By Gabrielle Taylor | 14 June 2023
Before we deep dive into this album, yes, I am an emotional wreck and this movie and album have taken over my entire personality.
It’s no surprise that Metro Boomin’ was chosen to create the music for this film: he has showcased that he can extend his musical career further than just making beats; he is a composer and a cinematic soundtrack god. He solidified his spot as my favorite producer when he released Savage Mode II with 21 Savage in 2020. Even then, he was teasing creative instrumentals for rap albums to tell a cinematic story. His previous work was outstanding, but there was a different layer of talent showcased on Savage Mode which continued into his 2022 project, Heroes & Villains.
The original score, composed by Daniel Pemberton, deserves equal praise to Metro Boomin’s work.
The soundtrack opens with “Annihilate,” the only track that captures the subtle eeriness of this movie. There is a very slim layer of fog over this film that represents the creepy nature of messing with time and space itself. This metaphorical fog gets thicker throughout the movie and builds up until the very end. The beat stutters and is played in reverse at some points which fits the glitchy theme in Across the Spider-Verse (ATSV).
Swae Lee is just one of the three rappers featured on this track (next to Lil Wayne and Offset), but he dominates every song he is featured on in this series. His track with Post Malone, “Sunflower,” absolutely blew up when it was released for the first film in 2018. It was the song of the summer and was the star single of the movie.
Even though “Annihilate” is not necessarily a hit, I get the same feeling from Swae Lee that he gave for “Sunflower.” These two tracks could not sound more different yet his voice fits Miles’s universe more than any other artist. The youthful, high-pitched, and playful cadence he has is unmatched. His voice is like its own character in the film.
“Danger (Spider)” is definitely in the top three tracks from the album. JID and Offset are the two stars of the record, but the beat is a very strong contender.
“Hummingbird” is a standout track as it is something Miles chooses to listen to in the movie. There’s an ongoing theme of Miles choosing music as a form of escapism from living life as both Spider-Man and Miles Morales. The production starts off simple, with a nice set of chill drums, bass, and vocals. As the song progresses it transcends the listener—including Miles—to an entirely different universe with the addition of piano keys and an atmospheric change in the song. The vocals from James Blake are incredibly calming.
“Calling,” once again features Swae Lee, NAV, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, but Lee shines on this record. The chemistry between artists is organic and flows perfectly; the synth gives the song personality; and the strings at the end are utterly beautiful and emotional. And the lyrics describe the relationship between Gwen and Miles to the tee!
On tracks such as “Silk & Cologne” and “Link Up,” Metro shows that he can produce multiple different cultures and genres together and it sounds seamless. The mix of Latin/Afrobeats and Hip-Hop is very reminiscent of TDE’s Black Panther: The Album Music From And Inspired By.
“Self Love” is a somber song about self-acceptance and how it feels to be rejected. Coi Leray’s performance here is so laid back but it captures this point of the movie so well. Quotes from the movie are sprinkled throughout the soundtrack and used as a catalyst to transition from song to song. The lyrics can depict what’s going on in the film and how the character feels, but hearing the actual voices featured on the track gave me chills. “Home” featuring Don Toliver and Lil Uzi Vert is another top track. The lyrics, once again, perfectly capture Miles’s character and feelings. The robot voice at the end of the track reminds me of how A Tribe Called Quest would end their songs with a programmed-sounding voice to narrate what’s happening.
This album ends with “Nas Morales,” featuring none other than Nas. This was a perfect choice in song-sequencing on Metro Boomin’s part since Nas is a prominent voice that represents New York and is a storytelling god. It was the perfect song to end the album.
You’ll have to see the film to hear what it’s like in context, but I can confidently say I’m looking forward to the next project from Metro Boomin’.
