Review Summary: Eat your heart out Boba.
Remember the first episode of The Mandalorian? Excitement was ripe for the cusp of a new character and Star Wars show, how brilliant! With it came new music, and it is quite solid. It obviously wasn’t going to reach the epic scope of John Williams’ original music, but Ludwig crafted a soundscape that feels fresh and invigorating. Every percussion instrument, string, or otherwise is played with the type of dramatic gusto befitting Star Wars. It entertains right alongside the show.
Notably diminished is the typical classical music of Star Wars. Replaced with instruments that sound like the planet’s hustle and bustle, and even some neurodivergent synthesizers, and electronic beats, old Tatooine and beyond are brushed with befittingly foreign/fantastic sounds. It’s completely different, but it works when paired with the gritty story of a ruthless mandalorian. Ludwig sets a tone that gets the mind racing, and the adventure kicking. It was also exciting to just hear something new, revealing that the Star Wars franchise was not so tired after all. Once again, the compositions by no means match the prowess of John Williams, but the atmosphere created is striking, pulling you into a galaxy far away, yet believable.
In many ways, the music here is as iconic as the Mandalorian himself. It’s instantly recognizable music, which is quite a win. A couple themes/sounds tend to repeat themselves, but that’s very like Star Wars. Altogether, the soundtrack is a successful experiment, yes it’s quite different, and that’s why it’s good. It’s a unique soundtrack that fully captures the alien world of Star Wars, without being overly cheesy. It’s a perfect accompaniment to a bounty hunting adventure.
