Now this is an interesting release.  On the CD cover, the music for "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" is credited to three individuals.  Upon seeing that, I was bracing myself for a sub par soundtrack since much like having too many screenwriters for a film, I  thought that having teams of composers on a project breeds inconsistency.   Needless to say, I learned a lesson from this recent experience and that is I should never judge a CD by its cover!

 

The score is very "Perfume" is as intoxicating as its title.  The music is beautifully performed and well written -- one could never tell that there was more than one composer attached to the score. The score carries with it a gothic beauty and it's easy to get swept up in the mood of it.  Tabbed as a symphonic style performance, I had thought that perhaps the individual score tracks were going to feature running times that were too long and full of underscore.  Well, it's strike two for me because I was wrong on that count as well.  The cues feature lengths that are just about right and do not drag on as I had feared.  In general, I think that a good running time for an individual track is anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, so seeing an even individual  balance on this disc was a welcome touch.

 

Since the story is macabre, the music should fit.  Given that the story also has a strong tie in with the sense of smell, the music should also carry a distinct appeal that works closely with it.  This is, as far as I gather, the approach that was taken to create the unique music for the film.  It's certainly an interesting listening experience.  Even if you're not in the mood for a gothic and romantic type of score, the music seems to work magic of its own to make you want to listen to it. 

 

"Perfume" is also a masterfully performed score.  The conductor did a magnificent job with the orchestra and that's evident for the duration of the soundtrack. I was so struck with the sound quality and execution that I would say this CD offers the best performance that I've heard in a very long time.  All the notes are correctly struck, all the emphasis is in the right place and each of the instruments sound so smooth and fluid. 

 

For a score that I had such negative pre-conceived notions going in, "Perfume" came back strong and taught me a few lessons along the way. This is a very effective and engaging score to listen to, so take my advice on this one and give it a chance. 

 

Final Score: "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" will seduce you with it's dark beauty and superb performances.  Its blend of romance and gothic tones make for an original listening experience.  Recommended.