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    Giacchino

    Guides

    Michael Giacchino - Star Trek Into Darkness: an album guide

    JJ Abrams' composer of choice Michael Giacchino returns for the second instalment in the rebooted Star Trek series, Into Darkness. Expect thrills, phasers, explosions and some cracking brass work - find it all here with some great pictures from the movie.

    1. star trek into darkness

      1. Pranking The Natives

      You could argue that Giacchino has become a progressively more melodic and tonal composer as his career has progressed. However, this fabulous slab of action music is full of the brassy stabs and honks that first made him such an exciting writer.

    2. star trek into darkness

      2. Spock Drops, Kirk Jumps

      Half-Vulcan, half-human Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the young Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) both return for this second adventure in JJ Abrams' rebooted Star Trek series.

    3. star trek into darkness

      3. Sub Prime Directive

      A barely-audible string entry, some sweeping horns in the background, a few desperate-sounding tubular bells… this is atmospheric stuff and an enigmatic title to say the least. Here's the cast of the movie at the London premiere

    4. star trek into darkness

      4. London Calling

      Sadly not an orchestral redux of the Clash song, but a piano-led miniature that seems to be quite poignant. Giacchino rarely turns to overtly emotional music, but this sounds pretty close…

    5. star trek into darkness

      5. Meld-merized

      Speculation suggests that this title has something to do with a Vulcan mind-meld - but between who? Surely Spock has to be in there, but who is he melding his mind to? Starfleet agent John Harrison and the movie's main baddie (played by Benedict Cumberbatch)? You'll have to wait and see…

    6. star trek into darkness

      6. The Kronos Wartet

      We can't hear any evidence of the actual Kronos Quartet's involvement with this track, so we'll have to assume it's just Giacchino having a little bit of fun. What we can hear, though, is an entire chorus of Vulcan chanting. Yikes! Here's Simon Pegg (who plays Scotty) high-fiving a fan at the premiere.

    7. star trek into darkness

      7. Brigadoon

      Another quiet and reflective piece. It begins with the merest suggestion of strings and rumbling timpani, which is far from the rather war-heavy title. Intriguing.

    8. star trek into darkness

      8. Ship To Ship

      Shuddering strings and tension are the name of the game here - perhaps the poster art of the USS Enterprise tumbling through the sky on fire might be something to do with this one?

    9. star trek into darkness

      9. Earthbound and Down

      Sharp stabs of brass contrast with harps in the background. It's probably safe to assume that the cast have ended up back on Earth by this point.

    10. star trek into darkness

      10. Warp Core Values

      Scotty, played by Simon Pegg, is supposed to be in charge of all things Warp-related, so we'll take a punt on his involvement with this slice of bombast from Giacchino's soundtrack.

    11. star trek into darkness

      11. Buying The Space Farm

      A return to super-soft piano with light string accompaniment. After the bombast that precedes it, could we be safe in assuming that some sort of tragedy has struck as a result of a battle?

    12. star trek into darkness

      12. The San Fran Hustle

      Another suggestion that at least some of the action will be Earth-bound, just like in the previous movie. Here's JJ Abrams on set during the filming of the movie.

    13. star trek into darkness

      13. Kirk Enterprises

      Is this just another punning title, or something more serious? Forum speculation suggests that this could be harking back to themes from the original Star Trek movies, or maybe even that there could be a brand new Starship Enterprise by the end of the film…

    14. star trek into darkness

      14. Star Trek Main Theme

      Giacchino's theme for the rebooted Star Trek movies is classic blockbuster sci-fi adventure music. If the rest of the score shows the composer at his most in-depth and complex, this is him releasing and relaxing - a cracking end.

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