...A richly thematic and sweepingly gorgeous work, The Great Alaskan Race is in many ways what one might hope for if the dramatic scoring of James Horner was combined with high octane action sensibilities of a 1990's Media Venture score. In short, the score is a wonderful piece of dramatic scoring.
Centered around a primary theme that is given a suite-esque performance in "The Great Alaskan Race- Main Theme", the influence of Horner and to a lesser extent Randy Edelman are immediately apparent. As for the Media Ventures comparison, the two action-heavy cues "The Journey Begins" and "Through the Darkness (The Norton Sound)" feature percussion (both acoustic and synthetic) that clearly have influence from the likes of The Lion King and Gladiator... which is by no means a bad thing.
While likely to be overlooked in the sea of theatrical film scores released in 2019, The Great Alaskan Race really deserves to be heard by all film music fans. A wonderful blending of obvious influences, Koutselinis writing showcases a clear talent for dramatic and lyrical storytelling through music.
With the added benefit of members of The City of Prague Philharmonic performing alongside specialty soloists and an array of synthesizers, the sound of The Great Alaskan Race does not betray its independent filmmaking origins. In the end, a highly recommended drama score for all sensibilities.
Score:
4 out of 5