Galaxymphony II: Galaxymphony Strikes Back

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, in the last few years, has really leaned into its pops repertoire. The quality of the orchestration is excellent, so it should come as no surprise that a collection of some of the great themes and tracks of the space genre over the years turns out to be a great album.

Some may be surprised by the spread of the ratings I put on some tracks. Close Encounters, despite probably being a very fun listen for the audience itself, was a terribly boring and rude track to listen to with headphones on. Its brief duration and ultimately single-threaded waste of an introduction weren't really worth my time.

And yet, that short and worthless piece quickly gives way to absolute magic, starting with Apollo 13's theme. That magic continues through the album, with the curated tracks absolutely stunning to listen to and a joy to have in your arsenal.

But for me personally, my highlight was the rearrangement of Steven Price's Gravity. The Danish Orchestra used a large number of female vocalists, which can be seen on their YouTube channel. But as the song approaches its climax, they are used to incredible effect. There are two lead vocalists, Tuva Semmingsen and Christine Nonbo Andersen. They carry the weight on the main theme in an absolutely stunning arrangement. One of the singers sings in an ascending pitch structure, and the other in a descending one. Their harmony is so perfect that the music flows with the quality of the original theme but with the complexity of something much, much greater. It's one of my all-time favorite tracks.

Other highlights (among highlights) include the rearrangement of "Rey's Theme" from Star Wars. But I was most surprised by the absolute quality of the piece "Epiphany," from Shrouded Destiny: A Star Wars Long Tale, by Peter Due and Michael Crane. It's even more amazing to learn that Shrouded Destiny is a fan movie made on a shoestring budget. The quality of the piece is absolutely majestic. Christine Nonbo Andersen and Steffen Bruun perform competing angelic and demonic vocals on the track.

Overall, this album is absolutely worth its weight in digital gold. I found myself carried away by its excellent orchestration and quality, and the rearrangements of well-known pieces are sublime.