Juno Recommends Soundtracks Best of 2019

Review: A new Quentin Tarantino film almost always equals a new and essential soundtrack. The celebrated director's ability to add humour to the darkest scenes with an odd tune, or to make light of a heavy situation with his juxtaposed sounds, is unrivalled. His latest is another classy mix of swing, Americana, psyche, rock and roll and folk that is a brilliant listen whether or not you have seen the accompanying film. The bumper collection clocks in at 33 tracks featuring Los Bravos, Neil Diamond, Jose Feliciano, Vanilla Fudge and more.

Review: Here's something to get Bowie fans hot under the collar: a first worldwide pressing of the Thin White Duke's "Revolutionary Song", his only contribution to the soundtrack of 1978 West German flick "Just A Gigolo", in which he also starred alongside silver screen legend Marlene Dietrich. The song was recorded with a local band of musicians hastily dubbed "The Rebels" and sees Bowie in classic crooner mode, adding his distinctive vocals to a jangly, largely acoustic number that's effectively a folksy take on waltz. Over on side B there's a chance to enjoy one of Marlene Dietrich's last ever recordings: an atmospheric cover of 1930s cabaret standard "Just A Gigolo" which ended up being the movie's title track.

Review: While most celebrated in electronic music circles for his work as part of Yellow Magic Orchestra - not to mention a string of experimental solo works - Ryuichi Sakamoto has long been an acclaimed composer of music for the big screen. As the title suggests, this fine compilation gathers together some of his best soundtrack works. There are plenty of familiar favourites present - check the chiming, suitably cheery theme to "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" and the swelling closing theme from "The Last Emperor" - alongside lesser-known gems such as the lilting strings of "The Sheltering Sky (Main Theme)", the simmering beauty of "Little Buddha: Acceptance" and the jazz-influenced bliss of "Femme Fatale: Bolerisch".

Review: HBO's tragic "Chernobyl" proved to be a global hit show, not least in part thanks to Hildur Gudnadottir's haunting compositions. Tropes from thriller soundtracks of the past - squeaking strings, marching drums and the clicks of a Geiger counter - are all wisely sidestepped in favour of a more subtle but dramatic score. Gudnadottir makes the invisible somehow seem real - paranoia, unknown horror and unrelenting tension defines this record, which also somehow conveys the architecture of a power plant. It is vast, cavernous and absorbing even without the accompanying images, and is a bleak yet beautiful listen.

Review: Back in 2015, jazz/electronica fusionists GoGo Penguin wrote and performed a live soundtrack to Godfrey Reggio's cult 1982 documentary "Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance". It was such a success that they have since performed the soundtrack live all over the world, and here deliver a fine mini-album inspired by their original "re-score". It's as vibrant, emotion-rich and stirring as you'd expect, with opener "Time-Lapse City" providing a dazzling mixture of intensely positive and restless pianos, bustling jazz drums and smooth double bass, "Ocean In A Drop" brilliantly growing in intensity throughout thanks to a superb new arrangement and closer "Nessus" sounding every bit as poignant and tear-jerking as it did when they first performed the score.

Review: Second time around for Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch's acclaimed soundtrack to Denis Villeneuve's 2017 flick "Blade Runner 2049". Like the film itself, Zimmer and Wallfisch's soundtrack is very much a sequel to Vangelis' 1982 original, with spacey, poignant and bittersweet orchestral compositions sitting side by side with more electronic, synthesizer-driven pieces that match the dark, futuristic mood of the movie. There are plenty of nods towards the musical themes explored first time around, with the climactic "Blade Runner" sounding like a 21st century update of the Greek composer's lauded original title music.

Review: Earlier this year, PJ Harvey wrote the score to director Ivan van Hove's theatrical adaptation of award winning 1950 film "All About Eve". Like the play itself, the score won praise, with critics acclaiming its' combination of emotion-stirring new musical motifs and the creative way in which Harvey used elements of Franz Liszt's "Liebestraum", a piece of music that featured heavily in the original movie. You can now judge it for yourselves thanks to this recording by Harvey, two fellow musicians and play stars Gillian Anderson and Lily James (each sings one song). We were spellbound, and we think you probably will be too.

Review: Of Mics & Men is a four part Netflix series chronicling legendary hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan's storied history. This accompanying soundtrack release features new music from the group, as well as skits based on never-before-heard stories from footage that didn't make the final cut of the documentary series. It finds the crew in fine flow, with all their trademark chilling atmospheres, smart samples and mesmerising verses telling fast paced stories in vivid detail. Fans old and new will not be disappointed with this one.

Review: Talk to anyone about Stranger Things and it will only be a matter of minutes before the sensational soundtrack is mentioned. The future retro synths of Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein have a huge impact on deepening the occult feelings you experience when watching the show and that continued through Series 3. Now you can grab the accompanying tracks on neon pink vinyl, which features the vulnerable "You're A Fighter", celebratory 80s synth pop stomps of "Starcourt" and meditative charms of "The Ceiling Is Beautiful" amongst other nuggets of gold. The producers themselves have said this is less a score and more a series of cues, and it certainly got us thinking.