This soundtrack is the latest in a long line of collaborations between Martin Scorcese and Robbie Robertson. The relationship starting back in 1978 with THE LAST WALTZ, a concert film which chronicled The Band’s history, along with the original members’ final performance together. During the years that followed, Robertson and Scorcese collaborated on the music for RAGING BULL, THE KING OF COMEDY, THE COLOR OF MONEY, CASINO and DEPARTED. Robertson hand-picked the modern classical music for this new soundtrack, which also includes music by Brian Eno, and songs from Johnnie Ray, Kay Starr, Dinah Washington, and Lonnie Johnson.

But the main focus of the sountrack is classical with appearances by The San Francisco Symphony, the National Polish Radio Symphony, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Wiener Philharmoniker, Prazak Quartet, The New Porfessionals Orchestra, together with several soloists. All 19 of the compilation’s songs are featured in the movie.

The opening track features fog hornes and no doubt signals the moments before the two detectives (Leonardo De Caprio and Mark Ruffalo) arrive at Shutter Island which houses a fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. ‘Fog Tropes’, performed by Orchestra Of St Lukes, is a menacing, dark and threatening composition which sets the scene beautifully. ‘Symphony No. 3: Passacaglia - Allegro Moderato’ builds the suspense in a way I have rarely heard before on a soundtrack, and by this point you just know that the next two plus hours is going to pin you to your cinema seat in horror and foreboding. ‘Music For Marcel Duchamp’ is somewhat lighter and sounds as if a search is underway, down some dark underground passage with rodents scurrying around. ‘Hommage A John Cage’ depicts a journey into murderous madness with terrifying warped vocal samples and the most nightmarish electronic sounds. ‘Lontano’ features a relentless, loud hum reflecting a dream vista,
while ‘Rothko Chapel 2′ with its monotone footsteps-sounding percussion indicates a jouney with something found at the end of it, when a mournful violin enters the equation along with an angelic vocal. The first CD is full of the most atmospheric music, with 50’s song ‘Cry’ by Johnnie Ray, and Max Richter’s most beautiful, contemplative string piece ‘On The Nature Of Daylight’ offering a high degree of lighter respite.

The second CD offers a diversity of sounds ranging from full symphonic, to Brian Eno’s electronic ‘Lizard Point’, to classic blues by Lonnie Johnson (’Tomorrow Night’), to chamber pieces, and finally to a song that blew me away in ‘This Bitter Earth’(which is combined perfectly with Max Richter’s ‘On The Nature Of Daylight’), perfomed by Dinah Washington.

This is an extraordinary movie soundtrack and unlike anything I’ve heard before. Watch it win the Oscar in 2011.

5/5