=750,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gw8EAAAAMBAJ&q=mike+oldfield+japan+billboard&pg=PA62|title=Who Is Selling Where|date=17 February 1996|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=2 May 2019}}</ref>}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

*{{cite book|last=Oldfield|first=Mike|authorlink=Mike Oldfield|title=[[Changeling - Autobiography of Mike Oldfield]]|year=2008|publisher=Virgin Books|isbn=978-0-753-51307-1|ref=harv}}

* {{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000176298}}

[[Category:Outer space themed songs|*]]