Modern soundtrack review (under construction)

Prelude: The Atlas March
Right away, we are introduced to the main theme of the soundtrack via a soft, piano prelude. It’s a very pleasant listen. The short length keeps you from being fully engrossed, but otherwise, it’s a wonderful introduction to the album. 4.5/5

Cloud Atlas Opening Title
A much darker affair starts the music, but unlike other darker bits, it’s not done poorly. It sounds a lot like something that Jesper Kyd would do, although it’s probably more appropriate to say that Kyd was likely inspired by Cloud Atlas. A plucking strings instrument, likely a guitar, forms the basis of this song. Halfway through, it really takes on a life of its own as the full orchestra sweeps in to carry the sound. 5/5

Travel to Edinburgh
Another piano introduction with a complex but enjoyable piano sound. It ramps up really well in intensity as the track progresses. Strings come into the fray to lend a helping hand. It never gets boring or content with itself. 5/5

Luisa’s Birthmark
A lonely, tense introduction makes for a song with not a lot of value. It just comes and goes before I remembered I’m supposed to be listening to it. Only its ending gives it a sense of life. 1/5

Cavendish In Distress
With a more obvious strings-based whimsical tone, it’s a bit of Looney Tunes and modern film music in one. 1.5/5

Papa Song
Another tenser affair. The sound is rhythmic, if boring. It’s not exactly monotone, but the range of the piece is almost non-existent, and it’s clear that it’s centered around tension than a pleasant sound. 1.5/5

Sloosha’s Hollow
It’s clear from the sound that it’s meant to be a scary piece. The sound is disjointed and unpleasant. There’s a vocalist hinting at her presence in the backdrop, but I don’t enjoy this one. It’s lacking in depth and structure. 1/5

Sonmi-451 Meets Chang
Already something better than the last piece, and you can tell immediately from the introduction. The cellos and double bass are the predominant sound here, and they’re angsty. Then, about a minute and 45 seconds in, the broader orchestra comes in with the main theme but in a much slower fashion. It’s glorious in its construction. A piano outro finishes this track off, a la Inception style. 4.5/5

Won’t Let Go
A fast-paced piece, with the strings creating this frantic energy directly from the beginning. The sound is disjointed but really exciting. There’s a lot going on here, and it makes for something that you kind of want to listen to again, despite its quirks. 3/5

Kesselring
A more muted but still exciting song. There’s a lot of back and forth sounds with a piano overlay that just punctuates with the occasional note. The strings come in a minute in to provide a stronger thematic arch. Honestly, a very good action piece. 4.5/5

The Escape
It sounds like a prototypical escape piece but starts strong. Unlike most action/battle pieces, the diversity of sounds isn’t simply bombastic. The action builds really strongly and then gives you a chance to breathe. Pacing is brilliant. It does slip in quality near the end with the standard, boring brassy action bits. As we fade away from whatever escape is happening, a requiem at the end provides the respite this song needs to be something of real value. 4/5

Temple Of Sacrifice
A piano prelude leads to a softer piece with the markings of the main theme. It’s not quite as good as it could be; however, there’s something a little off in this one. 3.5/5

Catacombs
Slower strings and electronic sounding wails give us some scale of enclosures. Again, however, as an independent track, it’s just not a good listen. 0.5/5

Adieu
It’s not right, but the immediate impression I had when I heard this song begin was of two keys working to open a lock. And that’s still the sound that’s in my head when I hear it again. But the song quickly takes on a more “Looney Tunes” vibe and is more of an escape song than a goodbye piece. The action rises and falls in this piece. The sound is deceptively average, and so is the rating. 2.5/5

New Direction
This song reintroduces something of a stronger theme; it hints at it. A chorus also helps carry the action a little better here, and it’s a lot more structured and an easier listen. There is a diversity of instruments, such as a piano accompaniment to ride it out, and it’s a much better song for it. 4/5

All Boundaries Are Conventions
A standout track, the piano theme comes back into the fray with the hints of the strings playing along. As the orchestra starts filling in with more volume and emphasis on something revelatory, it’s a sad and sweet song. It’s only sad because of the violin that plays wistfully away in the background. As the song continues, it continues to be lovely. As it builds, it just gets more and more grand, and you fall in love with it more and more. 6/5

The Message
A slow start leads to a stressed but enjoyable prestissimo-style piece. It’s nothing too amazing, especially after the previous track, but it works fine. 3.5/5

Chasing Luisa Rey
Luisa Rey may be a theme in the movie (I don’t know; I haven’t seen the film), but her own chase theme doesn’t leave a lot to be desired. The first minute can be best described as stoic and fluttering, but then it morphs into a true chase track. The beating drums really come into the fray around 2 minutes in, and it’s pounding your senses senseless. The drums quickly give way to what can be best described as an inconsistent sound. It’s not enjoyable; it’s just there. 2.5/5

Sonmi’s Discovery
The bass and a chorus introduce this track as the pitch goes up and down the scales. It’s creating an apprehensive environment as the strings give us hints of the main theme. But the tone from the song is clear. Something is wrong. A minute and 50 seconds in, a piano takes over the sound with a solo, but it’s playing the theme I’ve grown to love, but the notes are just a little off-pitch from what I’m used to. It’s creating a sense of true tension as it gives way to the strings again. 3/5

Death Is Only A Door
With a title like “Death Is Only a Door,” I am excited for what this one can offer. I’m a little in love with sadder pieces. As the strings fade in and out of relevance of this piece, it sounds like what a funeral should sound like. The first half is good, very good, but the second half really takes it away as it comes into relevance and then fades into obscurity. 4/5

Cloud Atlas Finale
Finales are traditionally where composers can flex their creative muscle, and we see something similar in this album as well. The sounds that I’ve grown to appreciate are in full force, with the chorus really taking a front role in minute 2. It’s so muted, though. It’s more of a complement (even though I just said it was a front role, when you listen to it, it’ll make sense). The song continues to build into something greater and greater. It’s Edward Scissorhands-inspired through and through. 6/5

The Cloud Atlas Sextet for Orchestra
It’s a much more traditional strings sound. This sextet creates an incredibly pleasant sound, as is to be expected by a typically sextet. Yet, the sound feels very full, and you don’t really feel like you’re missing anything substantial. Yes, you miss the diversity of the broader orchestra, but it’s not a true loss. 4.5/5

Cloud Atlas End Title
And the final finale is here. The piano intro with the main theme really gets it going, and then strings are strummed to complement the piano sound. It’s a slow build, and it looks like it’ll be glorious. As it continues to play, every good thing about this soundtrack becomes more and more apparent. You fall more and more in love with it; it’s so much like Hans Zimmer’s Inception that it’s hard not to. The sound continues to build and build and build, and it’s just a layering of complexity but in a very cohesive manner. As we leave this soundtrack behind, we get a sense of everything that is good with movie music. 7/5