• Products

by Arcee on 12.16.10

As part of the big marketing blitz Disney is pouring out behind Tron: Legacy, the soundtrack to the film was released Dec. 7 and features 22 all new tracks by the techno/electronic mix duo of Daft Punk via Walt Disney Records. A regular edition, digital copy, and deluxe collector's edition of the soundtrack were released with the deluxe edition featuring a digital download copy of the soundtrack, an exclusive Daft Punk film poster from the movie, and a free download of an exclusive track not included on the regular edition of the CD. Although I may be a huge fan of both Daft Punk and Tron, the idea of dropping $40 on a music CD wasn't too enticing to me, so I opted for purchasing the regular version of the album.

First things first, for those of you expecting to hear nothing but Daft Punk's typical kind of music, prepare to be disappointed in that category. The score for the movie is what you would normally hear from any other drama or sci-fi movie, full orchestral arrangements but with subtle tones of Daft Punk's flair for music. Just because they were scoring the film didn't mean the whole album would be techno/electronica. However, to my surprise, the score is actually quite entertaining. There are several tracks that feature that wonderful Daft Punk vibe — End of Line, End Titles, and Derezzed (the featured single from the album) in particular are what you would expect from the duo. The orchestral arrangements they composed also are beautifully done, though.

Tracks like The Overture, Fall, and Arena do a great job of setting a certain mood while reminding you Tron is a sci-fi film and the music is heavy influenced by Daft Punk. Two tracks that definitely shine from the album are Adagio for Tron and Nocturne, which are both surprisingly haunting and beautifully composed at the same time. This is mostly in part for the arranger of the music for the album Joseph Trapanese, and London Orchestra Leader Thomas Bowee. These two tracks just stand out from every other track on the album as they are of a substantially different tone than the rest of the tracks on the album. However, as a whole, the entire set of music from the film is a delight to listen to. Whether you are a fan of Daft Punk or of musical scores, this album delivers. My personal favorites from the CD are The Game Has Changed, End of Line, and Fall.

Bonus content included on the album are a number of official trailers for the film, a photo gallery of stills from the film, a music video for the track Derezzed, and downloadable ringtones from samples of the album that are available for purchase for $1.99 each. All in all not bad, though one or two free ringtones would have been nice. As a whole, I would definitely recommend picking up the Tron: Legacy Official Motion Picture Soundtrack after seeing the movie in theaters when it is released Dec. 17. The music is different than what you would expect from Daft Punk, but it is a unique surprise at how well done the entire score is. As for me, I will definitely download this album to my MP3 player to listen to on the way to watch the film.