Modern soundtrack review (under construction)

X-HZT

So rarely does a concept album start off with such wonderful foreshadowing. A gospel-like choir, combined with distinctly electric sounds, introduces you to Zimmer’s experiments. At 17 minutes long, expect the full range of emotions and sounds. The mood quickly transitions into a song that would be more at home with “Massive Attack” than Zimmer. Agitated and troubled vocals hit us until all music stops, and the chorus takes over, with rhythmic pauses between notes. But then it builds again with precipitous backing and hurried undertones, the voices gaining in both tempo and volume. Zimmer masterfully takes us in and out of volume. Around 8 minutes in, the only things you hear are a chorus and a sound that can only be best described as a helicopter rotor in the distance. The rotor fades away, leaving us with a deep bass and a whispering chorus, again gaining in volume and intensity. At 11:30, a piano theme replaces and complements the music. Zimmer continues to add onto the complexity of a relatively simple beat, and then we get our hints of strings. It’s hard to describe the next few minutes other than Zimmer takes a confluence of sounds and combines them in a stirring fashion. One of Zimmer’s longest tracks is also one of his best. Only the way this track ends betrays it from a perfect rating, with an almost boring and jarring finish. 4.5/5

X-X

Quiet, intense piano (or is it plucks on a guitar?) mixed with somber piano chords welcomes us to “X-X,” which is incidentally just one of my favorite bands. But personal bias over a name plays no part here; Zimmer needs no additional leg up. It’s resplendent. It’s majestic. Fantastic. An absolutely brilliant song, and a perfect song. X-X is an example of rising action perfected. And the guitar! The electric guitar! How do you make something exciting, so much better? I guess the answer is to add an electric guitar to round it all out. 6/5

X-LGDP

A soft, slow chorus is our first bridge to this 8-minute piece, with dotted electrical beats. 2 minutes in, a piano comes in to slow the flow. It quickly gives way to an intense song with an angry tone. Zimmer courses in and out of rushed, electrical noises and pauses in sound before it all comes together in a brilliant fashion in the end. Against the background of the previous two pieces, it’s not as impressive, but we review tracks in a vacuum. On its own, it holds its own well. 4/5

X-SI

Another slow piano introduction gives way to a unique 6-minute piece. When the piano fades around 2 minutes in, we are left with just strings and drums creating a tense tone. There’s not a lot happening in this piece of extraordinary flow or complexity. Yet it’s not quite right to call it an ordinary flow either. 3/5

X-HD

Intense drum machine. Electrical noises. Hello. And then it gives way to a softening of the volume but still harkening to the pure visceral feeling of pure intensity. This is a concept sound in percussion. 2/5

X-MP

The first hint of an orchestra-themed track on this album. The blazing orchestra comes in hot with high volume, until a drumline takes back control in the fray. It’s a decidedly average track, or just above average, but nothing about it stands out like the earlier works on this album. 3/5

X-MT

An exciting action track, with a strong orchestra backing, this one would fit right into a scene in “Crimson Tide.” Shifting strings and a strong theme underplay the core of this track. 2 and a half minutes in, Zimmer leaves us with a little respite in volume and noise until he picks it back again with something that may very well be a church organ. 3.5/5

X-TX

A background hum, orchestral in nature obviously, is the leading line on this piece, as it starts. It sounds very much like the slower parts of “The Thin Red Line.” A set of lonely strings sets up the mournful, wistful tone of a life very much in some sort of peril. It’s not action, but it’s not gentle and soothing. There’s something here, and it’s evident that it’s not quite right. 4/5

X-MDP

Another slow introduction to set a taut tone. Zimmer is taking his sweet time in building themes and emotions in this concept album. An electric guitar complements a piano. About 2 minutes and 40 seconds in, a completely different song takes over. A feverish guitar riff comes in about halfway through the track. The pace drops quickly, and leaves a song with not a lot of substance behind. 3/5

X-F

Do you ever wonder what being lost at sea sounds like if you couldn’t use waves? It sounds like a quiet chorus slowly coming down in pitch. Hope turns slowly to despair, and the ship hits disrepair. That’s what “X-F” sounds like from the beginning. But for an individual song, this one just isn’t good. 1/5

X-CH

If “X-F” wasn’t good, “X-CH” is legendary. It’s another perfect song let down only by the fact that it’s less than 2 hours long. A lone female vocalist shines and sings

a mournful tune but with a happy piano backing. Soon, drums and the electric noises kick in, creating another sense of brilliant atmosphere. The intensity continues to build until it drops away entirely, leaving us with our lone vocalist again. Alone in the abyss, she belts out into the empty void until everything fades away but the accompanying piano. Hints of an orchestra sweep and tease in. The action continues to build with a chorus helping with the vocalist. Everything starts to rise and swell up. Again, this is a track that is so good, it brings everything around it up in quality. The perfect redemption piece and the highlight of Xperiments. As she fades, so do you. 7/5

X-SS

Our final two minutes are up. A rabble-rousing end to the album brings the theme back directly into the fray, with an excited tone to pull it all together. We can hear the strings, the brass, the woodwinds really play a part. The piano drives the action and, man oh man, is it something. Another great piece. One minute passes, and the action dies down, with the brass leaving you with another hint of the main theme. Then the orchestra comes back into the fray, and you feel it BITE again. It’s a lovely way to finish everything off. You could listen to this on repeat over and over again. 6/5