God, I've been DYING to write this, and with the midnight showing of TRON: Legacy tonight, I'm finally able to get it all out!
Recognizer (8.4/10)
A brooding track that really lets you know that this isn't going to be your typical garden variety ambient/orchestral blah blah blah soundtrack. The slightly distorted synth backing lines behind the orchestra are wonderful and the big punctuating drums let you know that it's on. When the theme line cuts in around 1:15 you can visualize the excitement.
The Game Has Changed (7.7/10)
The lowest scoring track on my "must have" because I feel it has the lowest re-listen value, but essential because of it's brilliant use of filtering and distortion. Some very nice back-slipping sequences are used here to great effect. The orchestral elements used elsewhere in the music are by now recognizable, but still very enjoyable. As the songs climax begins cooking around 2:06, all you can do is hold on while it begins to build. The ending leaves you craving just a bit more, but as you progress through the rest of the album you see the longer story being articulated, and you're not disappointed.
Adagio for TRON (8.1/10)
Ever since William Orbit's take on this classical technique I've been in love with the gentle flow of electronic fused pieces performed adagio. This piece is heartfelt and executed expertly if not surprisingly. The "fused" elements, an arpeggiation and synth pad, are used tastefully only really surfacing around 2:34 for emphasis. Of all the songs, this is the only one that felt as though it hearkened back to the organ music used in the original film, a nice touch. A solid must for anybody looking to dig into the feeling of the whole series of tracks.
End of Line (9.4/10)
Okay, now we're into a "track" proper. This is the kind of thing that hard core Daft Punker's were left craving more of when the soundtrack was released. I get that. Great use of layered heavy synths here and the choice of a slow down tempo are merged with highly interesting glitch work. My main complaint, is that it's not longer, but even with its short playtime, I still love it when this track comes up in my Daft Tron playlist.
End of Line (9.4/10)
Okay, now we're into a "track" proper. This is the kind of thing that hard core Daft Punker's were left craving more of when the soundtrack was released. I get that. Great use of layered heavy synths here and the choice of a slow down tempo are merged with highly interesting glitch work. My main complaint, is that it's not longer, but even with its short playtime, I still love it when this track comes up in my Daft Tron playlist.
Derezzed (and accompanying video) (9.8/10)
This is by far the most widely recognized song by the casual listener, made famous by the stunning promotional music video released along with it (perhaps more on that later). If this song didn't make your hair stand on end when you first heard it then you probably didn't spend the three years immediately following the release of the original film dreaming about being in that neon highlighted world with Tron, Ram and Sark when you were a youngster.
Solar Sailer (8.3/10)
Another slow moody piece like the Adagio for TRON, but this one free of any conventions and all the better for it. Not the most complicated song in the list, but one of the most emotionally satisfying. Because of it's wider sonic pallet and less conventional execution, I found myself scoring it slightly higher than the Adagio.
TRON Legacy (End Titles) (9.5/10)
Delivers the final finishing blow to your mind, soul and body with its super retro acid TB-303 inspired bass/lead line. It's unbelievable that Daft Punk breaks out an old school sound like this for the end credits, only they would have the balls and talent to pull it off. At first, I was reluctant to like this song, offended even by the audacity of the 303 squelching, but as the acid line faded into the background and the orchestral theme emerged I was stunned. This has become one of my favorite tracks of the entire playlist now, second only to Derezzed and is definitely a track you should put on your playlist.
TRON Legacy (End Titles) (9.5/10)
Delivers the final finishing blow to your mind, soul and body with its super retro acid TB-303 inspired bass/lead line. It's unbelievable that Daft Punk breaks out an old school sound like this for the end credits, only they would have the balls and talent to pull it off. At first, I was reluctant to like this song, offended even by the audacity of the 303 squelching, but as the acid line faded into the background and the orchestral theme emerged I was stunned. This has become one of my favorite tracks of the entire playlist now, second only to Derezzed and is definitely a track you should put on your playlist.
Well, that wraps up my best of TRON: Legacy soundtrack by Daft Punk. I hope you have a chance to check out these tracks and post any feedback here you might have. Which track affected you? Which ones did I miss?
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