Soundtrack - Cobra Kai Season 1 : A great Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson’s score

Par Mulder, 21 mai 2018

La-La Land Records is proud to announce the release of the COBRA KAI CD soundtrack on May 22, 2018 at www.lalalandrecords.com, followed by a general retail release June 1, 2018 and on LP later this year - The hit YouTube Red series, produced by Overbrook Entertainment in association with Sony Pictures Television, debuted on May 2 and stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles from the original 1984 feature film “The Karate Kid.” As a special exclusive, 300 units of the CD will be available packaged in a 1980's-style replica longbox, via the label’s website (www.lalalandrecords.com), as a tribute to The Karate Kid Saga’s origins - The album features the original score by composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson (SING IT!, SON OF ZORN), with the CD release featuring several exclusive, CD-only tracks.

“For COBRA KAI, we created three unique score worlds that each support a different story being told on the show,” said Birenberg - “We like to say Johnny's music is the representation of how he hears himself: as the ultimate badass, scored with face-melting guitar riffs and bruising arena drums - Daniel La Russo’s theme is supported by more orchestral, Japanese-influenced sounds and his tonal palette our through line that connects us to the earlier films and Bill Conti's legendary score.”

In the highly-anticipated return of two iconic characters, the arch-rivals from the legendary Karate Kid film series reunite over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament - Now living in the affluent hills of Encino, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) leads an enviable life with his beautiful family, while running a successful string of car dealerships throughout the valley - Meanwhile, his high school adversary, Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), whose life has taken a rocky turn, seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo - Their lives inevitably become intertwined and the rivalry is reignited, setting forth the next generation of “karate kids.”

Zach Robinson is an LA based composer, music producer, and electronic musician - Most recently, he co-composed the score for YouTube Red’s new mega-hit series Cobra Kai, which takes place in the The Karate Kid universe thirty years after the original film and stars Ralph Macchio and Billy Zabka reprising their original roles - The score features a 70-piece orchestra and a diverse musical palette that includes everything from synthesizers and electric guitars, to asian flutes and chamber strings - Previously, Zach co-composed and oversaw all music production for YouTube Red’s first developed sitcom, Sing It! created by YouTube superstars, Benny and Rafi Fine - He again collaborated with the Fine Bros for 2017’s feature film, F The Prom - Zach’s other scores include the horror-comedy Bad Exorcists, racing documentary The 200 MPH Club, and the western short Born Again Sinner - He also wrote the theme song for USA Network’s, NFL Football Fanatic - After receiving his degree in music composition from Northwestern University, Zach cut his teeth working with acclaimed film composer, Christophe Beck, writing additional music for films such as Ant-Man, Edge of Tomorrow, Frozen, Hot Pursuit, Sisters, and The Peanuts Movie

Leo Birenberg has catapulted to the forefront of TV and film music, becoming one of the industry’s most sought-after composers - Currently, Leo's music is featured in YouTube Red’s celebrated mega-hit series Cobra Kai, which takes place in the The Karate Kid universe thirty years after the original film - The series, which stars Ralph Macchio and Billy Zabka reprising their original roles, features an eclectic score that includes a 70-piece orchestra, synthesizers, electric guitars, asian flutes and chamber strings, among other elements - Leo's work can be heard in projects across a multitude of genres - He scored Fox’s hybrid-animation comedy series, Son of Zorn, which starred Jason Sudekis and Tim Meadows - In addition, Leo scored Seeso's signature comedy series Take My Wife, truTV’s Adam Ruins Everything, Comedy Central’s action-comedy series Big Time in Hollywood, FL, and the critically acclaimed documentary, Red Army - He also produced songs for YouTube’s original series Sing It!, created by the Fine Brothers - Leo has been a frequent collaborator of composer Christophe Beck as a writer, arranger, and producer - He contributed additional music and produced the scores to a number of films, including Frozen, Edge of Tomorrow, Muppets Most Wanted, Ant-Man, and The Peanuts Movie - Kentucky-born and Chicago-raised, Leo spent his childhood making movies and playing woodwinds, eventually combining the two by studying composition at NYU and USC - Originally a woodwind player and vocalist, Leo’s musical background is diverse, with influences from classical, jazz, bluegrass, show tunes, rock, world, and electronic music - Upcoming projects for Leo include indie comedy Plus One, the documentary In Search of Greatness, and the DreamWorks’ upcoming series, Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video - Leo currently resides in Los Angeles - When not composing, he enjoys working out, playing pennywhistle, and going on walks with his fearsome beagle, Napoleon.

Composer Zach Robinson explained, “We have the new Cobra Kai students, who are scored with a blend of hard rock (inherited from Johnny), '80s inspired synthwave, and modern EDM - Part of the fun of having established these musical identities was when we got to mix and match them based on the interactions happening between the ever-twisting story arcs of the characters.”

La-La Land Records is proud to announce the release of the COBRA KAI: THE KARATE KID SAGA CONTINUES soundtrack CD being released at www.lalalandrecords.com on May 22, 2018, followed by general retailers (Amazon, etc) on June 1, 2018 - A digital version is available now from Madison Gate Records - La-La Land Records will also release an LP edition later in 2018.

Tracklist:
01 - Awake the Snake
02 - Ace Degenerate
03 - Miyagi Memories
04 - Strike First
05 - Father and Son
06 - 50th Anniversary
07 - The All-Valley Tournament
08 - A Badass Name for a Dojo
09 - Miyagi-Do
10 – Slither
11 - Cobra Guy
12 – Balance
13 - Speak Up, Lip
14 - Stone vs – Diaz
15 - Johnny's Story
16 - You Earned It
17 - Quiver
18 - Venomous
19 - Bonsai Lessons
20 - Ophidiophobia
21 - The Wrong Path
22 - Final Match
23 - The Cobra and the Mongoose
24 - Time Out
25 - No Mercy
26 - Miyagi's Tomb
27 - The New Champion
28 - King Cobra
29 - Snake Charmer
30 - Rough Day
31 - Sensei Sam
32 - Fought With Honor
33 - Bathroom Attack
34 – Defanged
35 - Wangless Dork
36 - Firebird Gone
37 - LaRusso Auto Group

Synopsis:
Cobra Kai takes place 34 years after the original film and follows a "down-and-out Johnny Lawrence, who seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso, who has been struggling to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi. The show is about two men addressing past demons and present frustrations the only way they know how: through karate." Running parallel to the conflict are the story arcs of Johnny and Daniel's students. Johnny opens a new Cobra Kai dojo that attracts a group of bullied nerds and social outcasts who find a camaraderie and self-confidence under his tutelage, but who take his aggressive philosophy too far, in particular his star pupil, Miguel Diaz. In contrast, Johnny's estranged son, Robby Keene, comes under the wing of Daniel, who initially hires the boy at his car dealership, initially not knowing that his father is Johnny Lawrence. Daniel eventually proves a positive influence to the boy, teaching him Mr. Miyagi's philosophy of balance. Meanwhile, Daniel's daughter, Samantha, is caught in the middle of these conflicts as she learns who her true friends are and a better path to follow.

Cobra Kai Season 1
Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Based on The Karate Kid film series by Robert Mark Kamen
Starring Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan
Composers : Leo Birenberg, Zach Robinson
Country of origin United States
Executive producers : Will Smith, James Lassiter, Caleeb Pinkett, Susan Ekins, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Producers : Katrin L. Goodson, Bob Wilson
Cinematography : Cameron Duncan
Editors : Nicholas Monsour, Jeff Seibenick, Ivan Victor
Production companies : Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions, Overbrook Entertainment, Sony Pictures Television
Original network : YouTube Red
Picture format 4K (UHDTV)
Original release May 2, 2018 – present

(Source : press release The Krakower Group)