If you’re a fan of quality film scores, you probably were amazed by last year’s work by composers Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow on the sci-fi film “Annihilation.” The score for that film, accompanied by Alex Garland’s visuals, was one of the best of 2018. And now, the duo is back with a new score, this time for the upcoming dramatic thriller “Luce.”
And in honor of the soundtrack’s impending release in August, coinciding with the film, we are thrilled to be able to present our readers with an exclusive first listen to a couple of tracks from Salisbury and Barrow’s score for “Luce.” And as you can hear, the composers have returned with another unique, beautiful score that perfectly accompanies the film.
For those who aren’t familiar with “Luce,” the film follows the story of the title character, who is a young Black man being raised by white adopted parents. Things seem to be going really great for Luce, but that all gets thrown for a loop when a teacher makes a discovery in his locker. What follows is a tense thriller that has you second-guessing everything and wondering who is really lying.
“The script for ‘Luce’ had such an impact on us, that we not only jumped at the chance to be involved but also immediately came up with a theme for Luce himself,” said Salisbury. “This was one of those rare occasions where our very first response, informed by Julius Onah’s incredibly strong vision, ended up being the catalyst for the whole score.”
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Filmmaker Julius Onah said, “Their natural instincts as storytellers perfectly suited the material while also elevating the work of everything we saw on screen. It was a dream collaboration and the fruits of their labor speak for itself. I can’t wait to listen to their brilliant work on ‘Luce’ over and over again.”
The film stars Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth, and Kelvin Harrison, Jr. As mentioned, “Luce” is directed by Onah, based on the stage play by J.C. Lee.
“Luce” will debut in theaters on August 2, with the soundtrack also arriving digitally that day, courtesy of Invada Records and Lakeshore Records.
Here’s the film’s synopsis, as well as the album details:
Certain to be one of the most talked-about films of the year, LUCE is a smart psychological thriller that will leave audiences breathless. An all-star high school athlete and accomplished debater, Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is a poster boy for the new American Dream. As are his parents (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth), who adopted him from a war-torn country a decade earlier. When Luce’s teacher (Octavia Spencer) makes a shocking discovery in his locker, Luce’s stellar reputation is called into question. But is he really at fault, or is Ms. Wilson preying on dangerous stereotypes?
“Luce” Soundtrack
Track List
01. Luce’s Theme
02. Goodnight Amy
03. Breakdown Aftermath
04. Skyhooker
05. Stephanie
06. Luce’s Theme (Reprise)
07. Everything’s Fine
08. Speech To No-one
09. You Can’t Run From Blood
10. Debate
11. Amy Follows Luce
12. We Are Done Here
13. Try Again
14. Luce’s Theme (Coda)
15. End Credits (Skyhooker Mix) – Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow, Joseph McGann
16. Luce’s Theme (St. Mary Redcliffe)
17. You Can’t Run From Blood (St. Mary Redcliffe)