Soul:_Original_Motion_Picture_Soundtrack

<i>Soul</i> (soundtrack)

Soul (soundtrack)

2020 soundtrack album by various artists


Soul: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2020 Disney-Pixar film Soul. The soundtrack is a compilation of all 23 score pieces by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross from the Soul: Original Motion Picture Score vinyl album as well as 16 original songs by Jon Batiste from the Music from and Inspired by Soul vinyl album. All three albums were released through Walt Disney Records on December 18, 2020.

Quick Facts Soul: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Soundtrack album by various artists ...

Reznor and Ross composed a new-age score for the metaphysical segments of the film, while Batiste composed a number of original jazz songs for the New York City-based segments of the film. The soundtrack received critical acclaim as an integral part of the film and won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for Best Original Score.

Writing and recording

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (left) handled the score, while Jon Batiste (right) composed a number of original jazz songs.

During the 2019 D23 Expo, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were revealed to be composing the film's score, while Jon Batiste was set to be writing jazz songs for the film.[1] Reznor and Ross had been brought in on the recommendation of sound designer Ren Klyce, who had worked extensively with the duo in David Fincher films.[2] Batiste composed jazz music for the film's New York City sequences while Reznor and Ross wrote an instrumental score for the scenes taking place in the Great Before.[3] Batiste said that he wanted to create jazz music that felt "authentic", but also "accessible to all ages".[1] He also wanted the themes to tie into the "ethereal nature" of the Great Before while still being on Earth.[1] Batiste also sometimes worked with Reznor and Ross to "blend the two worlds, musically".[1] Cody Chesnutt also wrote, produced, and performed an original folk-soul ballad for the film, titled "Parting Ways".[4][5] It also features a hip hop interlude performed by Daveed Diggs titled "Rappin Ced".[4] Other musicians who were consulted during the creative process include Herbie Hancock, Terri Lyne Carrington and Questlove, the latter of whom also does voice work in the film.[6] Batiste drew inspiration from and wanted to pay homage to jazz legends such as Roy Haynes, Harvey Mason, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Charlie Parker and The Headhunters.[2] Batiste also arranged a new version of the song "It's All Right", originally performed by The Impressions, for the film.[7] This solo version debuted during a performance by Nelly on the 29th season of American competition TV series Dancing with the Stars[7] and is featured in the end credits of the film while a duet version with British soul singer Celeste is not included in the soundtrack.[8] In January 2021, Trent Reznor revealed to Consequence of Sound that he and Atticus Ross had composed six films' worth of music for Soul and also further explained his creative process, stating:[9]

As we started early on, it's like, "I can't wait to see this character"… that doesn't exist because he’s not even in the film anymore. Or this expansive moment where you're watching a beautiful scene for a minute and a half, which is now three seconds, because a joke popped up, and now it's a different thing. So, I think we started a lot earlier last time than we would in the future. But it was fascinating to see the process. And I remember as we were getting into it, they could say, "Let’s see. Trust the process. We’ve come up with a way to do this." And I don’t mean a factory assembly line, but a strategy of openness and collaboration between not just two or three or four or five people but possibly lots of people.

Release and promotion

Soul: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released digitally on December 18, 2020, a week before that of the film. The two vinyl albums, namely Soul: Original Motion Picture Score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and Music from and Inspired by Soul by Jon Batiste, were also made available for purchase on December 18, 2020.[10][11][12][13][14] Despite not featuring on any of the three albums, the duet version of "It's All Right" with Celeste that features during the end credits was also released digitally as a standalone single on December 18.[15][16]

Reception

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Critical response

The soundtrack received a positive response from both music critics and film critics alike.[6][17][18][19] Many film reviews praised the score as a major highlight of the film.[20] Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Featuring possibly the best soundtrack in a Pixar film since the first Toy Story, Soul sports a jazz score that is not just an adornment to the story or an emotional enhancement, but an utterly integral part of the narrative."[19] Reznor and Ross's compositions during the metaphysical segments of the film was described musically as new-age and space age, while Batiste's work was described musically as jazz.[21][4][22] In a film review for The A.V. Club, A.A. Dowd described the score as "uncharacteristically soothing",[23] while Matt Goldberg of Collider described it as "spellbinding",[24] and A .O. Scott of The New York Times described it as "cerebral".[25]

Accolades

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Commercial performance

A week before the release of the film, the soundtrack album debuted on the UK Soundtrack Albums chart at number 35.[50] After the film was released on December 25, the soundtrack rose to number 12 on this chart and also was credited as two separated entries, one for score and one for soundtrack, on both Billboard's Soundtrack Albums chart and Current Album Sales chart.

Track listing

All songs are written and performed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, except where noted.

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Charts

More information Chart (2020), Peak position ...

Notes

  1. Credited to their scoring work on both Soul and Mank (2020).

References

  1. Cole, Johnnetta (June 27, 2020). "Soul - "Finding Soul" Conversation - Essence Festival". Pixar. YouTube. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  2. Howard, Courtney (October 9, 2020). "[Interview] Music is at the heart of Pixar's 'SOUL'". FreshFiction.tv. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  3. Milzoff, Rebecca (December 4, 2020). "Inside Jon Batiste's Unusual Process for Writing the Jazz Music of 'SOUL'". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  4. Desowitz, Bill (June 28, 2020). "'Soul' Trailer: Pixar Sneaks 'Parting Ways' Song from Studio's First Black-Led Feature". IndieWire. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  5. Murphy, Mekado (December 25, 2020). "How Pixar's 'Soul' Animates Jazz". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  6. Taylor, Drew (September 29, 2020). "Jazzy Pixar 'Soul' Song Debuts on 'Dancing With the Stars". Collider. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  7. Roffman, Michael; Kaufman, Spencer (December 18, 2020). "Composers of the Year Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross: "It's Been an Intimidating Journey"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  8. Cornelius, Ray (December 17, 2020). "Disney and Pixar's & Soul Soundtrack + Two Vinyl Albums Available 12/18 (VIDEO)". WCLK. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  9. Richards, Will (December 19, 2020). "Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross share soundtrack for Disney/Pixar film 'Soul'". NME. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  10. Cremona, Patrick (December 25, 2020). "Soul soundtrack – everything you need to know about the music for the Pixar film". Radio Times. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  11. Breihan, Tom (December 18, 2020). "Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross Release Score For New Pixar Movie 'SOUL': Stream". Stereogum. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  12. "New Music Friday, le scelte di Rolling – 18 dicembre 2020". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020. Jon Batiste with Celeste – It's All Right (singolo)
  13. "Maggie Rogers, NIKI, and More: Best New Music Friday". Teen Vogue. December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  14. Rubins, Dan (November 29, 2020). "Review: Soul More Sublimely Mediates on the Pull of Music Than It Does the Afterlife". Slant. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  15. Felperin, Leslie (October 11, 2020). "'Soul': Film Review | London 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  16. Whitten, Sarah (December 22, 2020). "What critics are saying about Pixar's newest film". CNBC. Retrieved December 27, 2020. Critics praised the film's animation and musical score, but noted that Pixar retreads some of the ground it explored in "Coco" and "Inside Out." [...] The music of "Soul" has been widely praised by reviewers. The score is bifurcated between the trippy, otherworldly sounds of the ethereal plane and the melodic jazz-inspired world of New York City.
  17. DeVille, Chris (December 3, 2020). "'SOUL,' Pixar's Metaphysical Jazz Movie With A Score By Nine Inch Nails". Stereogum. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  18. Dowd, A.A. (December 25, 2020). "Soul is a sweet mash-up of earlier, deeper Pixar adventures". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  19. Goldberg, Matt (December 23, 2020). "'Soul' Review: Pete Docter and Kemp Powers Deliver Pixar's Most Mature Movie Yet". Collider. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  20. Davis, Clayton (December 20, 2020). "Los Angeles Film Critics Winners Full List: Entire 'Small Axe' Series Tops Despite Not Being Submitted for Oscars". Variety. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  21. Davis, Clayton (December 21, 2020). "'Nomadland' Wins Five Chicago Film Critics Awards". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  22. Tangcay, Jazz (December 21, 2020). "Casting Society of America Sets Timeline For Artios Awards — Film News in Brief". Variety. Retrieved January 5, 2021. Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will be honored with the "Artisan Achievement Award" for their work on Pixar's "Soul" and Netflix's "Mank."
  23. Neglia, Matt (December 31, 2020). "The 2020 Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  24. Neglia, Matt (January 2, 2021). "The 2020 Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  25. Neglia, Matt (January 6, 2021). "The 2020 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  26. Neglia, Matt (January 10, 2021). "The 2020 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  27. Neglia, Matt (January 18, 2021). "The 2020 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  28. Neglia, Matt (January 12, 2021). "The 2020 Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  29. Neglia, Matt (January 18, 2021). "The 2020 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Winners". Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  30. Shulman, Randy (February 8, 2021). "Nomadland tops the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards". Metro Weekly. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  31. Jon (February 18, 2021). "IFMCA Award Winners 2020". International Film Music Critics Association. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  32. Oganesyan, Natalie; Moreau, Jordan (February 3, 2021). "Golden Globes 2021: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  33. Davis, Clayton (March 7, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards 2021 Full Winners: Chloe Zhao's 'Nomadland' Continues Its Reign on Awards Season". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  34. Partridge, Jon (March 19, 2021). "2020 Austin Film Critics Association Award Winners". Austin Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  35. Gibbs, Adrienne (February 4, 2021). "Netflix, HBO Lead NAACP Image Awards 2021 Nominations". Forbes. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  36. Ritman, Alex (April 11, 2021). "BAFTA Awards: 'Nomadland' Dominates, Winning Best Film, Director, Actress and Cinematography". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  37. Giardina, Carolyn (April 16, 2021). "'Soul,' 'Wolfwalkers' Wins Annie Awards in Features". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  38. "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List". Grammy Awards. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  39. "Soul (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) / Various Artists". United States: Tidal. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  40. "Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Soul (Original Motion Picture Score) [LP]". United States: Waterloo Records. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  41. "Jon Batiste - Music From And Inspired By Soul [LP]". United States: Waterloo Records. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.

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