Welcome to the desert of the real! In celebration of it’s 20th anniversary, for their 32nd Score Guide, Will & Wend shall be tumbling down the rabbit hole to discuss the highly original, postmodern score to The Wachowskis‘ 1999 sci-fi action-adventure, The Matrix, composed, orchestrated and conducted by marvellous composer, Don Davis.

Through the inventive approach of postmodern techniques, the composer employs atonality, dissonance, ostinatos and minimalist techniques to achieve a sound wholly original, for 90s action scores in particular. If the power of The Hollywood Studio Symphony, a 40-piece choir and boy soprano Theo Lebow weren’t enough, the soundtrack also features a collection of songs chosen by the directors that are almost equally well-loved in-context and we shall dive into some of these also, at the end of the show.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the flight as your hosts fling back the composer’s curtain to uncover all the shining musical moments that make this film score one of their faves of the last twenty years, guiding you through the soundtrack release track-by-track!

Cookies baked, spoons at the ready, let’s enter The Matrix!

Score Guide Artwork by Xander Stobbs 1:4:9 Studio

Release

The Matrix: The Deluxe Edition Varèse Sarabande (2008)

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro Tag: Crystal Perea

9:21 – 1. Main Title/Trinity Infinity

17:07 – 2. Neo on the Edge

21:54 – 3. Unable to Speak

24:40 – 4. Bait and Switch

29:47 – 5. Switched for Life

34:31 – 6. Switched at Birth

38:34 – 7. Switch’s Brew

41:27 – 8. Cold Hearted Switch

43:22 – 9. Nascent Nauseous Neo

46:31 – 10. A Morpheus Moment

49:01 – 11. Bow Whisk Orchestra

51:54 – 12. Domo Showdown

54:42 – 13. Switch or Break Show

57:28 – 14. Shake, Borrow, Switch

59:22 – 15. Freeze Face

1:01:37 – 16. Switch Woks Her Boa

1:05:39 – 17. Switch Out

1:08:38 – 18. Boon Spoy

1:11:52 – 19. Oracle Cookies

1:13:21 – 20. Threat Mix

1:16:58 – 21. Exit Mr. Hat

1:18:19 – 22. On Your Knees, Switch

1:20:34 – 23. Mix the Art

1:22:23 – 24. Whoa, Switch Brokers

1:26:36 – 25. No More Spoons

1:27:37 – 26. Dodge This

1:30:06 – 27. Ontological Shock

1:35:58 – 28. That’s Gotta Hurt

1:40:55 – 29. Surprise!

1:46:28 – 30. He’s the One Alright

1:54:04 – Songs

1:58:08 – Final Thoughts