Daft Punk – Tron Legacy Soundtrack Review

On the surface, helmeted DJ duo, Daft Punk seems to be the perfect fit for a score to Tron: Legacy. Based on their mysterious appearance and blippy sound, it seems they were pulled into our world from Tron the same way Flynn was pulled into the icy blue and red virtual land years ago. The surprise is not that they pull off an excellent score for the film, but rather how understated the expected electronic elements are. It is not until the midway point of the score that a dance beat finally makes an appearance, on the thick, hazy synth of “End Of The Line”. Until that point, and for the majority of the score following it, Daft Punk take a decidedly ‘less is more’ approach with their typically glitzy electronic arrangements, choosing to become members of the orchestra rather than overshadow it.

Following the bold orchestral “Overture”, introducing the score’s regal theme, a voiceover from Jeff Bridges accompanies “The Grid” as he proudly explains what he imagined Tron to be before he got there. The booming bass and quietly pulsing synth give it a distinctly early eighties computer film vibe, which follows on tracks like pulsing bass and distant flickering synth of “Armory” and tense, thundering drums of “Rinzler”, as Daft Punk succeeds at seamlessly blending electronica and orchestra. The string section’s back and forth sawing meshes with dripping synth to playfully gnaw at your nerves on the great “Recognizer”.

Those expecting a thumping club soundtrack, rather than the rousing score they actually deliver, will enjoy “TRON: Legacy (End Credits)”; where blippy distortion rides a dance beat while still maintaining the central theme. The clanging house rhythm and twirling, washed-out synth of “Derezzed” are probably more along the lines of what most will expect here, but it is the distorted hammering beat and fuzzy vibe enhancing the strings on “The Game Has Changed” that show off their work here best. While not the neon-clodhopper you might expect, Daft Punk does an excellent job crafting a triumphant yet measured score that captures the spirit of the Tron world exceptionally well.

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