BEYOND BEAUTY: TAIWAN FROM ABOVE (看见台湾) - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2014)




We were pretty excited when Singapore’s composer Ricky Ho clinched the Best Original Film Score prize for his work on Wei Te Sheng’s “Warrior of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale” at the 48th Golden Horse Award in 2011. We were hoping to see the film in local theatres to hear how Ho’s score lent to the magnificence of the story, but alas, the Taiwanese historical drama epic film never reached our shores. This reviewer then diligently got his hands on the two disc soundtrack album and the DVD. While the procrastinator in him hasn’t gotten down to watch the 279 minute movie, he has been hooked to the orchestral score which was nothing short of enthralling.

Hence, when he heard that Ho’s on board to score Chi Po Lin’s aerial documentary, he was looking forward to what Ho had to bring to the picture. Aptly chaptered to chronicle the film’s course of storytelling, the 66 minute disc kicks off with the operatic “Genesis”, before pastor turned actor Lin Ching Tai flexes his vocals with female soloist Lai Lai in “The Valley of Light”. The exquisitely produced booklet with the album tells us that the lyrics reflect the close ties between our ancestors and us. Ho continues his penchant for grandeur and majesty in “Ocean’s Symphony”.

Things take on a lighter note in “Abundance of Life”, where Ho uses the piano to begin the cue, before building up the track with wonderment and awe. As the track title suggests, “Approaching Storm” is an ominous take on how we have hurt Mother Nature (you need to watch the film to understand how Ho’s music complements the visuals powerfully). After the overcast tones in “The Beauty and the Darkness”, Lin’s vocals returns in the percussion driven “Beyond the Horizon”, suggesting the enigmatic bond we have with the planet.

The peaceful “Our Land” soothes your senses with the flute, and offers hope that there is much we can do to protect our home, before the ethereal “Our Prayer” closes the score portion of this highly recommended album. The last track on the CD is “The Light” performed by Lisa Hsieh, which asks listeners to allow the wounded land to heal, and to let it regain life.

Ho composed the score in 10 days while the documentary was being edited, and with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra’s orchestral work, the result is this soaring and inspiring soundtrack album.

 ALBUM RATING:



Recommended Track: 
(8) Our Land

Review by John Li

Back

TRACK LISTING
1
GENESIS
2
THE VALLEY OF LIGHT
3
OCEAN'S SYMPHONY
4
ABUNDANCE OF LIFE
5
APPROACHING STORM
6
THE BEAUTY AND THE DARKNESS
7
BEYOND THE HORIZON
8
OUR LAND
9
OUR PRAYER
10
THE LIGHT

 

 ABOUT THE SOUNDTRACK

Composer: Ricky Ho
Label: Forward Music
Release Date: November 6, 2013