2021 just keeps chugging along, as April brings another dozen great scores (as well as countless other solid releases). Despite the time of year, many of these are horror scores or are otherwise anxious, unsettling works, from Ariel Marx’s discomforting Shiva Baby to the otherworldly ritualism of John Mehrmann’s Honeydew. Or perhaps this just exposes my penchant for the stranger, more extreme and grating sides of film music! 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!
This has been, perhaps, the strongest month so far this year in terms of excellent film scores. 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 April 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.
Shiva Baby – Ariel Marx (Review)
We’re fortunate that Ariel Marx’s score for Shiva Baby clocks in at just under 22 minutes. Not because it’s bad, no, but because it’s almost too good at what it does. Shiva Baby is endless anxiety. Through a constant cacophony of strings, Marx twists our guts into knots as we clench our jaws and wait for any kind of respite from this unyielding tension.
The Power – Gazelle Twin and Max de Wardener
Following up on her excellent debut score Nocturne, Gazelle Twin quickly returns with The Power. Co-composed with Max de Wardener, The Power oscillates between disarmingly gentle melodies and pure, chaotic horror. The highlight is the track “Possession,” in which a chorus of disembodied voices builds into a barraging din, assaulting the senses and sanity.
In the Earth – Clint Mansell (Review)
At first blush, Clint Mansell using the sound of plants in his score for In the Earth seems like nothing more than an unorthodox gimmick. But you can’t argue with the results. Mansell’s plants speak a language of terror, whose alien voice threatens us with annihilation. It treads the line between synthetic and organic, a connection between two disparate sonic worlds. As always, Mansell is at the top of his game and delivers one of his most experimental scores yet.
Honeydew – John Mehrmann
John Mehrmann, a relative newcomer to film scoring, has turned quite a few heads with Honeydew. Mehrmann takes a surprising, unconventional approach to this score, using a significant amount of layered choral work and bells. Together, this becomes a ritualistic, almost religious invocation that entrances the listener.
Sound of Metal – Abraham Marder and Nicolas Becker
Sound of Metal feels like it only has about ten minutes of score. So, it’s quite a surprise that Nonesuch Records managed to release a nearly one-hour soundtrack for the film, primarily featuring original music by Abraham Marder and Nicolas Becker. It is one of the most sound design-based scores I’ve ever heard, heavily utilizing ambient noise, drones, and dialogue. The listener falls into the head of main character Ruben as he deals with the degradation of his hearing and its eventual loss. It’s an unnerving, distressing journey.
A Few More Scores
As sometimes happens, too many good scores released in April for me to cover! Check the rest of them out:
- The Last Shift – Mark Orton
- The Greenhouse – Freya Berkhout
- Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie – Joe Buzzell
- Voyagers – Trevor Gureckis
- Charlatan – Mary Komasa and Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz
- Emily and the Magical Journey – Joe Kraemer
- Separation – Brett Detar