The Songs of Distant Earth

by Mike Oldfield

The Songs of Distant Earth cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 30 January 1996
  • Label: Warner Music
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 55:47
  • Community rating: 3.22/5 from 2 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Directly inspired by Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction novel of the same name, the veteran composer crafted a sprawling, heavily synthesized new age odyssey. Completely abandoning traditional rock instrumentation, Oldfield leaned heavily into cinematic downtempo rhythms, sweeping Gregorian chants, and ethereal worldbeat textures. It was notably one of the very first commercial releases to feature interactive CD-ROM elements alongside the audio tracks.

Genres

Descriptors: Instrumental, space, instrumental, progressive

Tracklist

  1. In The Beginning (1:24)
  2. Let There Be Light (4:52)
  3. Supernova (3:29)
  4. Magellan (4:41)
  5. First Landing (1:16)
  6. Oceania (3:27)
  7. Only Time Will Tell (4:19)
  8. Prayer For The Earth (2:10)
  9. Lament For Atlantis (2:44)
  10. The Chamber (1:49)
  11. Hibernaculum (3:32)
  12. Tubular World (3:23)
  13. The Shining Ones (2:59)
  14. Crystal Clear (5:42)
  15. The Sunken Forest (2:39)
  16. Ascension (5:48)
  17. A New Beginning (1:33)

Credits

  • Mark Rutherford - loops [additional rhythm loops], drum machine guest
  • Sugar J - loops [additional rhythm loops], additional drum machine guest
  • Mike Joseph - narrator [extract: self hypnosis tape]
  • William Anders - narrator [extract: the book of genesis]
  • Molly Oldfield - performer [other artist], keyboards, guest keyboard
  • Pandit Dinesh - performer [other artist], tabla [tablas], guest tabla
  • Nils-Aslak Valkeap盲盲 - performer [saami chant]
  • Eric Caudieux - programmed by [additional programming], misc

More from Mike Oldfield: full discography