Amon Tobin - Chaos Theory '2005

Tracks list

Tracklist:

[5:05] 01. Amon Tobin - The Lighthouse
[5:16] 02. Amon Tobin - Ruthless
[4:26] 03. Amon Tobin - Theme From Battery
[3:26] 04. Amon Tobin - Kokubo Sosho Stealth
[4:24] 05. Amon Tobin - El Cargo
[6:59] 06. Amon Tobin - Displaced
[4:27] 07. Amon Tobin - Ruthless (reprise)
[4:16] 08. Amon Tobin - Kokubo Sosho Battle
[3:01] 09. Amon Tobin - Hokkaido
[7:00] 10. Amon Tobin - The Clean Up

**********



AllMusic Review by John Bush
It can long be debated what software maker Ubisoft expected when it hired Amon
Tobin to soundtrack the Tom Clancy video game Splinter Cell 3: Chaos Theory, but
surely it never predicted getting, along with the deal, a ragtag lineup of
desperate musicians that spanned three continents and included the composer of
one of times strangest cult films, the surrealist 1971 Mexican fantasy El Topo.
Tobin, long a fan of vintage soundtracks himself, had evidently wanted to expand
his comfort zone after a series of increasingly similar (but excellent) LPs
recorded for Ninja Tune. When he got the gig for Chaos Theory, he promptly began
collecting a live band (to sample), which eventually absorbed -- in true Dirty
Dozen form -- a reclusive Mexican composer named Nacho Mendez (who anchors the
rhythm section with his earthy bass), Massimo and Umberto Modugno, a pair of
feuding Italian brothers who work magic with the Hammond and Mellotron, and a
Japanese flutist named Eiji Miyake (among others). Despite the kudos for
originality, however, Chaos Theory doesnt separate itself from Tobins previous
work -- although, of course, soundtracks arent intended to stand out but only
convey a cinematic mood with music. Much of the record is a murky bath of
oppressive breakbeats and eerie effects, a cauldron of atmosphere that most of
the musicians arent able to escape from with personalities intact. Tobin
occasionally rescues the feel of a collective under his baton, on the nocturnal
nightmare Kokubo Sosho Stealth and a pummeling opener, The Lighthouse. As the
accompaniment to game play, Chaos Theory is a standout in its field; just dont
expect it to be as memorable as the typical Amon Tobin effort.

Related artists