'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 Soundtrack' Album Review: Lorde's Brilliant Mind

When Lorde was announced as the curator for "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," it was expected to be perfect and though no one is perfect, Lorde's brilliant curation is damn near close.

(Track By Track)

The album begins with the disco/electronic inspired "Meltdown" by Stromae featuring Lorde, Q-Tip, Pusha T and Haim. The song puts all of Lorde's inspirations in one solid electronic track, setting the overall tone of what fans of the film and Lorde's music can expect throughout the soundtracks duration.

It is a masterfully done song with solid contributions from each artist. Having Q-Tip, a hip-hop artist who is highly regarded in his craft, is an attest to Lorde's ability to reach out to genre's of all types.

CVRCHES "Dead Air," is an electronic song that molds well to the entire concept of "The Hunger Games." The song speaks of holding on to ideas and claims that "we are all just dead air." Their style is plastered all over the song and though just over three minutes it is a fresh break that is pleasant to the ear.

Tove Lo is famous for her song "Habits" however she graces the album with a song titled, "Scream My Name." The echoing sound is both haunting and epic all in one.

It is a hero's theme song due to it's topic of remembrance and having a legacy after death.

As only the third track on the album, it is yet another flawless choice by the soundtrack's curator who seems to capture the essence of the series in all in one album.

One of the standout tracks happens to be Charli XCX's "Kingdom" featuring Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon. It is a blissful song with classical stylings fused with a slight hip-hop breakdown in areas.

It is XCX's vocals are powerful and graceful and Le Bon's addition is both surprising and classic Duran Duran. It is finished off with even more of the angelic lyrics from XCX.

What would "The Hunger Games" soundtrack be without and EDM inspired hit.

Major Lazer and Ariana Grande team up for "All My Love." The dance song seems to be the anomaly so far but it adds a stylish break to what might be one of the best soundtracks curated by an artist for a motion picture.

The diversity is refreshing and it allows the listener to feel as if they are being treated to the same thing over and over again.

One consistent theme of the album is the echoing effect it has with every single song. You can hear it echoing in your head long after it has ended in a magical way.

The young rising talent Raury adds a haunting tune of his own to the mix with "Lost Souls." The Atlanta native creates for listeners a magical experience immersing them in the world of "The Hunger Games," The Capitol and the surrounding areas.

It is very natural and organic and has the sound of a desert hymn.

Lorde's "Yellow Flicker Beat" was the first single released from the soundtrack.

It features that smooth build up with Lorde's haunting chants resounding in the background. It then transitions into its hip-hop styling towards the middle before riding out to the epic beat with Lorde's signature sound pumping through the listeners ears.

The rising R&B talent Tinashe has had a break-out year with her hit song "2 On" and her album "Aquarius," she was also given the chance to appear on a great soundtrack and did so in her own fashion.

The sound of "The Leap" is pure R&B bliss and for a bedroom song it is quite fitting on the album.

Bat For Lashes' Natasha Khan has been making haunting music on each album from "Fur and Gold" to "Two Suns" and finally "The Haunted Man." Her two and a half minute contribution to "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," comes in the form of "Plan The Escape." The song is a rebellious and mystical ride giving the listener a ride through the thought process of a rebellion.

The song is soft and haunting, as is expected from Khan's previous bodies of work, without forgetting that the song is a Peter Gabriel original.

Continuing the notion of tribal music is Grace Jones' "Original Beast." It is fitted with heavy tribal drums and instruments and later fused with an electric twist.

It is a fun in your face track and speaks to the wild nature of being a beast and more so, the original beast.

Kanye West is arguably one of the better producers in today's industry as well as a talented rapper. He has an ability to branch out from his hip-hop roots and dabble in other sounds.

He reworks Lorde's "Yellow Flicker Beat" and makes it sound a bit darker and sinister than the original. The spooky rendition will send chills down your spine and makes for a listen that sparks goosebumps.

With a small following on Twitter and artist by the name of XOV has managed to make the cut for "The Hunger Games Mockingjay Pt.

1 Soundtrack." His song "Animal" is an electronic delight that again takes on the wild subject matter for "The Hunger Games." It stresses the nature of a predator and prey scenario but in a more passionate manner.

The wild mash-up between The Chemical Brothers and Miguel titled, "This Is Not A Game" is indeed a thrill ride of a song.

The Chemical Brothers classic sound mixed with Miguel's vocal's is interesting and happens to be quite a brilliant mix. Lorde is also present on this track appearing here and there saying "There it is."

The soundtrack closes with "Ladder Song" by Lorde. It is only fitting that the curator of this masterfully crafted album closes things out. The song is delicate and just perfect to end one of the better listening experiences of the year.

What Lorde managed to bring together was a cast of individuals who were all in the same creative frame of mind. All of the tracks are solid which is very hard to do when creating a soundtrack.

All in all at such a young age, Lorde can add a very successful soundtrack to her repertoire.

"The Hunger Games Mockingjay Pt. 1" Tracklisting

1. "Meltdown" Stromae featuring Lorde, Pusha T, Q-Tip and Haim
2. "Dead Air" CHVRCHES
3. "Scream My Name" Tove Lo
4. "Kingdom" Charli XCX featuring Simon Le Bon
5. "All My Love" Major Lazer featuring Ariana Grande
6. "Lost Souls" Raury
7. "Yellow Flicker Beat" Lorde
8. "The Leap" Tinashe
9. "Plan the Escape" Bat for Lashes
10. "Original Beast" Grace Jones
11. "Flicker (Kanye West Rework)" Lorde
12. "Animal" XOV
13. "This Is Not a Game" The Chemical Brothers featuring Miguel
14. "Ladder Song" Lorde

Wanna read more on this? Check these out: Lorde's 'Melodrama' Album Tops The Charts In Many Countries (more); THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 Teaser Trailer Available On YouTube (more).