Flash Gordon cover

Flash Gordon

Released

Freddie Mercury may have tersely sung “I don’t like Star Wars” in Queen’s “Bicycle Race” but they certainly weren’t opposed to ornate, over-the-top and showy science fiction, as their stint soundtracking the indulgent-in-the-best-way 1980 movie version of Flash Gordon showed. The opening “Flash” remains the standout with Brian May’s insistent piano and blazing guitar plus his and Mercury’s commanding vocals, but the whole album’s a strangely underrated treat, with various film dialogue samples interspersed with many (but not solely) electronic instrumentals.

Ned Raggett

Recommended by

Suggestions
Too Much Sadness cover

Too Much Sadness

Chihei Hatakeyama
Ash Ra Tempel cover

Ash Ra Tempel

Ash Ra Tempel
Samsara (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) cover

Samsara (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Michael Stearns, Lisa Gerrard, Marcello De Francisci
Low cover

Low

David Bowie
A Shared Place cover

A Shared Place

Moss Covered Technology
Copenhagen Dreams cover

Copenhagen Dreams

Jóhann Jóhannsson
Scale Compositions cover

Scale Compositions

Chihei Hatakeyama, Asuna