Soundtrack Review: “Raya and the Last Dragon” by James Newton Howard and Jhené Aiko

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, premieres March 5th in theaters and on Disney+ through Premier Access. But for fans looking to get a taste of what the film has to offer, Walt Disney Records has released the Raya and the Last Dragon Original Soundtrack a week early. With a masterful score from James Newton Howard and a new end credit pop song from Jhené Aiko, the soundtrack provides over an hour of music from Kumandra.

The album starts with Jhené Aiko’s “Lead the Way,” a pop track that blends Southeast Asian instruments used throughout the score with modern pop sensibilities. Jhené Aiko’s smooth vocals deliver lyrics that tie into the themes of the film, even incorporating the name “Kumandra” into the bridge. It’s an uplifting song with a danceable beat that kids and families are sure to love.

The majority of the soundtrack is the score by James Newton Howard who, across 23 tracks, rarely repeats himself. It’s a bold score that has a few repeated themes and blends together traditional strings with Southeast Asian instruments like chimes, hand drums and lutes. At the same time, it feels very modern with some heavily synthesized elements folded in, primarily when underscoring moments of big action. Choral work also accentuates many of the tracks, often yielding chilling results.

The theme that stays with you the most after watching the film and listening to the soundtrack is an optimistic and melodic composition that underscores some of the happiest moments in the film. My favorite rendition of it is heard on “Running on Raindrops,” which is also my favorite track on the soundtrack. It’s first heard on the second track, “Young Raya and Namari,” and can also be heard predominantly on “Enter the Dragon” and at the end of the final track, “The New World.”

Being the most action-heavy film Walt Disney Animation Studios has ever produced, many of the score tracks are designed to compliment fast-paced action sequences. This kicks off on the first score track, “Prologue,” which is primarily a fast-paced percussive and vocal experience. The lengthy “Prologue” track also incorporates some of the regional themes for the areas of Kumandra, heard in greater detail on tracks like “Fleeing from Tail,” “Escape from Talon” and “Storming Fang,” which often repeat the main action theme with different compositions. Another unique variation on the main action theme is heard on “Plans of Attack,” which is so synthesized that it almost sounds like it could’ve come from the Tron: Legacy soundtrack at times. 

While James Newton Howard doesn’t rely heavily on musical themes that underscore a specific character, there are a few tracks unique to a moment in the film. “Sisu Swims” gives the dragon a song that’s almost like an Asian madrigal with ethereal moments. It’s followed by “Dragon Graveyard,” which in a small way gives all of the dragons their own theme, which is briefly repeated later. And “Captain Boun” provides an original theme for the young shrimp restaurateur that is a fun highlight on the soundtrack.

What James Newton Howard has done on the score for Raya and the Last Dragon is masterful, delivering a score that is as varied as the film itself. I recommend listening to the entire soundtrack, but if you’re looking for one track that blends many of his themes from the film, “Return” is the one you’re looking for. Paired with “Lead the Way” by Jhené Aiko, which harmoniously combines similar sounds from the score, the original soundtrack of Raya and the Last Dragon is the type of release you’ll want to savor again and again.

Alex Reif
Alex joined the Laughing Place team in 2014 and has been a lifelong Disney fan. His main beats for LP are Disney-branded movies, TV shows, books, music and toys. He recently became a member of the Television Critics Association (TCA).