Artist: Gustavo Santaolalla & VA | Album: Babel (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture) | Released: 2006 | Label: Concord Records | Genre: Soundtrack, Ambient, Rock, Electronic, Pop | Country: USA | Duration: 02:06:07
The soundtrack to Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu’s film Babel – which takes place on two continents and in three countries – is a whopping double disc of cues with original score cuts by the venerable – and prolific – Gustavo Santaolalla, with other material including beautiful folk songs by Chavela Vargas, ambient cuts by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, original compositions by the great oud master Hamza el Din, urban/soul/funk by Earth, Wind & Fire, house music by Fatboy Slim, Japanese pop by Susumu Yokata, and Mexican popular music by Los Tucanes de Tijuana, El Chapo, Nortec Collective, and others – a truly international mixed bag. This said, other than the tune by Hamza, it was left to Santaolalla to capture many of the other Moroccan moods and themes in his cues – he did a tremendous job. But this is also where the problem lies. These two discs are such a sprawling mass with moods and textures that compete and clash, without the storyline to tie them together, that they don’t always work as a stand-alone soundtrack. Some will have no trouble with great leaps in style over two discs, and for the engaged listener, Babel’s soundtrack is a true delight. A case must be made, however, for a separate recording of Santaolalla’s haunting and deeply moving score, accomplished with a minimum of instrumentation, immediate and intimate production, and plenty of space. This takes nothing away from the rest of the music here; it’s just that the original score comprises 19 different cues in a total of 36 and deserves to be heard as a complete piece. If there’s any doubt, try recording his own cuts to your iPod and hearing the result for yourself. For those who have seen the film, it is true that this set does not carry or reflect the gut-tightening tension inherent within it – and yes, that’s a very good thing. It does serve as a pleasurable listen over one disc at a time. Cautiously recommended.
Tracklisting:
CD1:
01. Gustavo Santaolalla – Tazarine (01:46)
02. Chavela Vargas – Tú me acostumbraste (02:42)
03. 大沢伸一 – September (FPM Beautiful Latin mix) / The Joker (ATFC’s Aces High remix) (Earth, Wind & Fire vs. Fatboy Slim) (06:30)
04. Gustavo Santaolalla – Deportation / Iguazu (04:49)
05. David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Amadeo Pace, Keigo Oyamada & Sketch Show – World Citizen – I Won’t Be Disappointed / Looped Piano (05:48)
06. Blanquito Man, Control Machete, Celso Piña y Su Ronda Bogata – Cumbia sobre el río (00:00)
07. Gustavo Santaolalla – Hiding It (02:08)
08. RIP SLYME – Masterpiece (04:20)
09. Gustavo Santaolalla – Desert Bus Ride (01:55)
10. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Everton Norton – Bibo No Aozora / Gustavo Santaolalla – Endless Flight / Gustavo Santaolalla – Babel (11:25)
11. Gustavo Santaolalla – Tribal (02:30)
12. El Chapo de Sinaloa – Para que regreses (03:17)
13. Nortec Collective – Babel (03:20)
14. Gustavo Santaolalla – Amelia Desert Morning (01:23)
15. Los Tucanes de Tijuana – Jugo a la vida (03:50)
16. Gustavo Santaolalla – Breathing Soul (01:20)
17. Gustavo Santaolalla – The Blinding Sun (01:57)
Duration: 00:59:00
CD2:
01. 坂本龍一 – Only Love Can Conquer Hate (09:43)
02. Los Incomparables – El panchangón (04:06)
03. Gustavo Santaolalla – Two Worlds, One Heart (02:11)
04. Gustavo Santaolalla – The Phone Call (00:25)
05. Susumu Yokota – Gekkoh (04:52)
06. Gustavo Santaolalla – The Catch (00:54)
07. Los Incomparables – Mujer hermosa (03:37)
08. Gustavo Santaolalla – Into the Wild (02:56)
09. Gustavo Santaolalla – Look Inside (00:47)
10. Gustavo Santaolalla – The Master (06:13)
11. Takashi Fujii – Oh My Juliet! (04:35)
12. Gustavo Santaolalla – Prayer (00:55)
13. Daniel Luna – El besito cachicurris (03:38)
14. Gustavo Santaolalla – Walking in Tokyo (01:32)
15. Hamza El Din – The Visitors (04:58)
16. Gustavo Santaolalla – Morning Pray (02:06)
17. Agua Caliente – Mi adoración (03:33)
18. Gustavo Santaolalla – The Skin of the Earth (02:51)
19. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Yuichiro Gotoh – Bibo No Aozora / 04 (07:15)
Duration: 01:07:07
Single download
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Tazarine 01:46 
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Chavela Vargas – Tú me acostumbraste 02:42
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – 大沢伸一 – September FPM Beautiful Latin mix
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Deportation / Iguazu 04:49
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Amadeo Pace, Keigo Oyamada & Sketch Show – World Citizen – I Won’t Be Disappointed / Looped Piano 05:48
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Blanquito Man, Control Machete, Celso Piña y Su Ronda Bogata – Cumbia sobre el río 00:00
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Hiding It 02:08
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – RIP SLYME – Masterpiece 04:20
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Desert Bus Ride 01:55
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Everton Norton – Bibo No Aozora / Gustavo Santaolalla – Endless Flight / Gustavo Santaolalla – Babel 11:25
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Tribal 02:30
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – El Chapo de Sinaloa – Para que regreses 03:17
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Nortec Collective – Babel 03:20
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Amelia Desert Morning 01:23
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Los Tucanes de Tijuana – Jugo a la vida 03:50
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Breathing Soul 01:20
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – The Blinding Sun 01:57
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – 坂本龍一 – Only Love Can Conquer Hate 09:43
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Los Incomparables – El panchangón 04:06
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Two Worlds, One Heart 02:11
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – The Phone Call 00:25
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Susumu Yokota – Gekkoh 04:52
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – The Catch 00:54
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Los Incomparables – Mujer hermosa 03:37
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Into the Wild 02:56
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Look Inside 00:47
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – The Master 06:13
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Takashi Fujii – Oh My Juliet! 04:35
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Prayer 00:55
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Daniel Luna – El besito cachicurris 03:38
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Walking in Tokyo 01:32
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Hamza El Din – The Visitors 04:58
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – Morning Pray 02:06
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Agua Caliente – Mi adoración 03:33
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Gustavo Santaolalla – The Skin of the Earth 02:51
Gustavo Santaolalla & VA – Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Yuichiro Gotoh – Bibo No Aozora / 04 07:15
Category:Ambient
Main catalog
Recommended:
 The Obsidian – Catharsis (2018) FLAC (tracks) |
 Moby – Suara Remixes (2017) FLAC (tracks) |
 VA – Pop Ambient Collection (2001 – 2016) FLAC (tracks + .cue) |
