REVIEW: Daft Punk's TRON: RECONFIGURED

After the excitement of hearing that Daft Punk were going to release a remix album of their Tron: Legacy soundtrack, I was very excited - but after a few listens, should I be?


I quite like the idea of a remixed version of any album, it might put a new twist on a song or draw focus to something you might not have really noticed before: a bass hook, a lyric or a kick beat that suddenly drives the whole thing into a completely new direction. So when I heard that Daft Punk's album was going to be taken away from the 'film soundtrack' aspect and in a setting they are more familiar with I was jumping up and down like a pubescent boy being taken to a brothel. But it's also like getting there and seeing a 40 year old, gaunt, smoking, big boobed wonder. There's some bits that are good, a lot of people might even enjoy it, you would give it a try, but is it really what you thought it would be?

That might be a bit too harsh of an analysis but in principle it works. For the most part, the best bits of the tracks are the ones taken directly from Daft Punk's original tunes - either it's reinstating their genius or it's because the remix artists didn't really know what to do with what they had - it's not as if it's an album meant for teenyboppers. In some way, it takes the grandeur away and sounds like it should just be a club tune with a few epic sounds thrown in for good measure (isn't that like every commercial dance track?) - but let's break it down tune by tune.

"Derezzed" by The Glitch Mob slows down the main riff and plasters some heavy bass behind it and it's a good opener. It does something a bit different and the silence/release of the main thumping backbeat can be described as somewhat orgasmic at some points. However, it doesn't beat the original but is definitely a worthy mix of a great tune.

M83 and Big Black Delta's "Fall" mix was one of the ones I was looking forward to most. A big fan of M83, I enjoyed the sound but seriously that 'Na-na-na" high pitched thing was driving me MAD! I have to turn it down if I'm near people because it's an embarrassing sound. The rest of it is okay, but I feel like M83 did their bit and these Big Black Delta guys might have ruined it, the big build-up is pretty good but that initial noise makes me want to skip the track. If you can get through that, you'll probably enjoy the rest of the song.

The Crystal Method bring it back on track with what really was a very simple song on the original, "The Grid". At least they've tried to do something different, however I can't help but feel The Crystal Method are dated and some of this sounds like it should be in The Bourne Identity, the staggered violins with some old electronic noises that aren't exactly rocking anyone's world. However, when 3:10 hits in and the Tron:Legacy theme kicks in, it makes it worth while - it's almost as if the beginning of the song was just a complete pre-amble to reach this point. It doesn't have the dramatic effect of the original but it's a nice touch. Shame, I can't help but think if it wasn't again for Daft Punk's talent, this would be just a throwaway dance track. It truly is something a 40 year old DJ would play thinking he's still cool - it kinda works, but it mostly doesn't.

"Adagio For Tron" by Teddybears goes a bit more techno, or 'grindcore' as they are known for. They've taken a rather slow song and basically play around with the volume a bit, the left to right nob, and not much else. I feel like it's sending me to sleep by the time I've finished the song, it's so repetitive and the alien gun blasts going on in the background just sound stupid.

Ki:Theory turn "The Son Of Flynn" into some weird guitar-sounding noise-fest that is basically throughout the whole thing and feels slightly naff. It's a shame since the rest of the sounds going on aren't so bad. The guitar synth sound always jars with me because it's so fake and really can sound shit - like it does here.

I didn't know what to expect of Oakenfold's "C.L.U" seeing as he's one of the better know artists. It's definitely a nightclub tune that actually works quite well. It still feels slightly dated but there's a dark menace to it that keeps to the original's flavour. The 2:22 mark kicks it off into something you'd hear in Ibiza or you know, one of those Spanish islands I never go to. It's one of the stronger tracks on the album and actually turns the song into a stonker of a dance track.

Moby's "The Son of Flynn" is perhaps too close to the previous remix, but his slower - almost heartbeat like rhythm that slowly builds up, is something that he has obviously meticulously looked after. It's very simple and feels quite close to the original song, but it's almost too slow - it's a sound that builds in on itself and almost gets carried away as it's all caught up in the simplicity of it all. It's more like a feeling than an actual song and probably made more for chilling out background music than anything else.

"End Of Line" is one of the more interesting tracks from the original soundtrack and Boys Noize do a good job of making it sound like it was always meant for the dancefloor.

Kaskade's "Rinzler" feels like a Europop wonder that I just can't shake. It's such a piece of filler that could easily sound like any of the other lesser tracks on this album - it doesn't have much to separate it. A regularly occurring theme.

Com Truise chose the 'special edition' "Encom Part 2" and I quite like it. It's simple enough but again no real hook, it's just a bunch of sounds that make a kinda cool noise strung together. However, I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to it.

Photek's "End of Line" is a bit closer to Daft Punk's except they've made it sound like it's being played on a church organ. They clearly know the main riff is astounding and it drives the whole piece. They haven't done much with it, but then don't need to. It's a decent enough remix - for a B-Side.

The Japanese Popstars decided to use "Arena" and turn it into quite a bland, empty piece until about 3 minutes in, but by that point I've lost interest and the siren doesn't make it more exciting - it's just another layer of sound. The 4:36 mark where that real Arena kick comes in isn't enough to save it. It's a cool song to perhaps run through London high-rises to, but it's not a remix I'd be proud of.

"Derezzed" makes another appearance by Avicii and to be honest, I like what they've done. The main reason is they've done something different and it definitely has a Daft Punk feel to it. It also feels a bit 8-Bit and more uplifting, giving it a different tone completely. It's quite a difference and worth some respect for changing something that was amazing into something that might not necessarily be as good, but at least it's different.

"Solar Sailor" by Pretty Lights, is quite a cool foray into a more modern sound like a lesser Crystal Castles and would be cool for a Nissan advert perhaps. Again, it's enjoyable but the whole time I was thinking "I'd rather just listen to the original".

Is there a last hope in "Tron Legacy (End Titles)" remixed by Sandy Kleinenberg. Yes there is actually. I really enjoyed this version of the track and it's lucky the album has this as quite a strong ending.

Overall, I like the overall tone of the album but it in no way can it touch Daft Punk's original. I understand it's a remix album, but I thought with the wealth of material that was offered, it's a somewhat disappointing result. It's not all bad and if you loved the original, it's definitely worth getting but if it's a toss-up between the two, then unless you're a big dance fan and you like thumping beats and the idea you're almost listening to the same song again and again, then you might think this is better. It might be worth getting it for the small handful of tracks that are on offer but really, it doesn't touch the OST at all. Good effort, some a lot better than others, but don't go thinking this is Daft Punk taking the riffs out of the original album and turning them into some amazing dance tunes via other artists, because it's not. In fact, Daft Punk aren't involved with it at all and don't care - it's in fact Disney bringing this out. The goods are good, not amazing, but it's let down massively by some feeble attempts.

Rating: 5/10

Tron: Legacy

After reviewing the Tron Legacy soundtrack and the Tron Evolution tie-in game, finally here is the review for Tron: Legacy - and it certainly is a Merry Christmas for one and all.


Before starting to delve into The Grid and it's inhabitants, I have to start by saying I've always been a huge Tron fan. As a kid, I would often pick up Tron again and again to watch over and over and has always had a special place in my heart, so when the initial concept footage for Tron 2 was released, you could imagine my excitement. Since then, I've been cautious not to get too over-excited. Sure the trailers look incredible, Daft Punk (whom I adore) were signed on to do the music, Jeff Bridges was going to do it, it was going to be 3D and also in IMAX. I had to bestill my beating heart that every time I get over-excited about a film, it very often disappoints and I didn't want that to happen here. Not to Tron. Please.

As readers know, I didn't rate the game very highly but Daft Punk's score got top marks (both reviews can be found on the right hand side or on Youtube's 'thewildboretv' channel) and once the film was released it got some very mixed reviews but I tried my best to keep out of it until I'd seen the final product myself, which was in centre seats at Waterloo's IMAX by the way.

If you don't know already, Tron Legacy takes place after the events of Tron (but not Tron 2.0 - the PC game for those non-geeks) where Kevin Flynn is taking advantage of being able to enter digital space by playing God and creating his own world. However, random beings, pieces of code or whatever they are, called ISO's have turned up and inside them could be the answers to the Universe, apparently. However, Flynn's 'supervisor' program Clu has a lot of ideas above his station and believes the ISO's to be imperfections and thus destroys them in The Purge (events of Tron Evolution). Kevin Flynn is banished and is hiding out with the beautiful Olivia Wilde (Quorra). Meanwhile, Sam Flynn, heir to his father's company, is busy causing havoc and being a rebel in the real world until he enters The Grid where luckily all his extreme sports hobbies come in good use.

Firstly the visuals are probably the best I've seen in anything, ever. It looks fucking cool and is absolutely incredible to witness. The first time we see the Tron world, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before. In this respect, the 3D-ness (is there a word for it?) works perfectly and it's the best use of 3D effects I've seen yet, and yes that's including Avatar. However, there is one massive flaw and I've seen it crop up time and time again in reviews - and that's the young Jeff Bridges as Clu. It simply doesn't work. It looks like Tom Hanks from The Polar Express or something, it is clearly animated and really stands out as he stands next to real people. It's a shame that technology has come leaps and bounds but actors don't have to worry, because recreating actual people won't be an issue for a while. It's a shame because it takes away from the rather dramatic scenes rather than adding to it.

The script is slightly flawed and they try to push in some key lines inbetween the set pieces but it's mainly because the pace is so incredibly fast. From disc wars to light cycle races to hand to hand combat the action is relentless and slows down in the right places to put it into context. If anything it's too textbook. Ever since Disney began, their writers were apparently handed out a guide to The Hero's Journey, a simple guide to Joseph Cambell's 'Hero Of A Thousand Faces', and it's essentially a template to creating an engaging storyline and one that can be traced as far back as Greek mythology and beyond. I know of it because I did a whole blooming thing on it in University. But Tron Legacy follows it point by point without missing a step which means that it might be simple but yet it's a familiar story, much like Star Wars or The Matrix but they had more depth. In fact, what Tron Legacy is missing, which is key, is the sense that it's part of a bigger thing and it feels way too self-contained without much knowledge of the actual geography of the place. To some this might seem indifferent, but subconsciously it works to give you a sense of realism and interaction. An example I often use is Alien, you often feel like you know the layout of the ship and it's a highly successful way of allowing your imagination fully integrate with the film by creating, arguably, boundaries. It's not saying you have to know where everything is, just that you realise that it's a part of the bigger picture. Unfortunately, there's not enough sense of what goes on inside The Grid and you're a bit confused as to where everything is. Why would they put the games arena right at the edge of the Outlands for instance? It sounds like nit-picking but I feel subconsciously people pick these things up, which is often why people find it hard to summarise why they did or didn't like a film. Pop psychology there folks or perhaps just slightly patronising.

You could argue that the whole point of The Grid in digital space is that it is infinite and these are programs, not living people, but I wanted there to be a bit more time in the 'city' part of the Tron Legacy world. What do these programs get up to? Do they couple off? Is it a working society? Why do they have to eat? Where is the food coming from? People can take it at face value but these are questions I found myself wanting to know the answers to after I left. Not in a geeky way of knowing every detail, more a way of wanting to understand the world more.

What's great about this storyline though is that a huge amount of history, myths and religion can be compared to it. Everything from the Nazi's, Cain and Abel, Darwinism, The New Testament, The Big Bang, Pat Pong, the Romans etc. could be related to this film and, in a way, the film itself is post-post-modern. A digital world within a digital world within the real world, where does the line end? You could read all sorts into it, that perhaps it is Flynn's purgatory, that it was Sam's dream, that it's the afterlife or perhaps it's just a simple story of a son searching for his father's love. Either way, it's not as superficial as most action films and, although it's not perfect, it's a great attempt to satisfy newcomers and fanboys alike.

The characters work quite nicely, Cillian Murphy makes a brief appearance (and one that will most definitely turn up in a sequel) as Ed Dillinger's son, the main villain in the 1982 Tron film, but it's a great glimpse into what will most certainly be a great sequel to come. Garrett Hedlund is remarkably perfect for Sam Flynn's role, it's never too cocky nor too naive, but does play up to the all-American rebel that tends to be popping up a lot (see Chris Pine in Star Trek as an example). It also made me laugh that his name is Sam and when asked how old he is, he states "27" - "Cor! Just like me! It's like I'm in the bloody film!" - I didn't say that, but I felt like saying it.

Jeff Bridges, I thought, did a great job as well. I had already read that people thought he was too much like The Dude and it had put some people off, however I honestly think it's only because he uses phrases such as 'man' and 'zen', which is a bit like not being able to see the forest for all the trees. People accustomed to the first film will know that Flynn was all about being laid-back and cool, it was pretty much what steered the first film, he had to be forced into action and indeed forced to mature which was the whole point of his journey in Tron. What people also forget is that he would have been a hippy child of the Seventies and seeing as he is trapped in The Grid for twenty odd years, he would not have been privy to cultural movements and therefore it might seem cheesy, but in fact works perfectly for the narrative. I was scared that Bridges would play his role too jolly, too happy-go-lucky like the original Flynn but fortunately, he has a lot more gravitas, probably not as much as I originally hoped (I wanted him to be a dark, angry, almost evil character - something to come perhaps?) but he is still clearly quite disturbed. His black and white grainy dreams looking more like a sketch, as if his dreams of the past are almost like out-of-date technology, which finally come back to colour as he is brought almost 'back to life' in a sense by the return of his son. People might think the journey is about Sam, but I'd argue it might be more about Kevin.

Bridges also plays Clu, who is very child-like and lashes out when he doesn't get his way. Just like in the first film, Kevin Flynn must conquer his immaturity, his fear, his naivety in order to continue, all of which is summed up in Clu. The real stand-out performance for me, for more than one reason is Olivia Wilde as Quorra, her wide-eyed innocence is as effective as her strength in such a powerful feminine role - she is clearly very sexual (the best leather-clad female on-screen since Pfiffer's Catwoman in Batman Returns) but it doesn't define her. Fellow House fans will already know that she is one of the most gorgeous women about at the moment and she certainly proves it here. Her cat-like appearance (and I bloody love cats) helps in her feline performance but she is more than just a love interest, which is respectable these days by itself. She will be on FHM's list next year if she isn't already. Is she?

Martin Sheen as a strange David Bowie character mixes up the seriousness with a bit of zaniness but the whole scene feels rather forced and I felt the club could have been a bit more impressive, even if it does have Daft Punk in it. The rest of the cast do look slightly like extras in a Tron version of The Warriors, or perhaps Emo-Rockers but for all the manliner, it does kind of work.

The whole world feels dark, gloomy, a constant storm hanging overhead, and slightly depressing, but in a good way, it's better than an iPod white future and Daft Punk's music over the top creates an amazing French soundscape that works perfectly into the film. It's further proof that as amazing as certain composers are, sometimes it's good to hand out work to more popular, respected musicians instead of a James Bond-esque title song that artists usually get dumped with. The film also has some light comic relief to stop people thinking it takes itself so seriously, it is after all a Disney film. But advert director Joseph Kosinki has done an incredible job and other gamers out there will recognise his work in the Gears Of War and Halo 3 adverts that did so well.

Watching this film in 3D and especially in IMAX was a treat for the eyes, but it wasn't a perfect spectacle, however it was perfect for me. Okay so it might be a little too close to Star Wars, the Jedi, Storm Troopers, Death Star and all that, but at least it knows it (you'll know what I mean when you see it). It's incredible to watch but is flawed in a few areas which means that speaking objectively I will have to mark it as such. But as a fanboy I'd definitely give a 10/10. May there be many more Tron's to come! I bloody loved it.

Rating: 8/10

Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (OST)

Exclusive Daft Punk music video for "Derezzed" including some never-before-seen footage from Tron Legacy film. Keep reading underneath for the FULL review of the Tron Legacy Soundtrack by Daft Punk.

Daft Punk return with the soundtrack to the upcoming film Tron Legacy, but is this worth gracing your record collection with?

Firstly, this album has to be taken into context. It is, after all, a motion picture soundtrack, it's the score for Disney's Tron Legacy and isn't meant to be a pop album by any means. However, I have a lot of time for music scores - the obvious ones being Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, John Williams etc. but I find it extremely satisfying when producers bring in an outside source to give some remarkable results. Think of Air with The Virgin Suicides, the musical genius that is Kevin Shields with Lost In Translation, okay so they are both Sofia Coppola films but still, you get my point. So in this instance, Daft Punk score the new Tron film and it's surprisingly a mature effort from one of the most successful leading dance crossover artists around.

I wouldn't recommend this album if you are expecting a classic Daft Punk album full of riffs, hooks, and samples because it is nothing like they have ever done before. Instead, it takes you on a journey similar to that Vangelis took people on in Blade Runner, it's dark, epic sounds with a synth backbeat is perfect. Now, I used to absolutely love driving at night listening to Vangelis, especially with a cigarette in my hand. It made me feel like I was driving around in a dark, dystopian future in my own world (if you haven't done it, I'd recommend it) but I can't wait to do the same with this album, it creates a subtle yet chilling atmosphere that is perfect for a film score. In particular, half way through the album it picks up the beat slightly and turns into something you'd hear in a futuristic neon nightclub before the final comedown.

The French duo have clearly pulled out all the stops and taken this all incredibly seriously. You have to remember that some of these 22 tracks sound very similar and you'll be hard pushed to distinguish one from the other but it is supposed to be used for running underneath footage, not to release singles from. Also for all you foghorn fans who enjoyed the scores of the incredible Shutter Island and Inception, then there's quite a bit of that for you too. Surely foghorns are the sound of 2010? Not Cheryl Cole. Though they are quite similar perhaps. But the general feel, is that of a dark, post-apocalyptic Eighties B-Movie (which is kind of how Tron's first incarnation might have been regarded) brought up to date and produced to a high quality - which sounds like a perfect combo to me.

After opening song Overture pipes up, you already know you're in for an epic ride and when Jeff Bridges' voice comes in to describe The Grid, you see a world within computers, much like how you could describe Daft Punk's sound and 'then one day ... I got in'. The score then enters as you can almost picture yourself walking into this digital landscape they have created around you. The Son of Flynn has that typical French sound that runs throughout and when Recognizer kicks in, you feel the pace heighten as something dark seems to be gearing up which leads into the disturbing, sinister Armory. Arena then slowly builds up from silence into a Terminator-esque rhythm which feels like a tribal, battle sound that I'm guessing it wants to create. This sweeps nicely into Rinzler, as the battle drums turn more threatening and it builds up with The Game Has Changed and soon, those Inception style horns kick in with that robotic, digital underbelly that only Daft Punk can pull off successfully.

Outlands conjures up a feeling of mystery and intrigue that slows down for Adagio For TRON where a sadness must occur during the film, or something rather emotional as the violins kick in and then soon that dark, digital sound comes back in. This is an example of the entire album really - it builds an epic landscape where the digital sounds are a constant sinister threat and seem to be chasing you throughout, something that I imagine will be the same in the film where, after all, the technology is the enemy.

Nocturne again is a slower song that seems to end the more reflective part of the album and End Of Line comes in with some absolutely amazing synths that put the hairs up at the back of my neck which soon turns into Derezzed which I'm guessing will be remixed to fuck the next coming months and something I could see at any Daft Punk set. It's probably the stand out track of the entire piece and more immediately accessible than the other tracks.

Fall then enters the scene with what you can imagine to be a dramatic moment in the film with a sweeping score until Solar Sailer calms it back down. The horns get going again in Rectifier which clearly describes some strange danger ahead and then melts into Disc Wars (I think we know what scene this might be from). It takes a while to build up, but the French-electro duo once again clearly put their stamp on a track that could have easily sounded like any other big budget Hollywood score. C.L.U is very similar to the song before but with a tinge of violence (maybe it's the Psycho stabs?) before moving down some musical scales into those recognisable threatening horns and then the drum machine coming back in before an abrupt ending.

Arrival is a classic post-event comedown score which you can imagine where the hero is being reflective on the events that have just happened in C.L.U. Flynn Lives (is that a spoiler?!) is another comedown song that is both beautiful, epic and heroic as it builds back up to a fanfare of sorts.

TRON Legacy (End Titles) is again one of the stand out songs. It sounds like an 8-Bit computer game that you can imagine is worth sitting in the cinema afterwards listening to, because you could probably never hear it that loud again for a while. It's simple yet stylised sound is incredible, especially about 1:20 in when those epic synths come in to add that sweeping sound that makes you realise you've probably just watched an incredible action film (which I'm hoping I will). The Finale song you can tell is the big comedown after the preceding songs, and won't be too out of place in Lord of the Rings or something as it majestically rides over those digital beats leaving a satisfied feeling like every good Disney film should have.

One criticism would be that, unfortunately the songs don't really last too long, most being a couple of minutes or so, which means just as a song is gearing up it's over. However, it's the best background music you could have for anything in my opinion and they've done a fantastic job.

I'm not lying when I say this is one of the best score's to a film yet. I can already taste what kind of a film Tron Legacy will be, and if it's anything like the music Daft Punk have created, it's going to be one hell of a film. Maybe they can do us a favour and take this on tour? Maybe I'm revelling in the hype I'm creating, but I've rated this as a film score and NOT as a typical Daft Punk album - remember it's a different kettle of fish. The songs aren't created for the sole audio experience, but as a guide for what you see onscreen and if they can still impress and tell a story without visual aid, then it's got to be good. Which is why I'm giving this...

Rating: 9/10

Now where's my car keys and fags ...