Sony Music presents the original soundtrack for Creed II with music from three-time Grammy Award nominee Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, Atlanta). Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family...

Ludwig Göransson returns to the Creed franchise to deliver another collection of rich and deep themes. The score contains 17 tracks (50 min, 49 sec) and certainly caught me off guard. The album really packs a punch, if you'll forgive the pun. Notable highlights include the opening track, 'Drago', as well as 'Wheeler Fight' (which sent a shiver down my spine the first time I heard it. Göransson knows how to left foot the listener and keep on building on a theme when you think he's done); 'Drago's Walk Out'; 'It's Your Time' (which as an added bonus includes a theme that fans of the original Rocky movies will remember well).

Talking about his work on the score, Göransson said: "In Creed II, Creed is now at the peak of his career. He is facing big responsibilities and decisions that will affect not only him but also his family. When I wrote the score for Creed II, I continued on my journey from the first Creed. The themes that were more youthful three years ago now had to mature into a more serious musical language. It was also a huge honour to write a theme for one of the most popular antagonists in film history, the Drago family."

Soundtrack collectors who would normally shy away from this sort of film - expecting a totally different feel from the music - will be pleasantly surprised at how melodic and thematically rich this score it.

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Darren Rea