Mychael Danna had known Ang Lee for around fifteen years and had previously contributed the soundtrack to Lee's films The Ice Storm and Ride with the Devil. Danna spent a year working on the Life of Pi score,[1] which was recorded primarily in Los Angeles, but also in India and Canada.[2] The score consists mainly of instrumental music, blending Western orchestral sounds with traditional Indian instrumentation (sitars, bansuris, kanjiras, among others) and minor French influences (accordions).[3] The opening track "Pi's Lullaby" is the soundtrack's only vocal piece, co-written and sung in Tamil by Bombay Jayashri, although a number of other songs include wordless vocalising.
The soundtrack was first made available for streaming on SoundCloud and Spotify in October 2012.[4] The official physical and digital release followed on 16 November, shortly before the film's general premiere.[5] "Pi's Lullaby" was released as a promotional CD single to solicit nomination for an Academy Award.[6]
Reception and accolades
The Life of Pi soundtrack album has received positive reviews.[7][8][9] In the four-star review for AllMusic, James Christopher Monger described it as "a moving yet unassuming score that supports the film's lush visuals without resorting to bombast".[10] UK's Classic FM described it as "perfect for a movie that makes such a visually stunning impact".[11]
