Review: Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

I’ll be the first to admit I was never a fan of the original Tron. However, one look at that new trailer with shiny blue colors and whirling special effects and my interest was peaked. Add to the mixture a soundtrack written and performed entirely by my favorite electronic duo, Daft Punk, and I was smitten before I even listened to a single note. After my greedy little hands, or rather ears, got a hold of this delight, I was in music bliss.

From start to finish, this album is an intense musical collection of epic proportions. The journey begins with “Overture” and in my mind I picture myself standing triumphantly over a pile of digital dead corpses. This feeling of pure amazingness continues throughout the entire soundtrack. As a writer, I should have a plethora of words at my disposal, but the only word that comes to mind each time I listen to this soundtrack is “epic.” I’m not too familiar with the movie, but I can still see it in my head –people on blue motorcycles whizzing by and discs being tossed at someone’s head. Yes, this album is purely epic.

Fans of Daft Punk shouldn’t get too excited though. If you think this soundtrack will be full of twisted dance beats and pop-happy synth, you will be sadly mistaken. However, if you can appreciate the artistic direction that is a movie score, you will absolutely love it. “Derezzed” and “Tron Legacy” were definitely thrown in there, though, to satisfy the Daft Punk fans. You can expect their classic bright tones laced over irresistible beats.

While the album is mostly synthesizers and drum machines, there is heavy use of classical instruments –an 85-piece orchestra to be exact. The orchestra adds tension to “The Game Has Changed” and a sad beauty to “Adagio for TRON” and “Nocturne.” A film score just doesn’t seem complete without one.

The Tron: Legacy Soundtrack is nothing short of brilliant. I don’t even have to see the movie to appreciate this wonderful score of music. I can easily say it’s one of my favorite albums of 2010, and film scores don’t often make it on that list.