The reviews for director Justin Kurzel’s film Macbeth are as glowing as they are for his brother Jed’s outstanding soundtrack. It’s drapes over the film like a blanket of musical mist, you can almost feel it rolling over the icy hills.
The first track Child Pt 1 has a discordant violin rising through the stringed bleakness, it’s a tired moan of despair which needs to be let out but has no-where to go. It has your attention and you know exactly where you are. Child Pt 2 envelopes you with with it’s nagging pulse at the forefront and certain dread in the back-based drum.This time the discordant notes are more pronounced and they chill.
It’s not laziness to admit it’s difficult to review each track because the changes in structure of the soundtrack as a whole are very subtle and it’s best heard complete to experience the darkness. There is no melody to follow, you just have to let go and let the whole thing sweep over you.
I will give a mention to Dunsinane – “Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.” A cue with a rhythmic strand in it’s violin which rises to challenging but measured percussion. The strings almost sounding like bagpipes.
This is not a background score, you will not be listening to this for relaxation. I have not yet seen the film but I am sure it fits the film like a glove. It’s inspired and gets my vote for one of the best and innovative soundtracks of this year.
Tracklisting:
1. The Child, Pt.1
2. The Child, Pt.2
3. The Battle
4. First Apparition
5. Supernatural Soliciting
6. The Letter
7. The Dagger
8. Dunsinane
9. Banquo’s Death
10. Second Apparition
11. Murder
12. Inverness
13. Spot
14. The Yellow Leaf
15. Turn Hell Hound
16. Macbeth
17. Epilogue
18. Landscapes
19. Blood
Decca Music Group Ltd
Filmic Tracks 