Point Break
Mark Isham
" While Point Break is not Isham's best, it does make for an effective listening experience. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
La-La-Land Records has a intriguing list of movie/game score releases. Have an unknown one followed by a treasured sought after release of a known one. In this case, Mark Isham's work on Point Break is a treasure amongst the Isham fans. Because they see it as an early work that is both effective and innovating. If you hear the deal about Point Break, you'll soon understand why it was innovating for Isham at that time. Due to the process in editing and re-shooting, Isham's score, largely based on electronics, a rock band and a brass choir, soon elapsed into an electronic /orchestral score, where the orchestra's duty was to give the thrill of skydiving its epic feel.
In their test of time Isham admits that these still work exceptionally well. I must admit they do to. While the cool electronic majesty of "Night Surfing" is something you must hear, the more orchestral parts of Point Break show where the difference lies in a sought after release and not. The build up and the warmer real sound of the orchestra in "Skydiving" shows Isham toying with the electronics, yet letting the orchestra do most of the work. The result is a pretty impressive one, considering you hear both epic tunes in electronic versions (7) and their rousing counterpart (16).
The big difference between the action is also a pinnacle point in the score. The orchestra is only unleashed in the latter part of the movie, when the producers and director realized a more epic way was necessary to portray the way how they lived. Therefore it only appeared the moment Utah understood the meaning of their risky way of life. Before that, a sound design was effectively underscoring "Fight with Razorheads", "Razorhead Raid" and the rhythmic "Car / Foot Chase". When the orchestra took over, it was fuelling "Bank Robbery" and "Shootout at Airport" with a more bigger and powerful sound.
Isham's tone goes further in "No Parachute", giving his skydiving music a total makeover. The epic theme is gone yet everything else remains, including the rhythm and the tone of diving. It is now only more urgent and dangerous, throwing in darker tones that are more at home in a James Cameron movie (he produced Point Break in fact).
This is so far what Point Break delivers of action music. While everything else is sort of filler music, it still has enough moments standing ready. The track "Opening" is a nice representation of the tone of this album, hinting the skydiving music faintly. A blossoming love is nicely discovered in "Love on the Beach", "Tyler Misunderstood" and "Love in the Desert", showing Isham's more experimental emotion, something he also showcased in for instance Crash. It is really nice to free your mind during these moments.
The final "Freedom" cue is a darkened unnerving piece, showing some of Isham's most effective drum scoring. It nonetheless ends with the amazing electronic fanfares of the surfing cue.
While Point Break is not Isham's best, it does make for an effective listening experience. The melding between the electronic and the orchestral sound does mesh well on disc, while working effectively in stating the '90 sound of the movie. His music for the surfing and skydiving is really what the fans were dying to hear, and the blossoming love is understated, yet dreamy. Together it is an album for the fans of the movie and composer, while various moments work even outside these contexts. This release proves again that La-La-Land has a peculiar taste, in finding the known and the unknown. But it is a taste I want greatly expanded.
Tracklisting
1. Opening (2.16)
2. Pappas' Theory (2.28)
3. Both Parents Deceased (2.25)
4. The Tackle (1.15)
5. Fight with Razorheads (2.18)
6. Bodhi and Utah (1.07)
7. Night Surfing (3.00) Excellent track
8. Love on the Beach (2.23)
9. Razorhead Raid (1.32)
10. Utah, Tyler / Four Horsemen (2.27)
11. Outside Pappas (1.29)
12. Car / Foot Chase (3.28)
13. Tyler Misunderstands (1.29)
14. Campfire (1.32)
15. The Shadow Gun / Found Out (1.48)
16. Skydive (5.01) Excellent track
17. Post Parachute / TV (1.27)
18. Bank Robbery (5.28)
19. Shootout at Airport (4.21)
20. No Parachute (6.37)
21. Love in the Desert (2.39)
22. Freedom (8.34)
Total Length: 65.14
In their test of time Isham admits that these still work exceptionally well. I must admit they do to. While the cool electronic majesty of "Night Surfing" is something you must hear, the more orchestral parts of Point Break show where the difference lies in a sought after release and not. The build up and the warmer real sound of the orchestra in "Skydiving" shows Isham toying with the electronics, yet letting the orchestra do most of the work. The result is a pretty impressive one, considering you hear both epic tunes in electronic versions (7) and their rousing counterpart (16).
The big difference between the action is also a pinnacle point in the score. The orchestra is only unleashed in the latter part of the movie, when the producers and director realized a more epic way was necessary to portray the way how they lived. Therefore it only appeared the moment Utah understood the meaning of their risky way of life. Before that, a sound design was effectively underscoring "Fight with Razorheads", "Razorhead Raid" and the rhythmic "Car / Foot Chase". When the orchestra took over, it was fuelling "Bank Robbery" and "Shootout at Airport" with a more bigger and powerful sound.
Isham's tone goes further in "No Parachute", giving his skydiving music a total makeover. The epic theme is gone yet everything else remains, including the rhythm and the tone of diving. It is now only more urgent and dangerous, throwing in darker tones that are more at home in a James Cameron movie (he produced Point Break in fact).
This is so far what Point Break delivers of action music. While everything else is sort of filler music, it still has enough moments standing ready. The track "Opening" is a nice representation of the tone of this album, hinting the skydiving music faintly. A blossoming love is nicely discovered in "Love on the Beach", "Tyler Misunderstood" and "Love in the Desert", showing Isham's more experimental emotion, something he also showcased in for instance Crash. It is really nice to free your mind during these moments.
The final "Freedom" cue is a darkened unnerving piece, showing some of Isham's most effective drum scoring. It nonetheless ends with the amazing electronic fanfares of the surfing cue.
While Point Break is not Isham's best, it does make for an effective listening experience. The melding between the electronic and the orchestral sound does mesh well on disc, while working effectively in stating the '90 sound of the movie. His music for the surfing and skydiving is really what the fans were dying to hear, and the blossoming love is understated, yet dreamy. Together it is an album for the fans of the movie and composer, while various moments work even outside these contexts. This release proves again that La-La-Land has a peculiar taste, in finding the known and the unknown. But it is a taste I want greatly expanded.
Tracklisting
1. Opening (2.16)
2. Pappas' Theory (2.28)
3. Both Parents Deceased (2.25)
4. The Tackle (1.15)
5. Fight with Razorheads (2.18)
6. Bodhi and Utah (1.07)
7. Night Surfing (3.00) Excellent track
8. Love on the Beach (2.23)
9. Razorhead Raid (1.32)
10. Utah, Tyler / Four Horsemen (2.27)
11. Outside Pappas (1.29)
12. Car / Foot Chase (3.28)
13. Tyler Misunderstands (1.29)
14. Campfire (1.32)
15. The Shadow Gun / Found Out (1.48)
16. Skydive (5.01) Excellent track
17. Post Parachute / TV (1.27)
18. Bank Robbery (5.28)
19. Shootout at Airport (4.21)
20. No Parachute (6.37)
21. Love in the Desert (2.39)
22. Freedom (8.34)
Total Length: 65.14