Beast

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Beast is a 2022 survival action thriller starring Idris Elba, Ilyana Halley, Leah Sara Jeffries and Shallot Copley.  Based in South Africa, and filmed in a series of long, continuous shots, the film was an exercise in pure tension, as Dr Nate Samuels and his family are stalked and attacked by a ferocious, rogue, man-killing lion.

Music was required to be a near constant companion for this story, and in collaboration with the director I worked to build a very distinctive sound palette, with a lot of percussion and vocal textures.  For the latter I was honoured to get to work with the brilliant Laura Mvula, who I’d first met when she presented me with the Best Original Score award at the 2014 Baftas,  We had a number of sessions at my then new studio in Surrey, where we created constantly shifting textures, from whispers to guttural roars.  I would then manipulate these alongside the more conventional orchestra and electronics to ebb and flow as the tension grew.

Special mention also due to Sona Jobarteh who came in quite late to the proceedings to add her brilliant vocals to the “Mum” theme of the film, as heard in the cues “The Amahle Tree” and “Amahle Would Be Proud of You”, and who also added beautiful kora playing.  Watching her play was a great moment, and it’s an instrument I would love to write more for in the future.

The orchestra was recorded in London at Abbey Road, with mixing completed at British Grove Studios.