Lakeshore records release Alexis Marsh and Samuel Jones's score for Next Gen. The movie is an off-beat action/comedy based on the comic 7723 by Wang Nima. It tells the story of the unlikely bond between a girl and her combat robot as they team up to defeat a madman's plans for domination. Set in a high-tech city of the future, Next Gen is a funny, exciting and heart-warming adventure that explores the bittersweet nature of memory and celebrates the value of friendship...

For some reason, whenever a score is released for an animated movie, it's almost guaranteed that it will be an emotional roller coaster ride, packed with beautiful themes. I don't know why that is, but I'm trying hard to recall an animated score that I didn't enjoy. Next Gen is no exception, its 27 tracks (1 hr, 07 min, 13 sec) hold numerous beautiful themes as well as three Chinese Pop songs from the movie.

Tracks like 'Next Gen' and 'Down The Up Escalator' deliver a more modern, Pop based sound - equipped with electronics and a more conventional Pop band line up of guitars and drums. It's an interesting sound, reflecting the modern and futuristic feel of the movie, but these tracks might not age as well as the more conventional score pieces.

There's also a lot of ambient, slow build pieces that act more as backdrops in the movie. 'I'm Gonna Follow Her' ends with a slow build to a beautiful, subtle pay off.

Overall this is a lovingly crafted collection of little moments. The diversity of the presentation of both modern and conventional styles might turn some off, but on balance this score has a lot to enjoy. If you're a lover of subtle, beautiful scores, then you'll find much to appreciate here.

8

Darren Rea