Review
Jóhann Jóhannsson delivered an instant classic with his score for Arrival. The soundtrack is iconic for its deep synth backgrounds and its vocals throughout. It has a deeply ethereal feel, bordering on eerie but not quite so. Some tracks such as “Hydraulic Lift” have that almost eerie feel with a bit of anticipation. Tension builds so subtly that you may not realize it at first, and it then occurs to you that it’s been building the whole time. This subtle tension continues into the next track, “First Encounter,” which is characterized by its subtle strings. About halfway through the track some slow, spaced out beats come in which have me feeling like I’m anticipating something, which comes to fruition with the intense synth hits. Many other tracks have vocals, which have a feel of levity, breaking from the intensity of the synths, while still maintaining the same deep ambience. If I were to describe the feeling this score evokes in only a few words, I would say “hesitant wonderment,” as it has an awe inspiring quality to it throughout, while flirting with eeriness. Overall I absolutely love this score, it is a frequent listen of mine.
Review by Michael.