MovieScore Media and Kronos Records release Nuno Malo's epic score to Fernando Fragata's 2010 sci-fi mystery Backlight. The film tells the story of a group of unrelated characters, each of whom find themselves at a critical stage in their own lives. All of them are strangely compelled to move towards an uncharted lake in the middle of the desert where they all have the opportunity to save each other and find redemption in the process....

Those that bought and loved Nuno Malo's score for The Celestine Prophecy will be pleased to hear that once again he dives into his magic bag of tricks in order to deliver a score that is both totally original, whilst at the same time sounding vaguely familiar. It's an ethereal score which contains several beautiful and very memorable themes.

The album opens on the right note with 'Daniel Saves the Girl', which brings to mind Hans Zimmer's work on Gladiator. It's a beautiful track and, at just over 8 minutes in length, crams in a number of heart wrenching themes.

There isn't a dull track here, and of the 29 tracks (1 hr, 10 min, 34 sec) I couldn't find any bland filler material. I was reminded of a few other pieces of music as I was listening to this score:

'Matt Arrives at the Airplane Cemetery' reminded me of Harry Gregson-Williams and Stephen Barton music for the game Call of Duty IV: Modern Warfare; 'Jay's Theme', which turns up in a few tracks, reminded me of John Williams's score for War Horse; 'Mother and Daughter's Roadtrip' incorporates a theme that reminded me of John Carpenter's Halloween theme - only somehow, it's been turned into a more upbeat affair.

Highlight, of which there are many, include 'Daniel Saves the Girl'; 'Rooftop / Jay's Theme (Film Version)'; 'Ending Slow Motion (Alternate Version)'; 'Jay's Theme (Album Version)'; 'Rooftop Near Fall'; 'Skylar on the Roof'; 'The Signal Gathering'

It's an epic, beautiful score that should find a welcome home in the collections of those that enjoy the music of John Williams, James Horner and Jerry Goldsmith.

10

Darren Rea