About the Soundtrack: Released a bit after the film's theatrical debut,
Alex Heffes'
State of Play score has officially been made available for purchasing. The score, like the movie, was a bit of a pleasant surprise so it's nice to see that a soundtrack release has been granted for it. On the album, there are 10 tracks, a clean, well distributed audio quality, and a brisk running time of just about 40 minutes.
What You Need to Know: Forgive me if I am repetitive at times, but I continue to maintain that an underscore can and should be interesting to listen to. Case in point,
State of Play by Alex Heffes. This isn't a score that boasts an overly thematic approach, rather, it tucks itself nicely within the margins of the film and creates a backdrop of music that is effective and engaging. I found that I was able to appreciate this skillful effort even more so apart from the movie as I was able to hear more of the subtleties in the score when playing it on its own.
The key to this album's success is that Heffes keeps things moving. A true danger in a film like this is that the underscore could have stalled and resorted to a role as background music that simply takes up space. Here, Heffes, integrates subtle motifs behind the scenes, picking his spots to make more dramatic statements when needed while also maintaining a steady sense of momentum throughout. It's an even flow that plays a key role in the success of the picture and is one that translates to a consistent soundtrack experience apart from it.
If you're looking for the highlights from this score, look no further than the climactic orchestral statement heard in Tracks 8 and 9. These are moments in which the entire score had built up to and the payoff rewards the journey. This thematic statement effectively captures the pivotal moments in the film and brings a bit of emotional closure to the characters. I also very much liked the rhythmic bass that surfaced in other moments on the soundtrack, offering a perilous, rather catchy melody when heard. It's a motif that played in the shadows, so to speak, and brings forth an interesting cloak and dagger feel with it.
I was left quite impressed with Alex Heffes. In this score, I see in him a great deal of wisdom with his overall scoring approach and felt that his effort here so perfectly fit the needs of the film. What makes this instance special, however, is that the needs of the soundtrack fan is also fulfilled with a score that performs well on and off the screen. See the movie, check out the score...this one's a win-win.
