Benjamin Wallfisch score for underwater thriller Pressure is released through MovieScore Media. The music conjures the majesty and perils of underwater exploration. The film follows the adventures of four men who are tasked with fixing an oil pipeline under the sea. Once they get separated from their ship, the group must first survive in a small pod on the bottom of the Indian Ocean, then figure out a way to get back to the surface with no outside assistance...

Benjamin Wallfisch (Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain; Conquest 1453; Desert Dancer; The Escapist; Gamba; Hammer of the Gods, The Thirteenth Tale), turns in yet another interesting collection of themes that shows his diversity as a composer. It's impressive that none of his scores sounds anything like his other work - this is the true mark of a composer who is serious about their art. Wallfisch obviously cares about the music he creates and appears to start each project with a blank sheet of paper. Other composers appear to have a distinct collection of styles that they lean heavily on. I'm thinking James Horner and John Barry - two of my favourite composers, but you can almost always tell its their work even if you're listening to a piece of their music for the first time.

There were a handful of moments were I was reminded of parts of Wallfisch's score for Desert Dancer, but on the whole this is a collection of unique themes. He has created a hybrid mix of orchestral elements with electronics in a bid to portray the battle of man, machine and nature, ranging from the claustrophobic ambience of 'Ocean Emergency' through the sacrificial heroism of 'Final Swim' to the serene and reflective 'Rain'. The album also includes the lyrical end credits song 'Satellite', performed by the composer’s sister Joanna Wallfisch.

The album contains 12 tracks (31 min, 56 sec) and while I wasn't as struck by this when compared to other scores by the composer, there are still a number of interesting themes here.

7

Darren Rea