John Williams’ quieter, more restrained and subtle score for Disclosure Day may not appeal to all, but the absolutely gorgeous melancholy that its meticulously-crafted main themes and sublimely strings-led orchestral style evoke is well worth the price of admission.
It’s 2026, and we have a brand new Steven Spielberg movie on our hands scored by John Williams! It truly feels like a cinematic event when this happens, honestly – two absolute masters of their craft coming back together for what is now their thirtieth movie team-up, and as such to say anticipation has been high is putting it very mildly indeed. This new film, titled Disclosure Day, is science fiction in genre and stars Emily Blunt, and (spoilers) seemingly – from the trailers anyway, I have yet to see the film – is similar in mysterious, investigative and almost ominous tone to that of Spielberg’s Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. Aliens in some form seem very much present too – if in the shadows, like Close Encounters til the end – and as a result of all the above really, I was certainly intrigued to hear how John Williams would handle the music. Would there be breathtaking wonder like his Close Encounters score, aggressive action like War Of The Worlds, or none of the above? Something completely new, perhaps. One thing that I did anticipate, I must say, is that we weren’t going to get a big, bold and brassy Star Wars-y styled soundtrack, as the tone of this new movie seemed to call for something a bit more subtle. But the time for guessing and anticipation is now over; the score is out, so let’s waste no further time.
The score for Disclosure Day has two themes that recur the most. The first debuts in the sixty four minute album’s opening cue “Listen”, so we’ll call it the Listen theme for ease; lone brass starts things off, debuting the seven note titular theme in rather wistful, almost solemn form, a tone that is then cemented as quietly melancholic strings take centre stage. As the track progresses, the strings then slowly rise – both higher in pitch and bolder in emphasis – elevating the Listen theme to grander and more wondrous heights while still retaining the solemnity of its beginning. After reaching an almost frighteningly high-pitched crescendo, quiet strings then carry the now gentler theme to its end. All-in, it’s a very intriguing start by Williams; this new theme is rather subtle, being restrained, thoughtful and taking its time here, but it is quite memorable and I found myself humming it even after a listen or two. Its wistful tone is also quite engaging, and overall the composer certainly hasn’t lost his edge for well-crafted themes, that’s for sure.
The second of the score’s main themes then introduces itself in “Memory”; serene string plucks, moody brass and plinking piano notes are the stylistic centrepieces of this track, with the titular six note Memory theme simmering in warier, almost suspicious tones shrouded in low-pitched mystery for much of the cue’s runtime. Structurally it reminds of the Dial material for Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny, as it has a similar sort of rising-and-falling approach to musical mystery, and is similarly intriguing to boot. With the two main themes established, “Dive” then ups the pace with coldly echoing and at times eerily pulsating percussion alongside similarly ominous strings and sinister swathes of brass, all-in cementing a dramatically on-edge ambience that lurks throughout the four and a half minute cue. The subsequent “Chase” then adds to the rising tension with War Of The Worlds-style bursts of anxious brass in centre stage playing against a flurrying backdrop of rapid strings and crashing drums, before “Believe” quietens things back down with a slower, more gentle focus on pensive strings and piano.
High-pitched strings add an undercurrent of tension in the first few seconds of “In Vivo”, though this fades quickly as ethereal vocals and piano overtake for a minute or two of orchestral unease until rapid strings usher a brief though rather lovely vocal rendition of the Listen theme in at the end. Low, sinister-sounding brass then opens and occupies much of the atmospheric “Negotiation” before the score settles down again for the meticulously-crafted, strings and piano-led “Empathy” with a dramatic sense of orchestral melancholy in centre stage throughout its runtime. The seven minute “Celestial” is then an album highlight, opening with a tense flare of strings before some absolutely gorgeous vocals start to rise alongside twinkling percussion, evoking that kind of breathtaking wonder that made Close Encounters so engaging as a score. As the lengthy cue continues, this sublime vocal work then fades in favour of eerie brass and woodwinds before a few rather hopeful reprises of the Memory theme close out the track. Tense thuds of brass then occupy “Unseen”, with frenetic strings also contributing to the growing anxious action until a thunderous crescendo finally crashes out the three minute cue.
Brass echoes rather forlornly through the start of “kcxe” together with flurries of wary strings and fluttering percussion, before said brass then starts to rise in almost grandness at the four and a half minute mark. This doesn’t last for long though as the subsequent “Signs” simmers with ominous, low-pitched string undertones building to a couple of rather tense crescendos, before “Home” then ushers a short section of anxious brassy action back into centre stage accompanied by worrisome strings. Afterward, an air of mystery descends for the first half of “Caught”, with strings echoing eerily underneath several moody brass reprisals of the Memories theme. After a flare-up of rising brassy action in the second half, “Disclosure” then plinks rather mournfully in its opening minutes with serene strings and piano notes, building to a slightly bolder, brassier sense of orchestral drama in the final ninety seconds or so. Final and Standout Cue “Reprise” then does exactly what it says on the tin, opening with a lovely vocal performance of the Listen theme before moving into grander territory with hopeful, more determined playthroughs of both the Listen and Memories themes on rapid strings. For the back half, the solemnly piano-led material from “Empathy” then returns for a decidedly melancholic finish to the album.
Overall, John Williams’ score for Disclosure Day is a curious one. I find it to be very, very restrained and tonal, and I won’t lie – that may not appeal to everyone. If you’re here hoping for a grand, wondrously orchestral sound like the finale of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, it may not be for you. Indeed, for this latest Spielberg collaboration Williams has opted instead for a much more withdrawn compositional style with moody brass and anxious strings taking centre stage, resulting in some dramatically atmospheric setpieces (“Empathy”) and at times aggressively imposing action à la War Of The Worlds (“Chase”) to represent the mystery and intrigue of the film, rather than perhaps traditionally Williams-y grand orchestra. That isn’t to say that there isn’t wonder in this score however, because that’s definitely not the case; the absolutely sublime vocal work heard through “Celestial” for example is breathtaking in its tranquillity, as is the lovely performance of the Listen theme at the start of “Reprise”. And speaking of themes, there are several to be found here – the aforementioned and rather wistful “Listen” is first to appear and seems to be the emotional backbone of the score together with the more pensive “Memories” theme, and the meticulous recurrences of these motifs across the album are an absolute highlight (again see the standout “Reprise” for a fantastically orchestrated example there).
I think Disclosure Day is one of those scores that you just have to sit with for a while, and see if it’s for you. I personally really enjoy its tranquil melancholy, that sea of gorgeous strings. If nothing else, it certainly proves that maestro Williams has still got it, and then some.
Score: 8/10
Standout Cues: Listen, Celestial, Reprise
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