Netflix is excited to announce the release of Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies & the Internet (Soundtrack From the Netflix Series) with music by composer John Dragonetti. The 21-track album is available now on major digital platforms.
Dragonetti created a unique soundscape using an antique piano, creating interesting percussive sounds, as well as an old metal fan, hitting it to create a reverb. Those sounds were the basis for a lot of the drum tracks in the score. Director Brian Knappenberger gave Dragonetti a lot of creative freedom, allowing him to experiment in new and exciting ways.
“A lot of the music doesn’t sound like your usual documentary score. I got a lot of inspiration from music and bands that I’ve loved over the years that aren’t necessarily film music…channeling psychedelic textures with post punk and 80s British synth music,” says Dragonetti.
Director Brian Knappenberger says of the score, “John Dragonetti’s stunning soundtrack for Web of Make Believe is an explosion of musicality that lands us – poignantly – in the sweet spot of this age of chaotic misinformation. Experimental but familiar, it is a drumbeat for humans searching for truth in the technological whirlwind. And like the high note you barely hear at first but becomes more present, there is hope. After all we are emotional creatures stepping into the void of an uncertain future, but it’s going to be okay.”
From Oscar-winning executive producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind”), this docuseries helmed by acclaimed director Brian Knappenberger (“The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez”) tells harrowing true stories of the internet age.
Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies & the Internet (Soundtrack From the Netflix Series)
Netflix is excited to announce the release of Persuasion (SoundtrackFrom the Netflix Film) by composer Stuart Earl. Coinciding with the release of the film, the album is available now, on all major digital streaming platforms and includes the single “Quietly Yours” by Birdy. Stuart Earl is an award-winning, Ivor Novello nominated composer. He’s based in London and works in film, television drama and theatre.
Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Fredrick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), the dashing one she once sent away, crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances.
Regarding the score for Persuasion, composer Stuart Earl had the following to say:
“Composing the score for Persuasion and the creative process with [director] Carrie Cracknell was a complete joy. I was brought on relatively early in the process, which was great, as it allowed me to work on ideas whilst they were still shooting, including writing the music that they dance to in one of the scenes. But what was really creatively enjoyable, was that some of those very early sketches written to script, went straight into the edit and stayed there.”
He continues, “One of the real challenges with the score for Persuasion was getting the balance of tone between the lighter, comedic material alongside the more emotional journey that spans the film. This was something that definitely evolved over time during the editing process and swung between the extremes until we found a mix that seemed to sit well together and hold and deliver both of these tonal ideas together.”
Milan Records has released The Sea Beast(SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX FILM)with music by three-time GRAMMY Award-winning composer Mark Mancina. Available everywhere now, the album features music written by Mancina for Netflix’s animated adventure film. The project reunites Mancina with Academy Award-winning filmmaker and The Sea Beast director Chris Williams, the duo having previously worked together on 2016’s Moana. For their latest collaboration, Mancina has crafted an expansive, multilayered soundscape that adds depth and nuance to the seafaring epic while capturing its adventurous spirit.
In an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, monster hunters were celebrated heroes – and none were more beloved than the great Jacob Holland. But when young Maisie Brumble stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history. From Academy Award winning filmmaker Chris Williams (Moana, Big Hero Six, Bolt), The Sea Beast takes us to where the map ends, and the true adventure begins.
Of the soundtrack, composer Mark Mancinahad the following to say:
“How grateful I am for the opportunity to have composed The Sea Beast’s original score. A successful score, in my opinion, is one that deeply enhances the film, yet can stand on its own. I think our team accomplished that with this score. It was also a great pleasure to collaborate once again with the brilliant Chris Williams.”
Of his collaboration with Mark Mancina, director Chris Williamsadds:
“When I started developing The Sea Beast, I knew I wanted to tell an original story that evoked the classic adventure films I grew up with. And I knew, without a doubt, that Mark would be perfect for it. Mark brought his talents to bear, and created a score that acknowledged its influences without feeling trapped in the past. It’s an invigorating blend of the timeless and the new, and it’s everything I could have hoped for.”
Tracklisting 1. Prelude to the Sea – Mark Mancina 2. The Sea Beast – Mark Mancina 3. King and Queen – Mark Mancina 4. Someday – Mark Mancina 5. Jacob Evolving – Mark Mancina 6. Captain Crow – Nell Benjamin & Laurence O’Keefe 7. The Fight of the Giant Crab – Mark Mancina 8. The Hunters Code – Mark Mancina 9. One More Try – Mark Mancina 10. Jacob into the Sea – Mark Mancina 11. Crow’s Betrayal – Mark Mancina 12. Little Blue – Mark Mancina 13. Red – Mark Mancina 14. Gwen Batterbie – Mark Mancina 15. Wear It Down – Mark Mancina 16. Blue and Maisie – Mark Mancina 17. Maisie’s Speech – Mark Mancina 18. Wherever the Wind Takes Us – Mark Mancina
Milan Records has announced the release of RESIDENT EVIL (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX SERIES) with music by composer Gregory Reveret. Available Friday, July 15, the album features score music written by Reveret for Netflix’s Resident Evil, the first live-action series of the global franchise.
A longtime fan of Resident Evil, Reveret crafted an action-adventure-horror score wholly unique to the new series, which unfolds over eight episodes and across two distinct timelines. Recording with a South African orchestra, the multidimensional soundscape incorporates heavy percussion, tribal vocal chants and a sound bed largely produced by vintage laboratory test equipment. At times sweepingly orchestral and others darkly industrial, Reveret’s expansive score straddles the divide between the show’s timelines with a genre-defying sound befitting the brand new story.
The soundtrack also features “My Heart Has Teeth,” a brand-new original song from a long-time fan of the franchise, critically acclaimed electronic musician deadmau5 featuring pop vocalist Skylar Grey. For his soundtrack contribution, deadmau5 drew upon his older JUNO and Jupiter synths forgoing trendy analog synths and sci-fi features, resulting in a grindy, downtempo vibe. “’Dystopian suburbia’ is the kind of vibe I had in mind when making this song. It’s been pretty cool because I like that weird, corporate overtone of this entity that owns the village if you would. I just imagine what that would be like while roughly composing the song with of course the vocal accoutrement of Ms. Skylar Grey. She’s an amazing talent to work with and she just nailed the lyrics.” Look for the song to be available as a single on deadmau5’ label mau5trap soon.G
Of the soundtrack, composer Gregory Reverethad the following to say:
“I wanted to explore and push the boundaries from the earlier sounds of the franchise while delivering a fun, action-packed score that would give fans something they could really enjoy and have fun with. The thematic material needed to be bold, to really serve as a continuous thread between the two timelines in the story. I bought this obscure lab/test-equipment that was originally used in NASA laboratories and is not really supposed to make music, but it sounds really interesting and alive. It gave the music a cool industrial edge and eventually became a main feature of the score. Much of the story is based in my hometown of Cape Town, South Africa, so I also worked with local musicians and recorded a South African orchestra, which is something I’m very proud of.”
ABOUT RESIDENT EVIL
Year 2036 – 14 years after the spread of Joy caused so much pain, Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and mind-shattering creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s chilling connections to the sinister Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie.
RESIDENT EVIL (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX SERIES)
TRACKLISTING –
Sea of Zeroes
Plague from God
The Doberman
What is Happening
Evelyn’s Plan
Lab Search
My Son is Dead
Venus Flytrap (Main Theme)
Meet Bert
Humvee Chase
Don’t Eat Cats
Home Safe
Lickers Attack
Final Battle
My Heart Has Teeth – deadmau5 featuring Skylar Grey
Netflix and Diggers Factory are excited to announce the release of the Hustle (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) LP with music by composer Dan Deacon. The soundtrack is available now for pre-order on Diggers Factory and comes pressed on blue vinyl, with an exclusive red version live on Netflix Shop. Adam Sandler’s Hustle debuted on Netflix’s English Films list at #1 with 84.58M hours viewed and climbing. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92% from critics and 92% with audiences, the film has been getting rave reviews.
Stanley Sugerman’s (Adam Sandler) love for basketball is unparalleled, but the travel weary Philadelphia 76ers scout who has higher ambitions of being a coach remains stuck on the road looking for the next unknown talent. His search around the world leads him to Spain, when he discovers Bo Cruz (NBA player Juancho Hernangómez), an incredible streetball player with a troubled past. Stanley and Bo connect on and off the court, with their passion for the game and as loving family men who want to prove they can win, in basketball and in life. With the support of Stanley’s wife, Teresa (Queen Latifah), can the underdogs come out on top?
HUSTLE, an inspirational drama, co-stars Ben Foster, Kenny Smith, Anthony Edwards, and Tobias Harris, is directed by Jeremiah Zagar and is produced by Sandler, Allen Covert, Joe Roth, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Zack Roth, LeBron James and Maverick Carter.
TRACKLIST SIDE A
Combine
Streetball
Oak Tree
Best Month
Bo Vs Kermit Pt 1
Run Up Hill Win
Streetball One on One
Drive To Combine
Kermit First Contact
Like I Was Not Even Here
SIDE B
Court Walk
Already Dead
Bo Boards Bus
Coaching Debut Pt 1 & Pt 2
The Chase
Run Up Hill Fail
Are You Obsessed
Coaching Moment
Never Back Down
Will you be pre-ordering the Hustle soundtrack on vinyl?
Milan Records has announced the February 18threlease of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX FILM) with music by GRAMMY Award®-winning saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer ColinStetson.
Available for preorder now, the album features music written by Stetson for this long-awaited sequel to the 1974 horror classic. The 23-track collection finds Stetson expertly layering a multitude of sounds and instruments to create a hauntingly brutal, industrial soundscape.
Of the album, composer Colin Stetson had the following to say:
“It has been an honor and just way too much fun getting to musically world-build in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre universe. As with the subject matter and our iconic villain – all sputtering engines, metal scraping metal, faces on faces – the music is the sound of an old and decrepit abattoir, stirring to life and rattling off the dust after a great many years idle; made with Contrabass Saxophones, Tibetan bowls, and a hearty dose of wild turkey hunting calls; all twisted, stretched, and wearing masks of their own.”
Directed by David Blue Garcia, the film centers on Melody (Sarah Yarkin), her teenage sister Lila (Elsie Fisher), and their friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson), head to the remote town of Harlow, Texas to start an idealistic new business venture. But their dream soon turns into a waking nightmare when they accidentally disrupt the home of Leatherface, the deranged serial killer whose blood-soaked legacy continues to haunt the area’s residents — including Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré), the sole survivor of his infamous 1973 massacre who’s hell-bent on seeking revenge.
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX FILM)
TRACKLISTING –
Sunflowers
Welcome to Harlow
The House
Taken Away
Death on the Road
Scars
The Call
The Deed
For Your Life
Headless
The Hunter
Every Last One
Lament in Mirrors
Call to Arms
A Valiant Effort
Sledgehammer
Midnight Memorial
Reunited
Through the Floorboards
To the Depths With You
Sunrise
Vengeance
Homecoming
Will you be ordering a copy of the soundtrack for Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Milan Records today releases GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)by composer Frank Ilfman(Big Bad Wolves, The Operative, Rory’s Way ). Available everywhere now, the album features music written by Ilfman for Navot Papushado’s Gunpowder Milkshake. The film is a female-driven, high-concept thriller with a rich mythology and multi-generational narrative that give it a fresh, 21st century perspective on the traditional assassin film. Directed and co-written by Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves), Gunpowder Milkshake debuts on Netflix in the US, Canada and Nordics today, with theatrical releases rolling out everywhere else worldwide from July 15.
In Gunpowder Milkshake, Sam (Karen Gillan) was only 12 years old when her mother Scarlet (Lena Headey), an elite assassin, was forced to abandon her. Sam was raised by The Firm, the ruthless crime syndicate her mother worked for. Now, 15 years later, Sam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and grown into a fierce hit-woman. She uses her “talents” to clean up The Firm’s most dangerous messes. She’s as efficient as she is loyal. But when a high-risk job goes wrong, Sam must choose between serving The Firm and protecting the life of an innocent 8-year-old girl – Emily (Chloe Coleman). With a target on her back, Sam has only one chance to survive: Reunite with her mother and her lethal associates, The Librarians (Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett and Carla Gugino). These three generations of women must now learn to trust each other, stand up to The Firm and their army of henchmen, and raise hell against those who could take everything from them.
Of the soundtrack, Gunpowder Milkshake director Navot Papushado says:
“Because this movie mixes so many different genres and so many ideas, the music was always going to be the glue. When I started talking to composer Frankie (Haim Frank Ilfman), I said I had the Western vibe of Ennio Morricone, the Italian chic of Stelvio Cipriani, and the violent suspense of Bernard Herrmann in mind. The end result is Western mixed with Italian retro chic and the suspense of Bernard Hermann with an electronic vibe that came from Frankie. The soundtrack is retro but modern, it could be played on vinyl or Spotify.”
Due to a busy schedule, I’ve not yet had the chance to watch Gunpowder Milkshake on Netflix (though I plan on fixing that in the next few days) but when I saw the soundtrack had arrived in my inbox, I couldn’t wait to check it out and get a hint of what I was in for.
Oh my goodness this music is so good!
The director really does sum it up perfectly by describing this music as Western mixed with Italian retro chic with the suspense of Bernard Hermann thrown in for good measure. The music for Gunpowder Milkshake is a delightful mish-mash of all of those things and more, it’s the kind of soundtrack you can sink your teeth into and find something different every time. In fact, I would go so far as to call this a “neo-classical” film score, in that it appears to be a modern take on a classical film score. Or, put another way, imagine if someone took a classic film score from the 1930s or 40s and redid it for the modern era, that’s what this music reminds me of.
This may be one of the best movie soundtracks I’ve heard in 2021, as I can hear influences all over the place. Even without the director mentioning it, I can hear the influence of Ennio Morricone the most, especially in “Goonfight at Gutterball Corral.” There’s also, as I said before, definitely a decent sampling of Bernard Hermann in this score too. But there’s also a lot in this music, and it may be coincidental, that reminds me of Daniel Pemberton’s score for The Man From UNCLE. I can’t put my finger on a specific cue, but more than once I found myself thinking of that film while listening to this soundtrack. That’s not a bad thing by the way, Pemberton’s scores are among my favorite, and if Frank Ilfman’s score for Gunpowder Milkshake reminds me of that style of film music, so much the better.
I can also say that the soundtrack for Gunpowder Milkshake is very easy to listen to, as many of the tracks are relatively short and therefore you can go through them at a relatively quick pace. I like how “bite-sized” some of these themes are. You get a feel for the music rather quickly and it didn’t take me a lot of time to take the measure of this film’s score.
Listening to the music for Gunpowder Milkshake has me more eager than ever to watch the movie itself, and I can only hope that the film is just as good as the music that was written for it.
Earlier this month Milan Records released Sony Picture Animations Wish Dragon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Philip Klein. The 25 tracks feature a number of traditional Chinese instruments – the Pipa, the Sheng, Ruan – but run through synthesizers and given a modern touch.
Speaking about working on the score, Philip Klein said, “The journey of scoring Wish Dragon began with hours of creative discussions, a fair amount of geeking out and the trial and error of musical experiments with director Chris Appelhans.”
He went on to explain, “Our mutual love of exploring lesser known music and sound guided us through generations of Chinese folk songs, instruments, artists and expression. What we ended up with over a year later was a deeply layered, thematic score; richly colored by beautiful traditional instruments, wistful textures and the might of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Chris’ deep love and respect for this story and all of the brilliant filmmakers and artists behind it made my job seem like I was the one being granted a wish.”
Following an inspiring trip to China in 2006, director Chris Appelhans returned fascinated by the country’s vibrant culture and overnight modernization. He realized it was the perfect setting for a story about wishes; in a world changing so fast, the big questions about life and values were impossible to ignore. Compelled to share this unique yet universal story with audiences around the world, he knew animation was the best way to express the story’s authenticity, humor and heart. He even learned Mandarin.
Chris Appelhans had this to say about the score, “[Philip Klein] has created the kind of score that not only elevates the film, but stands on its own — iconic melodies, true soul and a timeless mix of modern and traditional elements. Every time I listen, I’m moved — and to me that’s the highest praise any music can earn.”
Track List
1. Endless Sky – Kenton Chen, Katherine Ho & Weilim Lin 2. Free Smiles – Tia Ray 3. Prologue – Philip Klein 4. Li Na Says Goodbye – Philip Klein 5. I Gotta Go – Philip Klein 6. The Goons – Philip Klein 7. All Dressed Up – Philip Klein 8. The Tea Is Ready – Philip Klein 9. Finders Keepers – Philip Klein 10. City Walk – Philip Klein 11. Aerial Acrobatics – Philip Klein 12. Din and Li Na – Philip Klein 13. Long Admits – Philip Klein 14. Din and Mom Argue – Philip Klein 15. Shanghai Showdown – Philip Klein 16. That Same Old Shikumen – Philip Klein 17. Certain Expectations – Philip Klein 18. The Wish Dragon – Philip Klein 19. Teapot Battle – Philip Klein 20. True Sacrifice – Philip Klein 21. My Last Wish – Philip Klein 22. Everything That Matters / The End – Philip Klein 23. A Tale As Old As Time (Suite I) – Philip Klein 24. A Tale as Old as Time (Suite II) – Philip Klein 25. Din’s Piano – Philip Klein
PHX Music has digitally released the Original Motion Short Film Soundtrack to Justin Floyd’s vision come to life, in the musical Quinceañero. The music is composed by Max Aruj and Steffen Thum, with lyrics by Antonio Sol, and songs performed by cast of the film. The album comprised of eight richly melodic Latin songs, including the film’s focus track “Ve El Momento” (“See the Moment”). The film recently premiered at Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), as part of its Latinx Inclusion Series, in partnership with Netflix.
Max Aruj is a composer born and raised in Los Angeles. His latest feature release is Crawl, produced by Sam Raimi, and directed by Alexandre Aja. Aruj joined the Assassin’sCreed universe for the recently released Wrath of the Druids. Other upcoming releases this year include Eytan Rockaway’s Lansky, starring Harvey Keitel, and Jonathan Hensleigh’s The Ice Road, starring Liam Neeson. Aruj co-produced Gryffin’s Deluxe orchestral album (2020). He composed additional music on Mission: Impossible – Fallout for Lorne Balfe, and on The Crown, for Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams. This past year he wrote additional music on HBO’s His Dark Materials.
Steffen Thum is a composer for film, TV, games, commercials and mixed media, based in Berlin. He wrote the scores for feature films Crawl (Paramount) and iBoy (Netflix), as well as TV series This Is Football (Amazon) and Story of God (National Geographic), among others. Steffen’s music can be heard in over 60 international productions, including Mission Impossible: Fallout, Bad Boys for Life, Ad Astra, The Lego Batman Movie, The Crown, and His Dark Materials.
In the 20-minute whimsical musical, Gabriel is on the verge of his 15th birthday and dreams of having his own quinceañera, a tradition reserved for girls. When his father – steeped in tradition – sets himself against the quinceañero, the timid boy will have to rally his family to make his dream come true.
Composer Max Aruj had the following to say:
“Having director Justin Floyd entrust us to bring his vision to life in a new style was bothexciting and horrifying. But having an amazing team in Steffen and Antonio, made the process a blast. Additionally, writing a song like ‘Ve El Momento’ was a first – I never thought I’d get to do that, but here we are!”
Steffen Thum added:
“Writing a musical is a particular kind of challenge, going beyond just scoring to picture, as we’ve done before, so it was a bit of a daunting task. It was Justin’s vision and strong ambition that pulled us in, while Antonio’s expertise was crucial in getting the lyrics right. It all grew from there, and our actors and dancers brought the songs to life beautifully.”
Track List:
Ve El Momento
The Magic of Youth
La Quinceañera
Can I Be
Brother My Brother
Symphony in Q
I’m Proud of You
El Quinceañero
You can find the soundtrack album for Quinceañeroon iTunes here.
Let me know what you think about Quinceañero and its music in the comments below and have a great day!
After finally sitting down and watching Wish Dragon on Netflix, I have to confess I have (once again) learned a powerful lesson: one should never judge a movie by its first 20 minutes alone. Because while Wish Dragon does get off to a rather slow start, it does eventually come into its own with a beautiful story to tell.
The story of Wish Dragon is set in modern Shanghai and follows a capable (but poor) young man named Din, who unexpectedly finds himself in possession of a magic teapot containing a “wish dragon” named Long who can grant him three wishes. If that sounds suspiciously familiar to the plot of Aladdin, well, it is, and on that basis alone I almost gave up on the film because, let’s be honest, Disney did that story years ago and did it very well.
But there’s a key difference between these two films and that is the titular wish dragon Long. This pink dragon is no Genie, and the film is well-written to make sure we don’t think of him that way. Long is an unexpectedly complex character; he started off irritating but slowly grew to become one of my favorite characters in the film. Long isn’t just a magical dragon, he has his own motivations that color the story and that creates a completely different relationship between Din and Long than what exists between Aladdin and the Genie. It’s a brilliant twist on this kind of story actually, and I’m glad I stuck with the film to see how this story arc played out.
Another thing I love about Wish Dragon is how this story puts a platonic twist on the “boy wants girl” story trope. When I first heard of this film and realized there was a young man and young woman involved, I rolled my eyes and thought “here we go, another YA animated romance film. Next!” And then I saw the part in the trailer where Din admits that he does NOT want Lina to fall in love with him, he just wants her back as his best friend. And that made my jaw DROP. That….you don’t see that in stories, or at least you didn’t until now. It was so refreshing to see a story where romance is NOT the ultimate goal of these magic wishes (another key difference from Aladdin).
And then there’s the film’s themes about telling the truth and friendship. Of course the most important theme in this film is friendship and how it is one of the most important things you can have, even more than money or fame. But…at the same time there’s an almost equal emphasis on telling the truth, be it about what you really want in life or being honest about who you really are. You need to be honest with yourself and the world about what you really want, at least that’s what I gathered after watching this film.
As a quick side note, I might also say that Wish Dragon also has a smaller lesson embedded in it, that being “be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” It’s a lesson you don’t see implemented consistently with magical wish-granting stories, but Wish Dragon does make good use of it in this film, and Long even snarks about how one should “be careful what you DON’T wish for” in reference to this idea.
Now, as much as I ended up loving Wish Dragon, it does take a little while to get going. I beg you to be patient with the film’s first act because once things are properly set into motion, the story is a lot of fun. Other than that, I have no real complaints about this film. The animation is smartly done and the music, as I learned from talking to the film’s composer, is indeed a perfect blending of East and West.
Despite some minor flaws and a slow start, Wish Dragon proved itself to be everything I was promised and more. It proves a story like this doesn’t need romance to work and it also rams the lesson home that money is NOT everything nor is being rich everything it’s cracked up to be. As the credits rolled, I found myself more than happy with what I’d seen and I happily recommend checking this film out on Netflix.
Let me know what you think of Wish Dragon on Netflix in the comments below and have a great day!
Film Music Central 