Paranoia [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

File this one next to Paul Oakenfold's Swordfish soundtrack as Junkie XL's Paranoia is another case of EDM producer-meets-sci-fi-box-office bomb, and like before, the music beats the movie in terms of quality. The set starts off not with Junkie but Zedd's dubsteppy and bass-dropping remix of Empire of the Sun's "Alive." An indie break comes next with tracks from Lissie, Surfer Blood, and City and Colour, then Junkie's in charge of the rest of the disc, displaying his admiration of Tangerine Dream's soundtracks on the sequencer-filled "Lights Across the River," while aping David Lynch-collaborator Angelo Badalamenti in the best way possible on dark, slow, and noisy numbers like "We Are the Other Half" and "Hamilton." "Remember Who You Are" might be inspired by Vangelis, although Junkie deserves full credit for creating something so angelic and elegant, while returning fans looking for him to wake the neighbors only get the closing "Adam's Theme" for their dancing pleasure. ~ David Jeffries