"District 9" - Clinton Shorter

District 9

Composer: Clinton Shorter

Release date: August 25, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 4/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: Newcomer Clinton Shorter delivers something great for the innovative, emotional and memorable sci-fi movie District 9.
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What stands out is the African vocals, giving a setting to the score. When this male African vocal comes, with a mix of orchestra and electronics as background, it creates a memorable soundscape, also expressing the sadness that is innerent to the movie's plot. This makes of track 1, District 9, the absolute highlight of this score. This soundscape is present in other tracks and might remind some of Hans Zimmer's Tears of The Sun.
Besides the great use of vocals, this track presentes other elements of the score: dense percurssion for action/suspense sequences, highly emotional blend of orchestra and electronics.
The action cues (e.g., I Want That Arm, Harvesting Material) are not the most exciting element of the score, but they are good and effective. Not only are they percursion-driven, but the use of strings in them reminds of Hans Zimmer's Batman Begins (specially Exosuit, that also features the African vocals).
The score really belongs to the movie: exciting, fresh, yet sad sometimes; African vocals that represent the setting of the movie, electronics that represent the technology and the aliens.
Clinton Short does a great breakout and there's hope to hear more coming from him.

Ups: Exotic, moving, fast-paced score, where every instrument as reason to be used. Deliciously melancholic and a great debut for Clinton Shorter.

Downs: A bit similar to somethings you might have heard. Some motifs get a little repetitive, though the score only runs for 30 minutes.

Noteworthy tracks: District 9, Exosuit, A Lot of Secrets, Prawnkus.

Score note: 7/10


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