Andor: Vol. 1 (Episodes 1-4) [Original Score]

Britell’s score fits the tone, or more so sets the tone, for Andor. It’s well done, and like the show, goes in a very new direction from typical Star Wars. All of which is great! But to say it’s the best Disney Star Wars music, and to say forget John Williams (one of the greatest film composers of all time, credited by Mark Hamill as the greatest reason besides Lucas for Star wars’ success)… I’m not sure it’s that good. Admittedly, my preference is more dynamic music, like Williams or Silvestri or Goldsmith, but more modern scoring seems to have an obsession with synthesizers and long drawn out tonal music. Hans Zimmer’s score for Dune for example - it fit the tone of the movie perfect. But was is great, dynamic, “listen to it on its on” orchestral music? In my opinion, no. Same with Andor. I much prefer Goransson’s new approach to star wars music with The Mandalorian, a mix of the typical Wagner-style theming with electric sounds.

Forget John Williams. Britell has taken the sound of Star Wars, the essence of Star Wars, and by his unique alchemy transmogrified it into the gritty, searing reality of proto-Rebellion-era SW. There is no more versatile composer in the landscape of today’s Hollywood. Plainly, Britell has done it again. Forget everything you know about Star Wars. The Galaxy has a new sound.

Nicholas Britell absolutely knocks it out of the park here. The dark, dreamy synth sound is a bold new direction for Star Wars and charts a middle path between optimism and outright grimdark. There's a nice contrast between the heroic journey plot of the original trilogy and the more varied moral panorama that Andor reveals in its first few episodes, and Britell's score is a major reason why the show succeeds. Absolutely cannot wait for further volumes of the OST to be released!

Britell hit it out of the park with the score for Andor. I always thought his work on Succession would be his best but I am preferring his work on Andor. The vibe and melodies he’s created capture the gritty and politically charged atmosphere that Andor inhabits. But there is a sense of hope in his themes. I would highly suggest this to any music aficionado.