Having just won the Academy Award for Best Score, this soundtrack truly is the deserved winner. Trent Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails, joining up with Atticus Ross, is no suprise. Ross has worked with Reznor on four Nine Inch Nails albums as programmer and/or producer. Indeed, two tracks from this soundtrack is reworked from an album titled Ghosts I-IV.
At any rate, the deeply unsettling electronic album completely shifts the tone of what could have been a potentially up-beat film. Reznor discusses on the DVD how he was initially concerned that the film would have required a teenage frat-boy-movie soundtrack, whereas the first track, Hand Covers Bruise, that opens the film is actually unnerveing and almost-sinister with its soft melody simmering a-top of the grating - is it strings? - underneath. As noted, an incredible start to an incredible film.
You may notice that my chosen tracks are from the start of the album and, if I'm honest, it starts off exceptionally well but I always get a little less interested by the time I get to In The Hall of the Mountain King, track 12 of an 18-track album. The selection of highlights are as follows:
2. In Motion - Dave Chen of SlashFilm conducted a interview with Trent Reznor and, amongst playing a wealth of music from the soundtrack, this track was one of, if not the first track used in the interview. I bought the soundtrack pretty much exclusively because of this track. It really is that good...
3. A Familiar Taste - As previously mentioned, two tracks on the album are reworkings of tracks used on a Nine Inch Nails album called Ghosts I-IV. This is one track - the other being Magnetic. As soon as the bass hits 15 seconds in, the creaking and squeking reminds me of insects creeping in. The guitar grind, and broken chords. Jilted, broken and soon enough merging into a melody. Tempts me to buy the aforementioned Nine Inch Nails album.
5. Intriguing Possibilities - All the tracks I chose are fairly fast-paced and this is no different. Again another epic use of electronic sounds. The tapping and incessant rumblings before a great bass bumps along introducing the melody. Incredible
