By no means is Elektra a typical heroine or superhero score; it makes Graeme Revell's music for Daredevil seem even more mundane than it already was. While Beck attempted to make a genuinely fresh and unique collaboration between sound design and live orchestra, the ambient effects leave the only lasting impression. A theme for the title character does exist, but its role is significantly downplayed by the seemingly more important need by Beck to establish his atmosphere above all else. There are no swooshes or brass fanfares; as a matter of fact, the performances of theme in Elektra are restrained and spiritual rather than heroic. Along with the absence of a true heroine or superhero presence is the lack of significant or sustained muscularity. Whenever a rhythm worthy of ass-kicking is established by Beck, such as in the Underworld-like sequence of "Insomnia," that rhythm abruptly halts before you can truly enjoy it. The martial arts sequences make strong use of Beck's highly creative sampling and weaving of electronic bass rhythms and live percussion. This percussion can, at times, test the patience of the listener, especially when the volume and pace of the music is at full throttle. The score has a tendency to degenerate into an overly-layered mess at times, sometimes dominated by an electric bass that will test the capabilities of your subwoofers. But a cue such as "Gnarly Gongs" rocks the room with its outstanding percussive mix, and there are moments throughout when a distant toll of bells or chimes adds a distinctly intriguing fog to the score's other layers. Distant voices, distorted intentionally, remind at times of Mychael Danna's ambient designs. A sound design best described as a Muslim prayer call in "Stick" makes for a particularly fascinating cue, perhaps even the highlight of the score. Brass pitch mutilation in "Kirigi" is naturally more difficult to enjoy apart from the villain's on-screen presence, and some of Beck's work does wear on the nerves with its occasional overextension into the realm of the bizarre. With a tame orchestral cue at the end (a woodwind performance that finally shows a more human side than the rest of the music allows), as well as one somewhat half-hearted performance of the title theme in the final seconds (were the performers simply not inspired that day?), the album leaves you wondering if you actually heard a coherent, overarching score or simply a rambunctious, eccentric explosion of wandering sound design theory. It's an interesting work, and any artist should be commended for venturing into new experimental realms, but just a tad too much of the heroine part was sacrificed in the process of enhancing the soundscape. This score-only album follows a song compilation released the same week as the film, and it's difficult to pinpoint exactly who will find repeat enjoyment in this irregular genre work.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download