Track Listing

1. Main Title/Trinity Infinity
2. Unable To Speak
3. Power Plant
4. Welcome To The Real World
5. Hotel Ambush
6. Exit Mr Hat
7. Virus
8. Bullet Time
9. Ontological Shock
10. Anything Is Possible

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48567 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack

Amazon.co.uk Review
Musically avant-garde elements have been utilised in film scores for decades, usually as shock elements to denote horror or the otherworldly. In recent times, modern composer Philip Glass has enjoyed varying degrees of success adapting his minimalist techniques to film scoring. Given that background, Don Davis's powerful, innovative score to the Wachowski brothers' 1999 sci-fi hit The Matrix has all the makings of a landmark. Utilising his extensive interest and training in the avant-garde, Davis has composed what's been touted as the first "New York school postmodern" film score, a jarring departure from his hugely successful work as an orchestrator of such populist fare as Titanic, Pleasantville, A Bug's Life and Toy Story. The Matrix weds Davis's mastery of musical detail and coloration to a largely atonal postmodern concerto that's complex, dark and unrelenting. Many film scores have driven tonal writing and heroic motifs into the ground; Davis's deft, sparing use of them here places them in stark, effective relief. The Matrix offers up a rewarding orchestral challenge that may just be a decade--or two--ahead of its time. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Short but good
I'll try to describe what each track consists of relative to the film, so that readers can judge for themselves how interested they are in this CD. The original score is very instrumental, and when human voices are included, they aren't singing in words; if the song you're interested in has lyrics, check the 'Music from the Matrix' CD rather than this one.

The tracks are provided in the order in which they occur in the film.

"Main Title/Trinity Infinity" - The opening title sequence and pursuit, beginning where the WB logo fades in. The initial telephone dialing FX are omitted (pity, that).

The song Neo's listening to during the fade-in on his first scene, Dissolved Girl, isn't part of the original score, so it's buried somewhere on the other CD.

"Unable to Speak" - Covers the first "Mr. Anderson" interrogation sequence.

"The Power Plant" - This begins exactly at the point where Neo wakes up in the Power Plant, and ends with the Nebuchadnezzar pickup. The music from the preceding scene - the flute-dominated, 'steeple-chasing' sequence as the team races against the effect of the red pill, with the cool mirror effect - is not included here.

"Welcome to the Real World" - Begins where "The Power Plant" left off. This quiet track features strings and a vocal solo, and ends at the point where Neo's treatment is complete and he first touches the spinal jack.

"The Hotel Ambush" - In the film, this begins with a brief drum solo at the point where Mouse is checking out the Woman in Red poster, waiting for the rest of the team to return. It continues through the walls, and into the ensuing battle.

"Exit Mr. Hat" - Picks up where "The Hotel Ambush" left off, covering the ensuing close encounter with Agent Smith.

"A Virus" - Covers the Morpheus interrogation sequence, beginning with Agent Smith's personal revelation on the nature of humanity, and continuing through the lots-of-guns scene.

"Bullet-time" - Does NOT include the lobby scene's music or that of the elevator afterward, but begins with the chopper pilot's announcement of the attack and ends with the scene giving the track its name.

"Ontological Shock" - Corresponds to the sequence beginning with the breaking of chains, and ending with the shattering of mirror-glass.

"Anything Is Possible" - The climactic confrontation, ending as Neo hangs up at the end of the final phone call. (The end title sequence immediately following is NOT part of the original score; check 'Wake Up' on the 'Music from the Matrix' CD.) Lots of soaring vocals and brass with staccato flute overlay at the high points of the scene.

Excellant, if a bit short
This is a great score, and all of the tracks are recognisable from the film. Its very dark and haunting, which you would expect. The only down side is the short running time, barely over 30mins. Definatley worth buying if you are a fan of the film

INSTRUMENTAL only!
Great music, but this is the INSTRUMENTAL score only, and not the soundtrack with all the hit songs, etc. FYI...