Sony Classical release Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser's score for Independence Day: Resurgence. The next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defence program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction...

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed when I learned that David Arnold wasn't scoring this movie, as his music for the original was an important part of why the film worked so well. However, on the first play through, and right from the first track, I was surprised to learn how well Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser had managed to capture the spirit of Arnold's original.

But as the tracks played through I noticed there were quite a few beats, and in some cases entire themes, lifted from the original album. This, I thought was a bit of a disappointment. If you're not going to bring back the original composer why bother referencing his score? It's not as if it's a movie like Star Wars where the main theme is so important. It would have been so much better if they'd just started afresh - but with maybe one quick reference when the onscreen action gives a subtle nod to the original; a moment in the film that will make fans of the original smile.

The album contains 25 tracks (51 min, 14 sec) and does offer up some impressive segments like 'Traveling Through Space';'It's a Trap'; and 'Independence Day Resurgence Finale'.

The most obvious nod to the original, is 'ID4 Reprise'. This is an entire segment ripped from Arnold's score. Sadly, however, it winds up before the original's epic pay off to the slow build. It also helps to illustrate how much more epic Arnold's original was. While Wander and Kloser's score has its moments it just doesn't have the numerous high points that Arnold's original delivered.

The album also contains two songs: 'Electric U' by Kid Bloom and 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)' by Annie Trousseau.

While I did enjoy this score, I couldn't help feeling it could have, and should have, been more epic in its delivery, especially given the the fact that the movie is yet another epic blockbuster.

7

Darren Rea