Back catalogue: Soundtracks

Review: Joe Hisaishi's latest release offers a compelling fusion of classical and cinematic music. The compositions, originally crafted for film soundtracks, are reimagined with orchestral arrangements that breathe new life into the pieces. The album showcases Hisaishi's signature style, blending emotive melodies with intricate orchestration. Listeners are treated to a rich auditory experience that highlights the depth and versatility of Hisaishi's work.

Review: The 2023 film Wonka has delighted audiences with its fantastic original soundtrack featuring performances by lead actor Timothee Chalamet and an exceptional ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Calah Lane, and Keegan-Michael Key. Composed by Joby Talbot and penned by songwriter Neil Hannon, the score captures the essence of the golden age of Hollywood musicals while paying homage to the beloved classics of the past. Director Paul King's vision of a prequel to the iconic 1971 film comes to life with enchanting melodies and vibrant arrangements, inviting listeners on a whimsical journey through the fantastical world of Willy Wonka.

Review: The Pom Poko (Original Soundtrack), now available on vinyl, offers an excellent blend of Japanese traditional music, samba, mambo, and more. Composed by Shang Shang Typhoon, the soundtrack beautifully complements Isao Takahata's 1994 Studio Ghibli film, Pom Poko. The movie, which explores the story of tanuki (raccoon dogs) fighting against urban development, is a whimsical yet poignant reflection on environmental themes and Japanese folklore. 'Itsudemo Dareka ga' brilliantly shows an example of the album's rich and evocative soundscape, merging lively rhythms with the film's emotional core. The diverse use of instruments creates a vibrant atmosphere, reflecting the tanuki's playful and mischievous spirit while blending moments of melancholy with the encroaching destruction of their forest home. This reissue marks 30 years since the film's release and provides a perfect soundtrack for fans of both Ghibli and world music. Experience this soundtrack that will transport you back to the magical world of Pom Poko.

Review: The original motion picture soundtrack for The Truck Turner delivers a thrilling blend of gritty funk, soul and high-energy jazz that perfectly complemented the 1974 blaxploitation classic. Composed by the great Isaac Hayes, the soundtrack is a dynamic showcase of his signature style that blends soulful melodies with intense orchestral arrangements. Tracks like 'Main Theme' and 'Breaking Into The Business' capture the raw energy and tension of the film while Hayes' deep voice and lush arrangements bring an added layer of sophistication to the score.

Review: Matthew Herbert's score for Starve Acre is an atmospheric blend of tension and subtlety, perfectly complementing the film's eerie rural setting. Known for his innovative soundtracks - as well as his innovative house productions - Herbert delivers a composition that merges traditional orchestral elements with unsettling electronic soundscapes. The result is a haunting mix that mirrors the film's themes of grief, folklore, and the supernatural. Throughout the score, Herbert balances delicate, pastoral melodies with darker, more ominous tones. Tracks swell gently before giving way to deeper, more unsettling layers, capturing the oppressive sense of dread that permeates the film. The inclusion of two renditions of 'Let Me In' i one performed by actor Matt Smith and another by folk-electronic duo Crewdson & Cevanne i adds a folkish, melancholic edge to the soundtrack. Each version offers a distinct interpretation, with Smith's stripped-down approach contrasting with Crewdson & Cevanne's more textured take. Overall, Herbert's minimalist yet powerful score elevates the haunting atmosphere of Starve Acre, turning it into an unsettling sonic experience. Fans of atmospheric soundtracks and experimental compositions will appreciate the subtle craftsmanship on display.

Review: Master composer Joe Hisaish has a vast discography or works that have made him one of the best in the game. The Orchestra Stories Soundtrack was done for the Studio Ghibli animated Japanese classic My Neighbor Totoro and this edition has been fully remastered. The album is narrated by Shigesato Itoi as the father and the music has been newly arranged for those who are exposed to an orchestra for the first time. It comes in two parts - the first with the narration introducing the orchestra and all its parts and the second as a full suite without the narration.

Review: Joe Hisiashi's incredible career as the scorer for all of Studio Ghibli's animated films (among other endeavours) has lent him an almost godlike status in the world of film music composition. Now, what better way to celebrate is there than to have him stop by for a unique 'versions' release of all the main themes from his scored films, and release them on a well-known indie label? A Symphonic Celebration hears Hisiashi revisit and recompose all the main themes from the likes of The Wind Rises, Mononoke and Spirited Away, putting fresh ears on his spirited, lifelong collaboration with director Hayao Miyazaki.

Review: How do you start describing the Mad Max universe to someone who's never been to the Mad Max universe? A relentless post-apocalyptic chase sequence across waterless badlands where H20, oil and ammo are the key motivators, alongside personal safety? A landmark science fiction that swerves high tech in favour of brute force and scavenged equipment and infrastructure? How about: a vision of a dried up, barren, desolate future where desertification and the absence of stuff are the defining factors? Australian cinema is at its best when opting for unsettling quiet and sparse settings, and Mad Max set a precedent for that. The modern incarnation of the 1979 original upped the special effects ante and made things a whole lot busier, but never lost that feeling of isolation and vulnerability. Now the latest instalment in the 21st Century series continues where predecessor, Fury Road, left off, and Tom Holkenborg clearly understands what it should mostly sound like. The dull thud of distant machines, a spluttering engine passing by, and near silent tension are the highlights here.

Review: Moviegoers have been obsessed with man v beast since the first cameras were rolling on the earliest motion pictures. Der Golem, a 1915 German silent film buy Paul Wegener, is often cited as the first example of an on-screen creature, and since then they have come thick, fast, and usually pretty scary. At least at first. Of all the monsters out there, though, none come close to the scale of King Kong. Well, OK, maybe Godzilla. The pair certainly give each other a run for their money in the size stakes, and they've been pitted against each other several times before. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is the latest incarnation of that premise, Adam Wingard's 2024 flick. Here's the soundtrack, which is as bombastic and thrilling as you would hope from a major blockbuster like this.

Review: A popular and controversial new TV series, This England, documents the recent history of England's most contemptible prime minister, Boris Johnson, and his Conservative government's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding the surreality of so quickly dramatizing a very real and bad collective experience (there are theories out there that say turning real traumatic world events into TV spectacles has the useful effect of placating a public that would otherwise grow revolutionarily angry), we still commend the OST by David Holmes here, which matches the urgency and quick-action of the pandemic as it spread across the country. Holmes' orchestral score aims for three disparate themes ('creeping', 'urgency', and 'careful'), which cause the music to rise in tactful intensity, contrasting to not-so-tactful 'traffic light' system to which the public was subject - but which the government somehow weren't.

Review: Fans of this one have long been waiting for a reissue and it is now finally here. It's a soundtrack to the movie Marusa no Onna which was directed by Juzo Itami and was set in the National Tax Bureau Inspection Department. The film's main theme marks the start of the album with its epic sax melody. It really shows off Toshiyuki Honda's impressive sound and kicks off an immersive and evocative record that was first released back in 1987 and has been a real digger's delight ever since.

Review: Several of Whitney Houston's albums are being reissued right now including this soundtrack to The Preacher's Wife, which is now making its first ever appearance on vinyl. The album is the best-selling gospel record of all time and was released in November 1996. It features songs both performed and produced by Houston herself and she also, of course starred in the film. Her heart-swelling vocals make this an emotional record with the hauntingly beautiful likes of 'I Believe In You and Me,' spiritual sounds of 'Joy To The World,' and fine guest artists including Shirley Caesar, the Georgia Mass Choir, and Houston's mother and singing legend in her own right, Cissy Houston.

Review: Several of Whitney Houston's albums are being reissued right now including this soundtrack to The Preacher's Wife, making its first ever appearance on vinyl. The album is the best-selling gospel record of all time and was released in November 1996, featuring songs both performed and produced by Houston herself and she also, of course starred in the film. Her heart-swelling vocals make this an emotional record with the hauntingly beautiful likes of 'I Believe In You and Me,' spiritual sounds of 'Joy To The World,' and fine guest artists including Shirley Caesar, the Georgia Mass Choir and Houston's mother and singing legend in her own right, Cissy Houston.

Review: .Hollywood heavyweight James Newton Howard has turned his hand to a wide variety of movie soundtrack styles in his tenure as one of the go-to names for Hollywood scores. Allow us a moment to reel off the names, or a few of them at least: Pretty Woman, The Fugitive, Space Jam, The Sixth Sense - a list that could go on, and on, but you get the point. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sits at the more pomp and ceremony-filled end of things, epic classical overtures that invoke a sense of adventure, overcoming adversity, mild peril and inner strength. Even when heard without the visual accompaniment of the film itself you can't get away from those feelings, making for a rousing and compelling listening experience.

Review: It looks like Damien Chazelle, the young, impressive director of Whiplash and the more recent La La Land, likes to surround himself with equally talented youngsters. For the latter film, he's chosen Justin Hurwitz to compose the score for his successful musical featuring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and we have to say that this is a real keeper. There's a bit of everything in here, a little vintage pop, some classical elements here and there, but jazz is what's at the core of this original score, and that's why we think it's great. What's more, you can listen to Gosling and Stone sing on your turntables. Check it out.