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Music press

Music Press

Prometheus Soundtrack

Ridley Scott's prequel to Alien comes with a fitting soundtrack, where I will be looking at the three tracks that I think stand out most.

Opening with 'A Planet', we're introduced to the mythology of this film's universe, accompanied on screen by a giant sacrificing his life to create humanity. This piece is tragic and bold, straight away portraying what this film is going to be about. 

The second track worth noting is 'Life'. This is a lot more light-hearted and wonder-filled than many of the other pieces, focusing the fantasy that the characters have about their gods being pleased to see them. The soft violins are aptly used, creating a sense of awe.

The third piece I'll look at it named 'Too Close'. Coming in the movie at the point where things begin to take a turn for the worst for the characters. This track creates suspense in a way the film failed to, slowly building up into a grand finale with the pianos playing loudly. Sadly, during the film we were faced with a small worm.

This soundtrack fitted the tone of the movie's strengths very well. Opting to focus on the mystery of the engineers more than the horror aspect, the soundtrack tends to create a foreboding  forbidden feeling, like we're touching on things we shouldn't be. 

Which I thought was the whole point of the film.

Skyfall

The Theme for the next highly anticipated instalment in the James Bond franchise has been released.

Currently sitting at Number one in the charts, Adele's song, Skyfall sets the tone for the film.

Opening with a orchestral riff of the classic Bond film, piano plays before Adele starts singing.

The lyrics echo what has been seen in the trailers for the film (This is the end/Bond's supposed death) but the mysterious Skyfall is still not explained.

In this song the Skyfall is portrayed as a collapse for the character, an emotional breakdown however it is to be expected to have a more physical appearance in the film.

Half way through the four minute song it picks up. The tempo and scale of the song increases it from something soft and foreboding into a cinematic theme song worthy of the franchise.

Let's hope the film is, as well.

Prezi

My Work in Progress Prezi on Genres of Music

Eye of the Storm

Eye of the Storm - Lovett

The best way to describe this stunning music video is cinematic. Opening with the titles and cutting to a view from binoculars of a vast sky before the music even properly starts, it’s clear that this video is here to show off visuals first, music second.

But then the music actually starts playing and everything I just mentioned is irrelevant because they go so well together. The visuals of an airship hanging in a cloudy sky, the soft melody starting to play as we’re introduced to the Captain, a silent, faceless figure, the music and the video blend seamlessly together.

It’s amazing how much personality from one person can be conveyed with an appropriate soundtrack and movement without saying a word. We're intrigued from the offset, wondering who the Captain is, wanting to know about his (or her?) travels. And after the fourteenth viewing, feel pain as we realise his inevitable fate. As I said earlier, it’s cinematic. It wouldn't feel out of place at all as a prologue to an epic movie.

The music is soft and steady, complimented by the beautiful sighs of the airship creating the stormy atmosphere intended. It slowly builds up the pace as the airship gets nearer and nearer to the storm and ending on an utterly gorgeous wide shot of the airship slowly flying towards its demise. It was almost painful knowing we wouldn’t get anymore of the character.

What we’re presented with here isn’t a music video; it’s a short film that could have many interoperations’. Did the Captain want to die, or did he just accept his fate? What was in the box, a broken memory or worthless treasure? And did the Captain survive? It’s very rare a music video manages to evoke such emotion.