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 Posted:   Feb 3, 2025 - 6:02 AM   
 By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member)

There is some nice music in this Netflix documentary composed by Lorne Balfe.

Now I noticed there are 9 albums for the music out there, one for each chapter of the series, as well as one additional album.
The album with the smilodon has also been released on physical media (LP), so I suppose it is a "summary" of some sort of the entire series?



Anybody knows about the contents? Is there any music on the abbreviated album not on the individual chapter albums?
The track titles are all different, so that's not very conclusive.

https://www.qobuz.com/de-de/search/albums/balfe%20life%20on%20our%20planet

 
 
 Posted:   Feb 3, 2025 - 6:58 AM   
 By:   JamesSouthall   (Member)

I think the "extra" album (which is the only one I've heard - and is superb) is essentially a "suites and themes" album and is the material Balfe wrote from which the individual episode scores were then derived. So I imagine the music on it probably doesn't appear in the same form on the other albums. Someone else who actually knows the answer would probably be better-placed to provide you with a factual rather than speculative response.

 
 Posted:   Feb 3, 2025 - 7:23 AM   
 By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member)

I think the "extra" album (which is the only one I've heard - and is superb) is essentially a "suites and themes" album and is the material Balfe wrote from which the individual episode scores were then derived. So I imagine the music on it probably doesn't appear in the same form on the other albums. Someone else who actually knows the answer would probably be better-placed to provide you with a factual rather than speculative response.

Might make sense, so that would be a bit like Zimmer's DUNE Sketchbook.
I guess I start with that one then, especially now that you said it's superb.

 
 
 Posted:   Feb 3, 2025 - 10:19 AM   
 By:   jgb   (Member)

James is correct. The original album has unique suites of all the thematic material and the other eight albums are the episodic scores.

Elsewhere I had shared a highlights playlist - aiming for an aggregate of 2 hours across the nine albums - and a theme breakdown. I'll paste both below.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3EhE5ELzR0VxVDvhJGSFA0?si=MItPZxnITQuGvvKD5Ao-cg

Theme breakdown
- Earth contains an Earth A theme that seems to function as the series’ main theme, as well as a more rousing Earth B bridge passage and a 4-5 note Earth Motif often played via wordless voices.

- Birds features a floating Bird A theme and a more imposing Bird B theme that moves in descending three note patterns before flowing into something more Horner-like.

- Amphibians has a high, long-lined, almost ethereal A theme and a brawnier B theme that moves in 2-3 note bursts (and is one of the few ideas that doesn’t obviously appear in the episodic albums).

- The Arthropods suite is made up of long, drifting tones along with seemingly random subterranean echoes. If you’re hearing something that reminds you of DUNE in the show, it’s probably this theme.

- Dinosaurs contains a rising A theme that moves in 5-note and then 4-note progressions, giving off hints of John Barry, as well as a determined B theme based on continuous rising four-note patterns, with the latter being more extensively utilized throughout the series.

- Extinction has a reflective A theme that moves in four-note sets, as well as a more expansive B theme that moves in three-note sets.

- Three soothing notes constitute an Ocean Motif from Ocean Life (shades of Thomas Newman) before the piece moves into a long-lined A theme and a more seafaring B theme, with the A theme getting extensive adaptation in several episodes and the B theme seemingly discarded.

- Mammals covers three ideas: a rising-and-falling A theme, an optimistic ascending B theme that moves in four-note patterns, and a grand C theme that barely factors into the show. In the suite the A and B themes play like one continuous melody, though the B portion is used infrequently throughout the series.

- Reptiles debuts an ascending A theme and a B theme that moves in six-note patterns. Like the Dino A theme, the Reptile A theme evokes John Barry’s writing, so don’t be surprised if it takes a while for your brain to sort out which one you’re hearing in the episodic albums.

- The slow A theme in Survival may evoke INTERSTELLAR for some listeners, while a subsequent B theme sounds more resilient.

- There’s a tentative idea in The Dawn of Life that goes in a more wondrous direction in several episodes.

- The Power of the Planet starts with the building dramatic gravity of its A theme before lunging into an explosive series of ascending two-note patterns in its B theme, which one could argue is a pretty typically Remote Control way to close the theme album - but then who really cares when the end result is still this exciting?

What else is on the playlist
The series kicks off with 10 Million Species, which starts with a lovely flute performance of the Ocean A theme that flows into a booming performance of Birds B before maintaining that energy through statements of Earth A and Earth B. Also included on this playlist from the first episode is The Last Great Bloodline, which starts with Power of the Planet B before spending much of the rest of its six-minute runtime on Earth A variations and propulsive rhythms.

Episode 2 features plenty of the Earth, Dawn of Life and Ocean themes. I included From Light to Life for its uniquely grand statement of the Dawn of Life theme. The Ocean A theme goes in new directions in A New World and The Big Blue, while Submerged Wonders has piano lead into a hopeful Dawn of Life performance before wrapping with Earth A. Soothing versions of Earth A and B populate Ancient World, with the track closing with soft statements of the Ocean Motif.

Episode 3 starts with big drums in Destruction that lead into dramatic statements of both Power of the Planet themes. The big drums lead into the series debut of the Reptile A theme in Permian, which gets a unique folksy version in its second statement before the piece closes with a brief hint of Mammal A. World music tones and piano drift through the Arthropod theme in Survival before ending with a resilient take on Mammal B (ironically, this piece includes neither of the actual Survival themes). Nature’s Skyscrapers starts with a slow, sweeping performance of Earth B and then debuts the Amphibians A theme, with the suite’s vocals now backed by slapping percussion and goofy surf guitar, before returning to the Anthropods theme (hints of modern Thomas Newman here). After some tension, Pangea produces a wondrous Amphibians theme statement. Worth noting is that the back half of the episode 3 album is dominated by chugging action and world music atmospheres, none of which made my playlist.

Episode 4 might get my vote for the best of the episodic albums, blending orchestra and electronics for a sonic mix that will appeal to anyone who likes the music of the AVATAR franchise. New Age and Parental Help indulge in new Dino B theme performances, the latter containing a rousing brass fanfare version. Finding Food is lovely throughout. Taken Over contains one of the few statements of the Reptile B theme, as does The Ocean which also has Reptile A on piano with some Glass-like strings behind it. This was the hardest album to pare down, with many engaging tracks with more Earth A, Reptile A, Mammal A, and Survival variations omitted.

With Episode 5 having a giant dino on its cover, it is no surprise that the episode is dominated by the Dino B theme, King of Dinosaurs having the best of those statements. Dino B continues in Nesting Season, the first track from Episode 6 and one of the highlights of the episodic albums. Young Fledglings (misspelled as Fledlings on Spotify) contains an elegant version of Birds B, with the theme later getting masked under plucky sounds and world music vibes in Courtship. High Desert brings the Birds A theme into the mix as well. Symbiosis and Hummingbird provide short but spirited fun before Risen from the Ashes gives us another grand performance of Birds B.

From the aquatic seventh episode I included Set to End for its mysterious performances of Mammal B and Earth themes, Intelligence for its uniquely percussive take on Mammal A, and Recovery for its yearning chamber-like feel. The music of the final episode is unsurprisingly stark and atmospheric given how much of it is focused on ice age environments, and a lot of that material didn’t make my playlist. But there are still several highlights everyone should seek out, including the surprising reappearance of the Bird themes in Holocene, the ethereal hints of Dawn of Life in Eerie Silence, and the powerful final full statements of Earth A and B in Agricultural Revolution. The score wraps up with Our Future, which starts with a reflective take on Extinction B and closes with faint hints of Earth A, providing a contemplative close to the proceedings.

 
 Posted:   Feb 4, 2025 - 12:57 AM   
 By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member)

Thanks, that's all very informative. Listened yesterday to the "suites and themes" album, like it quite a bit. Good starting point I guess to explore the others.

 
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