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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Soundtrack / Score · 2012

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Alexandre Desplat

Intricate piano patterns and fragile orchestral textures capture the restless mind of a child navigating grief. A masterclass in delicate, clockwork-like scoring.

January 6, 2012 · WaterTower Music

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This album is a masterclass in the 'clockwork' aesthetic that Alexandre Desplat has perfected throughout his career. It sounds like the inner workings of a pocket watch, where every gear and lever is made of glass and ivory. The primary voice is the piano, which alternates between rapid, nervous arpeggios and slow, hesitant melodies that seem to hang in the air. It captures the specific perspective of a child: a mix of hyper-focused intellectual curiosity and profound, unarticulated sadness. The orchestration is light and nimble, avoiding the heavy-handed melodrama often found in scores dealing with tragedy.

Moments Worth Listening For
The moment in 'The Sixth Borough' where the piano melody suddenly shifts into a higher, more fragile register.
The rhythmic interlocking of the woodwinds in 'The Search' that creates a feeling of urgent, mechanical momentum.
The way the strings slowly swell and then abruptly cut to silence at the end of the title track.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close sound next to the rest of Alexandre Desplat's catalogue?

Grief+4.0σ

The writing leans far further into grief than the rest of the catalogue.

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