2021 just keeps chugging along, as May continues the streak of excellent scores, with far too many great releases to cover (as well as countless other solid releases). There’s a mixture of the mainstream, such as Junkie XL’s score to Army of the Dead, as well limited release or independent scores like Devonté Hynes’s Mainstream! If you think I’ve missed any scores from this month (or any past months), leave a comment or get in touch and I’ll check them out!
I previously said that April may have been the strongest month so far of 2021 in terms of film scores. Well, I think May has surpassed! The downside is that there are far too many for me to cover. The upside, of course, is there’s a ton of great music! Make sure to scroll to the end of this article for a list of even more May scores to check out!
Have a quick read about each of these excellent scores below then be sure to give them a listen. Be sure to see what other scores you may have missed by reading past editions of this column.
Mainstream – Devonté Hynes
Devonté Hynes previously proved his film composing aptitude with the overlooked Queen and Slim. His latest score, Mainstream, is equally as good and yet seems destined to meet the same fate. For Mainstream, Hynes borrows even more heavily from his electronic background to create a sound that is 20 minutes into the future, full of mesmerizing arpeggios and the unshakeable feeling of collapse. That feeling is bolstered by unexpected intimate piano interludes; a touch of humanity amidst the ultra-modern.
Death of Me – Mark Sayfritz
I’ve enjoyed the rare, recent scores that make heavy use of vocalization, like Tamar-kali’s Shirley or Heather Christian’s The Craft: Legacy. Mark Sayfritz’s Death of Me joins that exclusive group. Sayfritz takes the technique to the extreme as it forms the bulk of his score. A male and female voice, embodying the lead couple, call out to one another in an eerie yet beautiful discussion. It is as if we can hear their frantic, unrelenting attempts at unraveling the horrible mystery that sits before them.
Army of the Dead – Junkie XL
After being unimpressed by Justice League and Godzilla vs. Kong, I didn’t have high hopes for Junkie XL’s latest action score of 2021: Army of the Dead. Fortunately, he far surpassed my expectations. Army of the Dead showcases plenty of Junkie XL’s signature action style, but it also has far more intimacy and emotional depth than potentially any of his prior scores. The “Scott and Kate” trilogy of songs have a deep human element, resonating with sweetness, hope, and longing. Scratches, static, and imperfections mar them, like old memories played on vinyl. It’s a style I hope he continues to explore, as Army of the Dead is some of his most interesting film music to date.
Undergods – Wojciech Golczewski
Wojciech Golczewski has routinely pumped out some of the best synth horror scores of recent years, and Undergods is no different. It’s a dirty, modern soundscape that occasionally pays homage to Wendy Carlos’s A Clockwork Orange through electronic reimaginings of classical music (particularly on the title track). Some of the licensed tracks continue this theme, like “Sea of Serenity” by Francis Lai and “Rainbow” by Software. Taken together, the release becomes a 21st century rendition of 70s and 80s urban decay.
A Few More Scores
As sometimes happens, too many good scores released in May for me to cover! Check the rest of them out:
- The Potato Venture – Panu Aaltio
- Jakob’s Wife – Tara Busch (review)
- Oxygen – Rob
- The Affair (The Glass Room) – Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz
- Dream Horse – Benjamin Woodgates
- Lucky – Jeremy Zuckerman
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – Joseph Bishara
- A Quiet Place Part II – Marco Beltrami
