For Tron: Legacy, the French electronic dance house group, Daft Punk, was responsible for creating the sound schemes that will continue to represent such a huge cult following. They, in turn, have held a lifelong fascination for the original movie, and, so to speak, were fitted for the role perfectly. The director of Tron: Legacy, when asked why he chose Daft Punk responded as such: "How could you not at least go to these guys?" And so he did.
The music itself, as you can imagine, retains much of Daft Punk's style, while toned down to perhaps meet the demands of a movie soundtrack. There is less beat oriented dance music than typical, for one, and the orchestral instrumentation is featured as much as the electronic. Sections, in particular, are reminiscent of Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, who collectively wrote for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, while minimalism similar to Phillip Glass film music, is present at times too. The first few tracks, it seems employ the greatest amount of these influences, as the soundtrack and film (I presume, as I have not yet seen the film) are building plot and intensifying to the main plot action. So, going into see Tron: Legacy knowing the soundtrack will be a very different experience for me, but surely one with undoubted merit. I especially agree with one review of this soundtrack, from Clash magazine: "As a stand-alone album, what Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter have created won't sate the disco heads screaming for more club material, however as an accomplished score it can only make a legendary film yet more cherished." True, overall the music seems grave and low key--though without lacking intensity. Nevertheless, the particular electronic dance sounds Daft Punk has been known for can be seen floating subtly amidst the textures that exist.
Interestingly, the movie, Tron: Legacy was cut to the music, instead of vice versa--or the typical process. I think that gives particular clout to Daft Punk and the soundtrack members Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo created. They also appeared in the film and there has been an official glow-in-the-dark poster released that captures that cameo of them playing an old arcade game in Flynn's Arcade. An excessive amount of bonus tracks were also produced. I say excessive, because they cannot be retrieved simply one way; instead, they mandate that someone who wanted them all would have to buy a copy of the soundtrack that contains a special edition bonus disc, 2 bonus tracks from iTunes, and one from Amazon and Nokia Ovi (Ovi is the brand name of Nokia's internet services). There is also a Redlight remix of a track "Fragile" last on the soundtrack that is pretty sweet. I believe that Redlight has since changed its name to BetaTraxx; they have a blog/site Our Electric Generation, check out their SoundCloud here (scroll down the 'Remixes' playlist). The soundtrack was recorded at AIR (Associated Independent Recording) Lyndhurst Studios (London), the studio John Burgess and George Martin, producer of the Beatles, both started in 1965.
I have uploaded the track titled "Tron Legacy (End Titles)" to the MixPod player, which displays a good combined balance of the electronic as well as the orchestral music composed.
1 comments:
My brother just told me that he has been listening to the Tron soundtrack nonstop for about a week! The original movie was played a lot in our house growing up so my brothers are REALLY into the new one (they've both seen it a few times already!) I think I'll have to borrow the soundtrack from him.
Kyle and I haven't seen it and neither have you...we should do something about that :)
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