Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch – Blade Runner 2049 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

One of the most disappointing records I've ever purchased, in terms of its quality control anyway. The soundtrack itself is quite nice.

Packaging - horrific.
Pressing - Side A is basically unlistenable. Noise galore.

A real shame.

Excellent score! Not as timeless as the original (especially Vangelis's opening theme and end credits stormer.) But it's brilliant in its own right. Just as I enjoy Villaneuve's sequel as much as the first film, but in different ways.
I love both films. I love both soundtracks.
Quality on this pressing seems to be a mixed bag, reading the previous comments. My copy sounds fantastic : )
So...
Who has #2049...!?!

Apart from the glorious music written (for a glorious film) and the sound quality that in my case I have spotted absolutely nothing... everything else sucks. Probably we talk about the worst piece in my collection. Poor packaging all around. Tragic -cheap looking- jacket. Pixeled artwork... seriously? Even the most fucked up underground lo-fi black metal I own in my collection feels miles more beautiful... and we talk for a big money film, a big money production all around, for great artists widely known and aknowledged involved.

Its funny that I stayed awake up until the early morning hours so that I managed to order a special edition numbered copy before it gets sold out... If I knew I wouldn't have even bought in general.

Waiting for a quality press all around - some time in the unknown future...

Here also fingerprints and signs of dirt / dust in a new sealed copy. Many static/pops. I cant use it at the time. need to be cleaned. sounds bad. also the hole is to small. stucks on the turntable and hard to remove. very disappointed of a record pressed in 2017 ^^

Am i reading this correct, that a 180g double set is housed as a single (e.g. no gatefold) with this pressing? if so, no wonder why splitting is frequent :(

Again overpriced - Great informative reviews .

Brilliant powerful soundtrack by the Zimmer Frame

Nothing can compare to Vangelis - I have read and heard ten thousands tracks but Science Fiction ;) 1492

I bought mine brand new, and it came marked, dirty and with scratches. The spindle hole is too small which makes the record hard to remove, and some of the photos on the sleeve are also low quality.
All that being said, this is an amazing soundtrack, and after a good clean I'm happy with the quality of this record.

I listened to this back-to-back tonight with the 180 gram vinyl 2018 reissue of original blade runner soundtrack. What a wonderful way to spend an early summer evening. Each album is good in its own way - but here are some comments (sometimes comparing with the original movie Vangelis soundtrack vinyl)

1) Sound quality.... My copy does NOT have fingerprints or signs of dirt/mishandling from a new-purchased copy. Looks clean right out of the packaging. I washed each vinyl with spin-clean record cleaning wash, carefully, just to prep for the ideal listening experience. Out of the 2 vinyls, 4 sides total, there were 3 instances where the lower-volume gradient intros did have some light crackle, i.e. instead of listening to the growing pure drone of a synth there are some 'fireplace crackle' vinyl artifacts audible when first putting the cartridge to the vinyl on 3 sides. Well for whatever reason when I gave the vinyl a light sweep with a carbon fiber brush, on the 2nd play this crackle, which mind you is probably a tolerable amount for many, was probably decreased by 40% or so. No longer as irritating. And it's only in the first minute or so, i.e. very outer edges of the vinyl. For the rest of each vinyl surface crackle was almost nonexistent, i.e. about what you would expect from a good clean new well-manufactured vinyl record. Thus I have to report that this is not vinyl that has every sound come at you, regardless of dynamics (i.e. especially quiet parts), out of the blackest of empty silences with no surface noise whatsoever. I wish it was so. This is a paradox of vinyl altogether (i.e. sounds better than lossy digital formats, but does bear some artifacts).

2. Music quality.....Original Blade Runner soundtrack has much more emphasis on crime-noir themes in a sci-fi setting. Suitable for a focus on Deckard as someone who is a detective who is intrigued by a dame and is in pursuit of something where outside forces are powerful and pushing back. The Vangelis stuff works well because it's like a futuristic jazz sax at times, at other times has a piano section that you imagine in a dusty, whiskey filled bar - goes with the loney detective seeking occasional respite in a rough world. Some of this carries over to Blade Runner 2049 of course, but in the case of 2049 there is more of a ongoing focus (I think) of the protagonist being puzzled/affected/haunted by his own (implanted) memories and shifting sense of identity/affinity. I'm sure others who study these movies may disagree but I'm just offering an interpretation here, and I'll just throw out the tentative suggestion that Deckard throws himself outside into the world more, whereas K is much more "in his own head" from even the very start of the movie. So, the newer 2049 sound track has more atmospheric surges and swells, like the things K is trying to sort out in his own head, and the piano theme here is comparatively much more sparse (just about the only non-synth melodic element). Bottom line - there are overlaps between the two soundtracks but also differences in thematic emphasis. So, the newer soundtrack suits the more recent film. Also as a 2018 listener I just think Vangelis is great for reedy synth pads and textures that by now are presets on so many hardware synths today. The newer soundtrack seems to have more processed sounds for more modern times, i.e. the otherworldly pads and droning sounds and other textures are the next evolution. Timbre/distortion etc is pushed more in the newer soundtrack as part of the sonic construction.

3. Coherence of presentation.....I wish the pop song did not exist at the end of side 4. It doesn't fit the mood of the soundtrack but I guess it's nice like an alarm clock to remind you to get up and take the cartridge off the vinyl. It's basically the 'end credits ' song that gets you to rustle about, gather your things, and leave the movie theater. But out of a whole long soundtrack you get no elvis or adele etc for all the rest of the vinyl, which is nice.

4. Packaging.....I wish the packaging of the vinyl for Blade Runner 2049 was more epic - gatefold, etc. But it's good enough just because it represents what is basically the movie poster on the front cover. I'm sticking the vinyl in some mobile fidelity sleeves then sticking the cardboard outer sleeve in some protective mylar with backing - it will look nice that way.

Final review, then, subjective score:

Quality of soundtrack: 8.5/10. It's unique, it's great, it takes me places. I will re-listen often.

Quality of pressing 7/10. Not the disaster people make it out to be. But I do recommend cleaning the vinyl. I don't know why there is the 'intro of vinyl/right at beginning' crackle.

Quality of packaging 5/10 - average

Listened to using ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge. Playing music back on Adam A8X monitors + sub

Wait.... it says "Limited to 2500 copies" yet the last picture shows a number higher than 2500 (2518 to be exact)... what the heck?

I have #528 and yeeeeeah... people weren't lying. The quality control over this pressing is bad. I bought a sealed copy straight from the website (which they are still available, don't buy any from discog sellers just yet) and there were hand/finger prints from somebody handling these without gloves. The sound quality is amazing, but it does have a lot of static/pops in it. Still haven't experienced skipping. It will probably get better once I clean the records.