Skyline
French composer and multi-instrumentalist Yann Tierson has released several albums since the mid-\'90s while also writing music for films (he received quite a bit of attention for his work on Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s romantic comedy *Amelie*). 2012’s *Skyline* isn’t a soundtrack, but the music, by turns atmospheric and dramatic, conjures cinematic images. The opener, “Another Shore,” moves between sections marked by a big guitar sound and quieter passages, one of which has subtle bass clarinet from Stephane Bouvier. Tierson plays all the instruments and sings on “I’m Gonna Live Anyhow,” an impressive, multi-tiered construction with a striking variety of timbres. “Exit 25 Block 20” has room for the sparkling sounds of glockenspiel and vibraphone, swooping synths, and rowdy shouts. The deftly arranged “The Trial” takes its time as it moves from minimalist atmospherics to rousing drama before drifting off in a synth wash. “Vanishing Point” places dreamy vocals over a steady chug that suddenly winds down, bringing *Skyline* to a close.
On Skyline, Yann Tiersen goes further down the path he forged on Dust Lane, moving away from the delicate, keyboard-driven reveries that marked early work such as the tracks collected for the Amélie score or the music for Good Bye Lenin! and toward a post-rock-tinged sound that, despite its differences, is just as widescreen-ready.
Yann Tiersen is somewhat of an anomaly and has been placed under heavy scrutiny since exploding onto the world's radar with his soundtrack for Amelie.