movie soundtrack might just change my outlook for that music genre. With music exclusively composed by the French duo, known collectively as Daft Punk, the soundtrack is a solid amalgam of electronica and symphonic melodies taken to the nth degree. This blending of synthesizers with a full-blown orchestra is nothing new but on this soundtrack, the bar is definitely raised.Daft Punk is made up of musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter and were considered pioneers in the French house music scene when they first appeared in the 90's. Their debut album, Homework
, released in 1997, contains the hit singles "Da Funk" and "Alive," and went on to become one of the most influential dance music albums of the 90's. In 2009, Daft Punk won their first Grammys for Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album.
This soundtrack reminds me so much of Vangelis' compositions from the Blade Runner soundtrack or even John Carpenter's Escape From New York tracks. But on Tron Legacy
, Daft Punk brings a certain attitude to the sound, both foreboding and dark. The duo's electro-punk sound comes up big on the track "Derezzed" but they mellow out on the track "The Game Has Changed," pushing the horns and violins in the orchestra to layer a melodious tune on top of a pulsating beat. On other tracks like "Recognizer," "Outlands" and "Adagio for TRON," a similarity in the outlying melody can be detected but they differ by letting a different instrument be the star. Overall, this is a very intriguing soundtrack by Daft Punk that puts their musical range on display in a manner that is dramatic and creative. Sometimes the album feels a little restrictive in its overall sound but it is after all based on a single movie, so that is to be expected.Daft Punk's work on all the 22 tracks on this soundtrack CD is amazing and one of the best soundtrack albums to come along in a long time. You can sample the songs on either iTunes or on Amazon.com. Let the CD spin on your stereo, turn off all the lights and let the music take you into the world of Tron Legacy
. be careful, you might never want to leave. Recommendation: Buy It!