The SHape of Water - Alexandre Desplat
What You Will Hear: Piano, whistling, accordion, celeste, and orchestra featuring woodwinds. Some light jazz.
Standout Tracks: Welcome to the HoF! Every track is a delight! Highlights: The Shape of Water, The Creature, Elisa's Theme, Fingers, Eliza and Zelda, Egg, Underwater Kiss, Watching Ruth, Decency, Overflow of Love, Without You, Rainy Day, A Princess Without A Voice
Will You Be Humming Along? There are four main themes that are easy to pick out and are used often.
The Creature
The album this makes me want to dust off: Lady In The Water – James Newton Howard
Will I come back to it? The Shape of Water simultaneously sounds like a romance from an earlier time and a modern science fantasy. Desplat effortlessly jumps form one soundscape to the other, and even blends them wonderfully. The whimsical whistling and relaxed accordion are perfect for storytelling that seems so outside the normal expectations of modern films. The fantastic themes and instrumentation create a magical aura that helps to hold everything together. Additionally, there are rolling ostinatos in the high woodwinds and celeste that weave throughout the entire score. Throw in some light vocal jazz, and this is a neatly wrapped package.
The greatest moments of the score come in the form of Elisa (see: Elisa's Theme). This music is kindness. It's peace. It's innocence. And, it's fun. Desplat's work on this cue is the first recorded music to bring me to tears in over a decade (the last time being Dario Marianelli's "Evey Reborn" cue – raw emotional power there). Elisa moved me through its simple beauty. I couldn't help but think of all the wonderful things in the world while listening. There's quiet musical power here. Throughout the rest of the score, every theme shows up in excellent variations, but it is Elisa that grabbed my ears every time.
I'm not in the business of ranking music (it's impossible!), but The Shape of Water easily belongs in the upper echelon of Desplat's career. Romance, wonder, action, and suspense – beautiful in every moment.
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