Silva Screen Records release Jasha Klebe’s score to ITV’s 6-part nature series, presented by Stephen Fry. The awe-inspiring and ambitious series brings an innovative, interlinked story to reveal the incredible ways in which all life is impacted by the changing seasons. Filmed in more than 60 locations, the series covers a wide range of animals, including African elephants, polar bears, blacktip sharks, chipmunks, grizzly bears, cheetahs, leatherback turtles, pandas and zebras, among many, many others...

A Year on Planet Earth steps away from the cliched epic themes for other documentaries about planet Earth, and I have to admit that I don't know how I feel about that. While, on the one hand, I'm glad that composer Jasha Klebe went a different route, I couldn't help wanting more themes that stuck with me and defined the show.

While tracks like 'Hummingbirds' and 'Monarch Butterfly' have beautiful themes at their core, the majority of tracks where a little unmemorable. I don't mean that they were poor or themeless, just that when I revisited the album - as I did several times - hardly any of it sounded familiar to me.

Talking about the music, Klebe says: "On approaching the music for the ITV series, A Year On Planet Earth I wanted to create a score that was lyrical, vibrant, and a joyous celebration of the natural world. Using a kaleidoscope of instruments and textures, I crafted soundscapes to be as rich and colourful as the animals and environments they portrayed. Starting with ambient vocal calls, cascading strings, and a jubilant percussive motif - the heartbeat of the series - in the opening suite; to stacked ambient layers of my vocals in 'Bush Fire'; delicate piano and wistful solo cello in 'Ice Bears'; to the sweeping melodic song of 'Monarch Butterfly'; I set out to evoke a wondrous, emotional journey, as we transitioned from each new season over a year on planet earth."

I loved the fact that Klebe really got under the skin of the subject matter, and really thought about instrumentation and where in the world we were. It's a good solid soundtrack which offers something a little different. But it rarely surprises.

7

Darren Rea