Artist: Daft Punk

Album: Tron: Legacy

Label: Walt Disney Records  

It's rare to see a soundtrack receive the same amount of praise as other musical albums.

One reason may be oftentimes there is no voice behind the music. Instrumentals, no matter how flawless, just can't seem to compete when against the sassy lyrics of Taylor Swift or the playful crooning of Justin Bieber. Another reason could be the enormous market for movie scores. Even when a good album is produced, it easily becomes lost in piles of movie music competing for attention.

Faced with a year of lackluster movies, director Joseph Kosinski no doubt saw computer thriller, Tron: Legacy, as an opportunity to hit audiences hard. With a roster of talented actors and stunning effects to shape the films backbone, it was icing on the cake to call in French duo Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, more commonly known as Daft Punk, to create the movies score.

Tron: Legacy, which released in theaters December 17, tells the story of a world within a computer program. This immediately puts Daft Punk in their element, since even strangers to electronic music will recognize their song, "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.". However, the duo chooses to experiment on their first movie score, and the results are rather interesting.

Tron: Legecy begins on unsteady footing with "Overture". Though not a bad song, it is so unlike Daft Punk's usual work that it could throw off fans who were expecting to jump head-first into the cyber-rock the duo is known for. "Overture" is followed by "The Grid" which is marred by a voiceover of Jeff Bridges, who uses it as an opportunity to describe the world of Tron. It adds a slight air of mystery to the track, but the narration is mostly pointless.

Once listeners have passed these two hurdles, the Daft duo really begin to show their stuff. Songs like "The Son of Flynn" and "Rinzler" take on an amazing blend electronic and orchestral sound. The notes are wild but at the same time elegant. Pounding drums and a sea of violins crate an atmosphere of power that draws you deeper into the music. Even without the film, listeners will have no problem picturing the bright, neon landscape of Tron in their minds.

The collection offers a great deal of versatility as well. Those who enjoy adrenalin-inducing beats will be more than satisfied with "The Game Has Changed" and "Derezzed" while individuals searching for a mellower, softer experience will be pleased with "Adagio for Tron" and "Solar Sailer". There are 22 different tracks on the album, each with their own synergized spectrum of notes. It is fun to listen to, both for fans of Daft Punk and those keen on trying a new blend of music. Despite how Tron: Legacy fares in the theaters, one thing can be sure. This soundtrack is definitely one for the system.

*This Review First Published 12/17/2010