Shogun Assassin – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack LP

Released to the grindhouse film circuit in 1980, Shogun Assassin is a martial arts East-meets-West culture mashup. Composed by Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders) and W. Michael Lewis (of L.A. disco pioneers Rinder & Lewis), the soundtrack features eastern melodies chiming out of futuristic synths and disco bass lines introduced by a child’s ominous voiceover. The film’s legendary cult status was solidified by GZA’s extensive use of snippets from the film on 1995’s classic album Liquid Swords (produced by RZA). Highly recommended for soundtrack buffs, Wu-Tang lovers, and Tarantino aficionados (who may recall Shogun’s homage in Kill Bill Vol. 2).