A.I.: Artificial Intelligence [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

by John Williams

Overview

For his 17th collaboration with director Steven Spielberg, film composer John Williams finds himself in familiar territory. Though drawn from the unmade project pile of director Stanley Kubrick, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, with its science-fiction theme and central character of a child, is strongly reminiscent of previous Spielberg/Williams works, none more than E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, with which it even shares a similarity of title. Once again, Williams is able to explore his gentler and more lyrical musical nature, though he doesn't have as much of an opportunity for the kind of lush, heroic melodies he has enjoyed in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies. Here, his major influences seem to be contemporary classical composer Philip Glass and new age music. Glass' style is heard in the film's main theme, "The Mecha World," which employs short, quickly repeated notes in percussive patterns running up and down the scale. Williams adds other elements to the pattern in "Abandoned in the Woods," and by the third track, "Replicas," has gone to an ambient sound that recalls much new age music. "Hide and Seek" is delicate and charming, and after the more demonstrative "The Moon Rising," there are several cues featuring the wordless vocals of Barbara Bonney. "For Always," a song with lyrics by Cynthia Weil that is presented in both a solo version sung by Lara Fabian and a duet version by Fabian and Josh Groban, is attractive but emotionally distant and unlikely to score a hit for the composer. Nevertheless, this is one of Williams' better scores, and all the better for managing to find such an appealing tone while remaining true to the film's remote, wistful themes. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	08/15/2025
Label:	Mondo
UPC:	0810140240736

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Williams   Primary Artist,Conductor
Josh Groban   Primary Artist,Vocals
Lara Fabian   Primary Artist,Vocals
Barbara Bonney   Primary Artist,Vocals
David Foster   Keyboards

Technical Credits

John Williams   Producer,Composer
David Altschul   Album Administrator
Gary LeMel   Executive in Charge of Music
Danny Bramson   Executive Producer
Shawn Murphy   Mixing,Remixing,Recording
Dave Reitzas   Engineer,Mixing
Cynthia Weil   Lyricist,Composer
Ken Wannberg   Music Editor
David James   Photography
Nick Marshall   Assistant
Felipe Elgueta   Engineer,Synthesizer Programming
David Foster   Producer
Patrick Weber   Scoring Crew
Patricia Sullivan Fourstar   Mastering
Steven Spielberg   Liner Notes
Jason Lloyd   Scoring Crew
Keith Zajic   Album Administrator
Mark Eshelman   Scoring Crew
Andy Bass   Scoring Crew
Doug Frank   Executive in Charge of Music
Katherine Delaney   Package Design
Sue MacLean   Assistant Engineer
Sandy De Crescent   Music Contractor