Naqoyqatsi

After the groundbreaking musical pallettes of the first two parts of the trilogy, this is strangely conventional. I understand Glass's reasoning behind the warmth of an acoustic orchestra to juxtapose the harshness of Reggio's images of war, but that doesn't make the listening experience any more memorable. With war and militarism the filmic landscape I perhaps expected the pounding percussion of 'Mishima', or the haunting, blasted clarion call of 'Hamburger Hill'. Instead we get the standard flat orchestral appegios thrumming endlessly to little effect.

There are moments of beauty and power scattered through the 77 minutes, especially in the opening and closing pieces (Naqoqatsi & Definition), the latter particularly affecting in its use of the beat of the human heart. However they are not enough.

Please buy this if you are like me a Glass fan, and own the first two 'Qatsi' soundtracks, but don't expect to be excited or moved. Compared to other music this is still wonderful stuff, but compared to Glass's best it falls short, and after the 'Koyaanisqatsi' and 'Powaqqatsi' it is just a little disappointing.