Like many secondary composers for major Hollywood artists, Lurie never really established her own musical voice in the mainstream, neither in musical style or in the prominence of her solo work. She never did parlay her years with Elfman into a truly successful mainstream career of her own, eventually ending it abruptly due to concerns over COVID-19 vaccine mandates. For Elfman collectors, the most interesting outcome from 9 is just how little the score sounds like his own trademark style. There are progressions and orchestrations here and there that have an Elfman flavor, but Lurie interestingly previews a sound that is more disparate than one might expect. Casual listeners may hear some later Pinar Toprak mannerisms, incidentally, and the concentration of the work's best cues in the payoff at the end may specifically recall 2022's Slumberland, albeit with a far less engrossing thematic punch. On that note, the themes of 9 don't have much resemblance to Elfman norms, either. Generally, only at the majestic and heartfelt culmination in "Release" do listeners hear true Elfman stylistic influence at work. The score is still quite competent, however, even if not particularly spectacular in most of its length. The orchestra is very well balanced, including notable low woodwinds. The machines receive slamming percussion and minimal electronic layering, as highlighted in "Return of the Machines," and Lurie emphasizes their evil nature via excessive slashing of metallic percussion especially. The production had the budget to afford a choir for a few select cues, from the chanting of "Slaying the Beast" to cooing in "Release." The demeanor of the work alternates between conservative fantasy and stock adventure, most of it in darker shades. The only upbeat, animated cheeriness comes with guardrails early in "Twins" for the likeable duo of twin investigator Stitchpunks. (Expect no typical animated comedic prancing anywhere in this work.) Elfman and Lurie faithfully interpolate four distinct themes into 9, three of them a bit muted and the final one containing a slight dose of much-needed magic.

The main theme for the 9 Stitchpunk himself contains five-note phrases in call and answer form, and this identity is perhaps the most memorable one in its frequency despite utilizing rather anonymous structures. It opens "Finding Answers," is forced into action at 0:40 and several times thereafter into "Winged Beast," and retracts on relieved piano at the outset of "Reunion" and clarinet later. The idea offers somber resolve at 0:33 into "Out There," passing the melody around the ensemble. It's elongated for a moment of playful relief in the first half of "Twins," twisted downward for suspense at the beginning of "Slaying the Beast," compelling at 0:21 on exotic flute in "Burial" for lovely sadness, and brief at 1:29 on oboe in "The Aftermath." The main theme prevails on dramatic brass over moderate anxiety at 1:59 into "The Purpose" and shifts to dainty flute for an interlude from the action at 3:52, consolidating with large resolve. From the start of "Release," the theme rotates between strings and woodwinds for much of the vital cue. Among the secondary themes in 9, the identity for the human inventor and his talisman resembles a James Horner construct, its main four-note phrase increasingly coherent as the tale progresses to coincide with 9's knowledge of his creator. It builds throughout "Introduction" and is soft at 1:09 into "Finding Answers" and 0:50 into "Reunion" on harp, guitar, and flute. The idea struggles to retain cohesion in the middle of "Return of the Machines," returns to its "Introduction" form at the start of "Reawakening," guides the rising structures under the chanting of "The Aftermath," and is truncated at the outset of "Confrontation." The inventor's theme is slight on music box at 0:50 into "Return to the Workshop" and stews in the first minute of "The Purpose" before a big performance at 2:50 yields relief at the end of the cue. This theme is supplied on woodwinds at 1:37 into "Release" and brass briefly at 3:20. The evil machines are cleverly represented by a menacing, shorter, three-note inversion of the inventor theme. It's faint at 0:53 into "Finding Answers" and quietly steams in the bass at 0:26 into "Sanctuary" but finally unleashes itself on full brass at 0:32 into "Winged Beast." It is provided some newsreel-appropriate musical backstory in a longer, related military progression in "The Machines."

In its original form, the machines' theme opens "Out There" with quiet, sinister tones, threatens in the last minute of "Reawakening," achieves its most abrasive form in "The Seamstress," and protests at 1:19 into "The Purpose" on brass and slamming percussion before dying on brass at the cue's end. The highlight of 9 is its ascension and destiny theme, which embodies the soul of the picture and the inventor. Hinted slightly at the end of "Introduction," this theme lends a soothing choral and celeste performance at 1:25 into "Sanctuary" and mumbles in the background of the second minute of action in "Winged Beast," interjecting with brief heroism on prominent brass. It is ominous against worried tones in "Searching for Two," resolved at 1:40 into "Out There" on brass with percussion to denote the mission at hand, and shines some minimal hope on woodwinds in the latter half of "Twins." The destiny theme turns outright threatening early in "Return of the Machines" but aspires to a better goal at the cue's end over a chime toll. It's creepy and militaristic in the middle of "Reawakening," pushed into action determination mode in the middle of "The Seamstress," and very tentative early in "Return to the Workshop." At the story's climax, this theme stirs optimism at the start of "The Purpose" with light choir and highlights the whole work at 2:34 into "Release" on flute and then strings prior to a full ensemble resolution. Despite the ample development of these four themes, Lurie never quite affords them the kind of memorable performance inflection to keep them in your memory. Instead, the instrumental tone manages that task fairly well instead. The narrative's best portion is its final one, the last three cues in the score from "Return to the Workshop" through "The Purpose" and "Release" supplying the themes in their most powerful renditions and with intelligent overlaps. For those only seeking ten or so minutes of highlights, these final cues are where you will find them. Sadly, the album for 9 concludes with the abrasive alternative rock song "Welcome Home" by Coheed and Cambria from the film's trailers that has absolutely no stylistic relation to the score and is insufferable. None of the film's source songs, including "Over the Rainbow," is included on the product. At 43 minutes, Lurie's score will pass without many memorable moments, but it is competent in all corners and builds to a heartbreaking final 90 seconds that exudes the Elfman magic that listeners were hoping to hear all along.   @Amazon.com: CD or Download