Disneynature’s Penguins is now in theaters to celebrate Earth Day 2019 and Walt Disney Records is giving fans two ways to keep Steve and his family in their hearts after they leave the theater. The first is through a soundtrack of score from the film by Harry Gregson-Williams and the second is courtesy of a new series of sound effects albums called “Disneynature Soundscapes.” The film is unforgettable, and so is the score.
The score is full of moving melodies and enchanting instruments that remind you of the most romantic of winter landscapes. The composer relies heavily on xylophones, strings, and chimes to bring these songs to life. Having composed music for films like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Harry Gregson-Williams is also a master at creating suspenseful and adventurous themes, which also underscore the film.
I walked out of the theater whistling a little ditty that accompanies some of Steve’s more comical and lighthearted moments in the film. This is best summed up on the soundtrack in a track called “The Penguins March” for those looking for it specifically. The pace is picked up even more when the melody is repeated on “Hungry Chick Chase.”
A queue is taken from Thomas Newman’s score for Pixar’s WALL-E on a song called “Bare Rock,” which adds some electric elements and gets a little funky. There is also a love theme in the film and “Adeline’s Waltz” is a perfect selection to revisit it. But being a Disneynature film, the tracks that make you feel most connected to the beauty of these arctic landscapes are “Katabatic Blizzard,” “Antarctica,” and “Antarctic Summer.”
“Disneynature Soundscapes” also debuted with this release with albums themed to the films Oceans, African Cats, Bears, Monkey Kingdom, Born in China, and Penguins. These calming albums are filled with the sounds of nature and the animals from the films. Staying on the theme of this film, most of the tracks feature a cooling arctic wind in the background, with some penguin sounds thrown in.
My favorite track on the Soundscapes album is called “Water Through Ice,” which provides a soft arctic wind and the sound of water trickling through the icy terrain. “Jumping into Water” is another refreshing and cleansing track, with the sound of penguins diving into the water accompanying the sounds on the previously mentioned track.
I’m a huge fan of killer whales and was very excited to see them in the film. “Orcas Blowing” is a track of water sounds and orcas blowing air out of their blowhole, which is more relaxing than it sounds. Not every track is relaxing, with “Elephant Seal on Beach” serving as a perfect example of a track that might take you out of the zen you’ve found.
I’m a big fan of both albums, the Disneynature Penguins Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Disneynature Soundscapes: Penguins. Both are available now for digital purchase and streaming from all major providers. If you loved the film as much as I did, you’ll want to take a piece of it home with you and these releases are the perfect way to do just that.