Sia, 鈥淢usic 鈥� Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture鈥� (Monkey Puzzle/Atlantic)
Whatever your thoughts on the new movie 鈥淢usic,鈥� there can be no argument about the music in it: It's very, very good.
Sia is behind the film 鈥� co-writing and directing 鈥� as well as writing and performing the accompanying 14-track album. If the film has attracted some criticism, the richly textured and emotional soundtrack cannot.
Sia's trademark mix of tropical pop, hip-hop, a hint of ska with a touch of reggae combed with her distinctive voice, have a cinematic quality already, so almost every song on 鈥淢usic鈥� feels like it could play over the end credits of any movie in the last decade (OK, maybe not 鈥淐ats.鈥�)
Some of the songs are wistful and moody ("Saved My Life," 鈥淔loating Through Space鈥�), some soar ("Together" and "Courage to Change") and some are pure, candy-colored blissful pop ("1+1," 鈥淗ey Boy,鈥� 鈥淓ye to Eye鈥� and 鈥淧lay Dumb鈥�). The title track, 鈥淥blivion鈥� and 鈥淏eautiful Things Can Happen鈥� show some of the most restrained and mature Sia songwriting has ever done.
Open up the hood of this album and it's quite clear how strong Sia's gravitational pull is. David Guetta mixed and produced a song, Dua Lipa co-wrote a track, as did Pink. Labrinth 鈥� one of her collaborators in the supergroup LSD 鈥� adds producing help, plays synth and is featured on one song.
Longtime collaborator Jesse Shatkin 鈥� who helped write and co-produce Sia's massive hit 鈥淐handelier鈥� 鈥� co-wrote much of 鈥淢usic鈥� with Sia, while mega-producers Jack Antonoff and Greg Kurstin each helped on a total of five tracks. The quality shines.
Lyrically, Sia often gets stuck in repetitive choruses 鈥� usually reaching for a hypnotic effect 鈥� and that's true of 鈥淢usic.鈥� The songs are often about miscommunication and trying to better understand each other, which reflects the film's themes.
鈥淢usic,鈥� which uses 10 of the new songs but are sung by the cast,
Sia has obviously put a lot of work into the film 鈥淢usic.鈥� What may make the most profound effect, though, is likely the stuff you hear.
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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
