Buy it... if you are an established enthusiast of Craig Armstrong's standard methodology, in which case you'll likely appreciate the compelling adaptation of his style into the science fiction genre.

Avoid it... despite the fact that his sound is perfectly suited for this concept if you expect him to make meaningful use of his lyrical tendencies to develop an airtight narrative arc when one was truly justified.

Armstrong

In Time: (Craig Armstrong) In terms of mind-bending notions of future realities, the concept explored by the 2011 movie In Time is interesting from an intellectual standpoint but is also one of the more fallacious in its practicality. The film postulates that in 150 years, money will have been replaced by time in society, each person allotted 25 years of life by default. Natural death has been eliminated, so a person who can bargain for more time or be careful in spending it throughout life can be awarded what we now consider a normal lifespan. Just like in today's capitalistic society, however, a small minority of the rich hoard the available time in an effort to achieve immortality, forming their own community "zones" and manipulating market prices in the lower classes to ensure their goals. When one average man decides to throw the system out of balance by stealing time from the rich and delivering it back to the poor, he gains the help of a wealthy young woman he kidnaps in the process. The concept is particularly poignant during the economic downturn the world was still recovering from in 2011, and In Time managed to steal more than $100 million higher than its budget in worldwide theatrical grosses. Regardless of its hopeful narrative turns, the movie still espouses an overwhelmingly depressing viewpoint of humanity, and no composer seems better at capturing the spirit of tragic torment than Craig Armstrong, for whom In Time represented an exciting foray into the realm of science fiction but who also has written more than his fair share of melancholy film scores in his rather sparse but successful career. It's difficult to imagine a better tailored assignment for Armstrong, whose trademark blend of orchestra, contemporary loops, voice, solo piano, and minor-key brooding seems matched perfectly for this concept. In some regards, he could throw together the aggressive aspects of his prior writing into a mixture that would have served as a very good temp track for In Time, and to listeners who do not subscribe to the composer's rather limited stylistic mannerisms, a glorified Armstrong temp track is what the finished score may sound like. He and director Andrew Niccol agreed that the personality of the score had to cross the boundaries of time and location, allowing the composer to conveniently clash his comfortable symphonic and synthetic elements while using a duduk and slurred strings to insert a vaguely Middle Eastern sound into the mix. The piano, meanwhile, once again handles all the sentimental portions for Armstrong.

	Learn about supporting Filmtracks

The formula for In Time's score is nothing radical. The lamentation of those without the means to live a long life is addressed by subtle strings and piano defined by Armstrong's main theme. Hazy sound design sometimes figures into this oppression, though the dissonant background tones often partner with the manipulated solo female voice and meandering duduk layer to create a generally worldly impression of future society. At times, and especially when the thematic phrases are handled by blatant synthetic keyboarding, this environment sounds like it came from vintage Vangelis territory. The last moments of "Rooftop Chase" are particularly reminiscent of Blade Runner, in fact. That and other action material utilize familiar loops from Armstrong's more hip, mid-1990's work, though not often with the resounding coolness that it sometimes conveys. A lengthy crescendo of momentum in "Abduction" is notable in its deliberate march to resolution. The electronic manipulation of the recording during several of Armstrong's cues for In Time is handled with surprising restraint. In a few cases, the manipulation is actually quite compelling, such as the stuttering end to the duduk performances in the hopeful "Giving It Away" and other cues, seemingly a representation of people running out of time unexpectedly and dying. Even at its most distorted, this score maintains the tonality (and common chord progressions) you expect from Armstrong. While abrasive at times, it remains accessible in its whole, a smooth listening experience for nearly its entire album presentation. His main theme isn't particularly memorable, but as usual, he provides it in several different concert-like variations, including a compelling vocal version. The pace of this melody is sometimes slowed down until it becomes sound design, cues like "An Hour Ahead" leaving only a vague impression. A couple of the more snazzy, upbeat performances require mentioning because they return to Plunkett and Macleane style, including a sequence early in "Leaving the Zone" that may become similar trailer-music bait. Standing alone is "Welcome to New Greenwich," representing the opulence of the wealthy society's lifestyle with a sophisticated yet sleazy tone in Armstrong's super-cool mode. In the end, the score for In Time has to be considered the expected outcome for Armstrong in this genre, though the re-development of his style in this application is still surprisingly effective. The album contains a good balance of interesting instrumental tone and rhythmic propulsion, always concluding its moments of discord with a tonal exit. Those who do not appreciate the composer's standard methodology will not likely be impressed, but his fans should embrace its majority enthusiastically. ****   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Craig Armstrong reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.73 (in 11 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.4 (in 44,092 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.