From Joe Hisaishi’s “Merry-Go-Round of Life” to “Mia and Sebastian’s Theme” composed by Justin Hurwitz, films have provided us with some of the most beautiful and iconic songs of all time. Music is a universal language, it elevates art in various ways and is intangible yet able to evoke physical reactions from its listener. Here are some soundtrack gems I find myself returning to:
Submarine
Written and composed by Alex Turner, the lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys, the Submarine EP encapsulates the melancholy and mellow sentiments of the film’s protagonist, Oliver Tate, a fifteen-year-old boy with only two objectives in life: saving his parents’ marriage and losing his virginity before his next birthday. Characterised as indie-folk, the tracks complement scenes from the movie, implicitly painting a portrait of tender teenage love. Turner alternates between direct language and versatile use of quirky imagery, reflecting the almost incomprehensible period of adolescence.
Favourite Track: “Stuck on a Puzzle”
Phantom Thread
Reminiscent of popular classical music in the 1950s, the score for Phantom Thread is written and composed by Johnny Greenwood, better known as lead guitarist and keyboardist of Radiohead. Despite his background in alternative rock, Greenwood focuses on portraying a most sincere romance as shared between the film’s protagonists Reynolds and Alma. Through variations of piano and string sections, the soundtrack simultaneously amplifies the film’s picturesque cinematography and alludes to key points of characterisation and plot.
Favourite Track: “House of Woodcock”
If Beale Street Could Talk
Nicholas Britell is widely recognised for his work on Moonlight and more recently, Succession. He is also the face behind the film score for If Beale Street Could Talk, an experimental combination of brass, strings and orchestra. Centring around numerous affections and expressions of love, Britell effectively embodies the essence of the original material, James Baldwin’s novel. Despite the absence of words, through his compositions, Britell articulates the subtle and grand ways love persists through the violent ways of humanity.
Favourite Track: “Agape”
Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash