ROULETTE 9

(Note: Some readers may have had trouble downloading these, due to bandwidth restrictions. The former links have been replaced with reliable YouSendIt links, so feel free to give it another shot.)

Going to go for a bit of theme with this one, as it's been really intriguing me these past few days: instrumental music! I know it seems off to put it all in together, but it really is a different creature entirely from music with conventional vocals, with its own unique worlds of sound as well. For me, it's practically a new universe to explore.

So, here goes, scratching the surface of the instrumental side of things...

(Please excuse any mistakes I make in describing the instrumentation. I can easily analyse vocals because I, like everyone else, speak on a daily basis - Instruments are something new and different to me.)

SCORES

1. Christophe Beck - Sacrifice (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

The heartbreaking final moments of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fifth season, wherein Buffy sacrifices her own life to save both her sister's life and the world, was one of my favourite TV moments ever. A good amount of that resonance should be rightly credited to this beautiful piece of work, which accompanied what was planned to be the series' final moments.

2. Bear McCreary - Two Funerals (from Battlestar Galactica)

From before I watched the series, I knew and loved this song. I had acquired the OST, and the mournful, dark horns with the sad-but-hopeful resonating strings underneath drew me in completely. The drums that follow add that 'military funeral' feeling to everything, and it smoothly folds into a beautiful ending.

3. Daniel Licht - Party (from Dexter)

The strumming, rather Spanish sound of this song reminds me of Miami, where the series is set, and feels like sedately sexy and happy. The song drifts into a sadder place as it goes, and even when you feel like there's a real party going on and the music begins to reach up, that sadness remains with the leading strings. Wonderful piece of feeling music.

4. John Williams - Confluence (from Memoirs of a Geisha)

I admit to being fascinated, in an outsider-looking-in kind of way, with Japanese culture: their history, their culture, their art and music. This may be why I found "Memoirs" so intriguing, both the novel and the adaptation that followed. I uncovered the OST recently, and this was the first song to really grab me. It's very sparse until it really kicks in about halway, where it fills with layers of beauty.

5. Michael Giacchino - Win One for the Reaper (from Lost)

Initially, I was planning on skipping this song for this post, merely because I didn't want it to run too long. However, I began relistening to it, and remembering why Giacchino's work on Lost has been utterly genius. This song, a tribute to the fallen Boone, I believe, is a beautiful funereal piece that shines among Giacchino's work on the show.

ALBUMS

1. Explosions in the Sky - Remember Me as a Time of Day (from How Strange, Innocence)

Long-time tBoS-ers will recognise this song from my debut post. I wondered whether I should include it, but realised I couldn't have this post mean anything and not include it. This was my gateway song into instrumental, into feeling a song beyond words. For a long time while I didn't listen to pretty much anything instrumental, this was in my top ten played songs. It's just a beautiful song.

2. Kaki King - Open Mouth (from Dreaming of Revenge)

I first heard Kaki King on an REM cover by Sara Quinn (of Tegan and Sara), and her guitar work was quite nice, so I remembered her name when I saw Dreaming of Revenge and decided to grab it. This song, creeping up my spine and drifting like gas through me, freezing my insides and filling my head with bits of light, is what I found. I've since criminally ignored this album, and in constructing this post I have remembered this and sworn to rectify that.

Seven is enough for now, I think. Enjoy, and maybe I will post some more. I am looking into more scores, from movies and TV alike. Any suggestions?