Happy Holidays!

Christmas is just around the corner! Now where on earth did this year go? Wait, a little bit of Déjà vu here. Don't we all think this every year? This has been an excellent year, and I want to mention a few things about what is coming up in the world of scores.

To begin, I want to finally present to you some of my favorite works from Alexandre Desplat. Though it may be a little dated, it is open for the picking until February 28 (nope, not a leap year). Click on sir Desplat's name for details.

Finally! With all the amazing releases that Two Steps From Hell gave us all in 2015, they just spoiled us again in another epic album: Vanquish. If you haven't been following Thomas Bergersen on Facebook, you might want to check out his most recent post. Apparently we are expecting "A LOT" of music from Two Steps From Hell in 2017. Who's excited! Don't forget to check out the recording sessions video of what is probably the best track in the album Vanquish: High C's.

Now, the scores that I am personally excited for this December are Rogue One, Assassin's Creed, and Hidden Figures. I also was able to discover that Silva Screen Records has put up a Christmas album for pre-order. It is a nice white vinyl edition featuring music from the film Elf. Unfortunately it does not include any music from the score, but it sure to give you some Christmas spirit, in case you have doubts you may not be gifted this year. You can pre-order it on Amazon. If you are one of those Limited Edition fanatics, you may also want to know that only 500 of these exist. 

On December 12, Varese Sarabande will reissue Agnes of God. This is also limited to 500 copies to don't be slow to grab it if you are a fan of Georges Delerue. On the same day Star Trek Beyond is going deluxe (limited to 5,000 copies) through Varese as well. 

Ah, and that just about summarizes things, briefly. What are some of your most anticipated releases?

Some Thoughts on Trailer Music

    During my journey exploring new artists and music with Apple Music, I have finally turned to what I just classify as "trailer music," which is basically independent music not composed for anything in particular.

    Erik Ekholm is one that I would like to mention. I found that his music was not to my liking. I am one who listens to a lot of audiomachine, Thomas Bergersen, abs Two Steps From Hell, which is top notch in terms of quality. The works of these three artists are well composed and are three kings of epic trailer music.

    Erik Ekholm is not one I would spend money on. While initially his scores are very orchestral and interesting, I find that he relies too heavily on the electric guitar. It always overpowers the orchestra, and always at the same point in nearly every song.

    The orchestral parts of his music is decent, I just wish that he used the electric guitar to compliment the orchestra rather than be the dominant instrument. I believe that the three artists mentioned above have mastered the technique of using perfectly blending and balancing the electronics sounds with the orchestral sounds.

    If you are into this type of music, then do not let me stop you. Other great alternatives would be Epic Score and Future World Music. Epic Score sounds really bad with Apple's EarPods though when it comes to the treble and the bass is so intense they can barely take it. This is one reason why I would never pay $30 for a pair, but then again, cheers to you if you love them. I think they are fine and use them regularly anyway.

And what about that Alexandre Desplat link I promised? I totally forgot. I am working on cleaning up some unnecessary cloud data to make room for the link, to stay tuned.

Love & Loss

   The brilliant minds behind Two Steps From Hell have defined the meaning of epic music. There is just no going back, and although it may not initially suit the taste of some listeners, There is some amazing music that is better than some film music. Their vast catalog of compositions has so much uniqueness. First you find a rough, loud piece that has some rock components, but another is light, orchestral, and beautiful.

   Love & Loss is one that I will be focusing on. It is composed by none other than Thomas Bergersen. Being the end of the work week, this will wrap things up perfectly. Its victorious tune gives us the feeling of accomplishment, the climax is over and the resolving sequence has arrived. A modern sound is derived from the synth which produces some interesting sounds. Still, the strings are the center focus on this, giving the brass the role of quiet introduction and blending throughout. A choir comes in about halfway when the buildup begins. 

   Every time I hear this I keep thinking of how perfectly this would end a film with a modern take on storytelling. The victory and resolve is clear and precise, and so is the joy from the end of the tiresome adventure. It also leaves us with one small bit that something isn't over. There is something else wrong that is soon to come up. A perfect place to leave off where a sequel would pick up. 

Akkadian Empire

   When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was announced back in 2011, it was called "The most anticipated game of the year." I'm not sure if it lived up to the hype, but the music sure was pleasing. As the final concluding chapter in the series, I believe that it did.

   The reveal trailer features Audiomachine's Akkadian Empire, but you will not be able to hear it very well unless you have previously heard the song yourself. Watch the trailer below and see if you can pick up the basic theme.

   Did you hear it? The music that is playing is in fact from Akkadian Empire, but the catch? The percussion stems are the only thing that is present from the original track.This is an interesting way of going about this campaign, which seems to fit the trailer perfectly. The increasing intensity and simple sound are a good match for what is going on in the video. After all, this is just a reveal trailer.

   Now listen to the master mix with all of the stems combined (below). When you watch the video above again, you can almost hear the choir where it used to be.

   I suppose this track is simple in nature to begin with, and very short, but with a good level of intensity. The drums truly are epic and fun to listen to, so here it is once more. The same stem that is used in the reveal trailer, but without all of the extra sounds. Just pure percussion. 

   It is very interesting to see how the advertising company manipulates the music to fit their needs in trailers. This is the least amount of music from the original mix that I have come across when it comes to trailers. I admire creativity, and that can come from original work, or how someone can take that work and change it up. Do you know of some instances where the music is changed significantly? 

Decimus: The Abbey Road Sessions

Well, I'm off to a late start today, but in time for lunch you will listen to the best trailer music from 2015. Audiomachine treated its fans with not on official release, but three! I have yet to listen to Magnus: B-Sides.

Today is the source of inspiration for this week's Abbey Road series. Decimus is filled with epic themes to jump start your adventure, rejuvenate your strength, and push you forward. Now go kill that monster!

The Lion's Heart sets the mood for the album and presents a good start. Today I will be mainly focusing on Unbroken. I love this song so much.

It is a beautiful representation of the strings, blending spiccato and arco, which shapes the theme. Coming in at the perfect time, the choir adds to the mix, but does not overpower the dominant sound of the instruments.

Faint percussion in the background and some accompanying brass. Being a string player, you may have already guessed that I always prefer the sound of the strings, which are the main instruments in this piece. If you listen for it, you will hear the brass near the end when the climax is reached.

My favorite part in this piece begins at 1:24 when everything ceases except for the violin and the choir. The violin, playing in spiccato, takes a short pause before returning using much higher notes to increase the intensity and eventually reaching the final climax.

What are your thoughts on this beautiful piece? If you like this track as much as I did, you should also look into Voyage of Dreams.

I hope you have an excellent Friday. See you again next week!

Above and Beyond by Audiomachine

To wrap this wonderful week up in one tight ribbon, I have here a track from Audiomachine.

Audiomachine is my favorite trailer music company. Today's track comes from 2013's Tree of Life and was featured in the trailer from Monday's film: Cinderella.

Composed by the talented Paul Dinletir, Above and Beyond

Slow piano begins the track and gives us the theme. A short burst of percussion is the cue for the strings, coming in as spiccato and starting the buildup. The cello invites itself in, playing some high notes and introducing the primary theme.

Everything begins to come together as the percussion maintains a steady beat that forshadows what is to come. The percussion and strings play together shortly before reaching its peak and bringing in the choir, which is perfectly balanced and does not overpower the instruments.

I love how everything is so delicately mixed. This is one of my all-time favorite songs from the trailer genre.

Re-Scheduling, Epic 1-Hour Playlist

I hope you have been enjoying my daily posts. I have decided to cut back on my daily journey and give you three a week. I want to provide meaningful updates that dig into the topics that I am discussing. To begin, I want to start a pattern in what you will find each week.

On Monday you will find film music, either an album, series, theme focus, etc. My vision is that this will inspire you and help jump start your busy week. Music has a wonderful way of doing that. 

Wednesdays are dedicated to game music. It is half-way through the week and you need energy. Not all game music is all action though, but it will be fine. 

Finally, on Friday, you will find a featured track from my library of trailer music. This will wrap up the week and hopefully inspire you again (maybe for that side project in your closet?).

I hope you enjoy what I have planned for next week, and since it is Friday, I have to give you some trailer music. Below you will find a one hour playlist of some excellent trailer music. 

Let me know what you think, and Enjoy!

A Look Into Trailer Music: Interstellar by Full Tilt

Trailer music has a unique place in the soundtrack world. It is something that should never be overlooked as much of it is incredibly good. Some of it may not be too appealing to film music enthusiasts due to its tendency to lean towards the louder, epic sound.

Today I am featuring Interstellar by Full Tilt. No, it has nothing to  do with the Christopher Nolan film. This is an excellent representation of what trailer music is capable of. It has a more film-like-soundtrack sound to it, starting out very quiet and gradually fading into the main body.

When the climax is finally reached, you really begin to feel the music. The theme stays with you even while the music fades.

Some Favorites in the New Album Sun

I am excited to share with you some of my favorite titles in Thomas Bergersen's new album Sun that was just released today.

The album seems to basically tell a story from before time began and ends with heaven.

The first song is titled "Before Time." It's slow progression is a great introduction to the album.



Skipping to track 8, which is,Starchild, the pace is sped up more and the emotions are heightened and there is some intensity introduced. I love the theme that is in this one.




Cassandra
This theme reminds me very much of the one in Maleficent by James Newton Howard. It does have its differences though, and it still is a phenomenal piece.



Always Mine
Sun doesn't really introduce any true action music, it is more aimed at the happy emotions. Always Mine hits it just right, you may have to suck that tear back up! Some of Thomas Bergersen's music puts the volume of the vocals too high, which I'm not a big fan of. I think that he perfectly balanced them in this piece.



Empire Of Angels
This was actually the first track that was officially released. It came instantly if you pre ordered the album. This album has a more epic sound and feel to it. It almost sounds like the beginning of a journey.



In Paradisum
This song brings down the mood tremendously as it prepares you for the ending of the artist's masterpiece. This is where the listener enters heaven, where the end is supposed to be.





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Tha's a Wrap by Thomas Bergersen

Thomas Bergerstein recently released a nice and long song. It's about ten minutes, but it sounds great, I almost wish it was longer. You can listen to it below. He also allows you to download it for free here (right click and select "save target as"): http://www.thomasbergersen.com/Thomas_Bergersen-_-That%27s-A-Wrap.mp3