Under the Skin (soundtrack) explained

Cover:Under the Skin (soundtrack).jpg
Under the Skin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Type:film
Artist:Mica Levi
Genre:
Label:Rough Trade Records

Under the Skin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2014 film of the same name. Released digitally on 28 March 2014 by Rough Trade Records, the soundtrack was composed by Mica Levi[3] [4] and produced by Peter Raeburn.[5] The score consists of dark ambient music, primarily written and recorded over a span of 10 months, with the pitch of the score being altered at several intervals for "listeners to make them feel uncomfortable". While the score consisted of viola, several instruments such as strings and percussions were accompanied in the cues. The album was physically released in CDs on 18 April 2014, and a vinyl edition was released on 10 October by Warner Records and Milan Records, which re-issued the album twice: the first re-issue was released on 12 June 2020 by Mondo and a second re-issue is scheduled for release on 8 July 2022 by Juno Records.[6]

The score opened to critical acclaim praising Levi's minimalistic approach and compositions, and was raved by several contemporary musicians and artists.[7] Been cited as "one of the best film scores",[8] it received accolades at various ceremonies, including a nomination for BAFTA Award for Best Original Music, but could not get shortlisted for 87th Academy Awards.[9] Despite this, the score won several awards at critics associations.

Development

Raeburn suggested Levi to Glazer, who contacted them after hearing Chopped and Screwed, their collaboration with the London Sinfonietta. Glazer wanted the music to express the protagonist's feelings as she experienced things like food and sex for the first time, and directed Levi with prompts such as "What does it sound like to be on fire?" or "Imagine when you tell somebody a joke and it’s not very good and their reaction’s a bit stilted".[10] Later scenes use less music, to emphasise the sounds of the natural world that Johansson's character experiences, which she felt that writing the score was "quite improvised".[11] After, Glazer showed them a few pieces of footage from the film, Levi asked Glazer about what the music could be in "an abstract way" and Glazer suggested they follow their own trajectory. Glazer further stated to Pitchfork in an interview saying "We had a lot of discussions about what sounds might work and what wouldn’t, and when we heard the ones that sounded right, they became the language for the film. All those bendy and stretched notes just felt correct. It came half from the heart, half from the head."[12]

Levi used mainly a viola to write and record over ten months, taking inspiration from Giacinto Scelsi, Iannis Xenakis, John Cage and music played in strip clubs. They looked for the natural and "identifiably human" sounds in the instrument, then altered the pitch or tempo of their recordings to make them feel "uncomfortable". In an article for the Guardian, Levi wrote: "Some parts are intended to be quite difficult. If your life force is being distilled by an alien, it's not necessarily going to sound very nice. It's supposed to be physical, alarming, hot."

According to Pitchfork, "the strings sometimes resemble nails going down a universe-sized chalkboard, screaming with a Ligeti-like sense of horror; elsewhere, they endlessly drone in a gaping vortex, like Vangelis' iconic Blade Runner score dipped in turpentine". The Guardian wrote that Levi's "score brings together strings, percussion, distortions in speed and clashing microphones to create sounds that are seductive, perverted and compassionate."

Reception

Under the Skin's score received high critical acclaim with praise directed on Levi's instrumentation and minimalist approach. For the website AllMusic, Heather Phares called the score a "fantastic study in tension and terror" and an "exciting beginning to what will hopefully be a lengthy career for Levi as a solo artist and film composer". In the review for Consequence.net, Michael Roffman called it as a "terrifying soundtrack" that mirrors to the music of Stanley Kubrick's films: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Shining (1980) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999), further writing that "The way Glazer wraps the score around every shot produces a tension that’s near suffocating." Writing for the music website Drowned in Sound, Jon Clark called Levi's score "is as unique as the film itself, working as well in isolation as it accompaniment".

For The Line of Best Fit, Kate Travers gave 9/10 to the soundtrack and said "The Under the Skin score matches Glazer’s understated, minimal aesthetic scene for scene. Never does the music outweigh the carefully constructed silences and – as all good film music must – it only ever adds to the potent illusion of a twisted, heart-rending reality." Pitchfork gave 7.3 out of 10 to the score and stated "The music unfolds as deliberately and as unconsciously as the dreamlike film itself. Levi's commitment to the film's themes is all-consuming, and the score is so tightly woven into the film's DNA that it is difficult to detach and experience as an album."

Several website listed it as one of the best scores of 2014, including Empire,[13] PopMatters,[14] IndieWire[15] and Collider.[16] Composer Mike Patton said the Under the Skin soundtrack was the only contemporary soundtrack that had left an impression on him, praising Levi's minimalist approach.[17] Musician Steven Wilson said Under the Skin was his favourite film of the last decade and praised its "absolutely brilliant" music.[18] In 2019, Pitchfork ranked the soundtrack the 154th best album of the 2010s,[19] the 18th greatest industrial album[20] and the second-best film score of all time.[21] IndieWire called it as "one of the best scores of the 21st century",[22] and Collider called it as "one of the five best film scores by alternative musicians" and wrote:[23]

"Levi’s score for Under the Skin serves as a reflection of the alien’s mindset; this means it’s cold, strange, and creepy as hell. “Creation” soundtracks the alien’s “birth” with a microtonal swarm of buzzing violas. The sinister “Lipstick to Void” lopes with the patience of an apex predator, its whining strings and steady heartbeat rhythm adding a note of uncomfortable sensuality. Most compelling of all is “Love”, a swooning, achingly tender synth reverie that represents the alien’s burgeoning humanity."

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label
Worldwide28 March 2014Rough Trade Records
United States18 April 2014CD
United Kingdom
Europe2 May 2014
United States10 October 2014Vinyl
12 June 2020Mondo
8 July 2022Juno

Personnel

Credits adapted from CD liner notes

Accolades

See also: List of accolades received by Under the Skin. Under the Skin was not shortlisted for nominations at the 87th Academy Awards including Best Original Score for Mica Levi, as factors such as the box office failure, film festival release in 2013 before its final theatrical premiere in 2014, and non-contemporary narrative, being attributed, according to Entertainment Weekly. The score, however, nominated for and won many awards in critics association and online pole votes.

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards9 March 2015Best Film ScoreMica Levi[24]
British Academy Film Awards8 February 2015Best Original Music[25]
British Independent Film Awards8 December 2013Best Technical Achievement (music)[26]
Chicago Film Critics Association15 December 2014Best Original Score[27]
European Film Awards13 December 2014Best Composer[28]
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards2015Best Score[29]
Florida Film Critics Circle19 December 2014Best Score[30]
Indiewire Film Critics' Poll15 December 2014Best Original Score or Soundtrack[31]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards2015Breakthrough Composer of the Year[32]
Kermode Awards2015Best Original Score[33]
London Film Critics Circle Awards18 January 2015Technical Achievement Award (score)[34]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association7 December 2014Best Original Score[35]
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association2014Best Music Score[36]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association8 December 2014Best Original Score[37]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pitchfork Staff . The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s . . October 8, 2019. ...the electronic musician and composer Mica Levi drew on the dissonance of avant-garde icons like John Cage and Gyorgy Ligeti.... May 3, 2023.
  2. Web site: Pitchfork Staff . The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s . . October 8, 2019. ...the electronic musician and composer Mica Levi drew on the dissonance of avant-garde icons like John Cage and Gyorgy Ligeti.... May 3, 2023.
  3. (rating 5/5).
  4. .
  5. Web site: Levi . Mica . March 15, 2014 . How Mica Levi got Under The Skin of her first film soundtrack . March 1, 2015 . The Guardian . February 27, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170227185203/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/15/mica-levi-under-the-skin-soundtrack . live .
  6. Web site: 2022-04-28 . Mica Levi's Under The Skin soundtrack reissued on vinyl . 2022-06-08 . The Vinyl Factory . en-US . 2022-05-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220503190208/https://thevinylfactory.com/news/mica-levi-vinyl-under-the-skin-soundtrack/ . live .
  7. Hissong . Samantha . 2021-07-07 . The Engrossing, Psychedelic Sounds of Mica Levi . 2022-06-08 . Rolling Stone . en-US . 2022-02-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201111439/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/zola-movie-score-mica-levi-interview-1192658/ . live .
  8. 2017-02-23 . Mica Levi's Intensely Unconventional Film Scores . 2022-06-08 . The New Yorker . en-US . 2021-04-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210416183840/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/mica-levis-anti-musical-soundtracks . live .
  9. Web site: February 03 . rea Towers Updated . EST . 2015 at 12:00 PM . Nominated For Nothing: 'Under The Skin' . 2022-06-08 . EW.com . en . 2020-11-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201108110202/https://ew.com/article/2015/02/03/under-skin-nominated-fornothing-0/ . live .
  10. Web site: Making music for Scarlett: how an indie composer hit the big time. Khomami. Nadia. 27 December 2014. The Guardian. March 1, 2015. 2 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402194839/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/27/mica-levi-under-the-skin-scarlett-johansson. live.
  11. Web site: Best Films of 2014. 23 December 2014. Film Ireland. 23 December 2014. 24 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224062819/http://filmireland.net/2014/12/23/best-films-of-2014-writers-choices/. dead.
  12. Web site: Fitzmaurice . Larry . 31 March 2014 . Jonathan Glazer and Mica Levi . 7 March 2015 . . 9 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150309005226/http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9366-under-the-skins-jonathan-glazer-and-mica-levi/ . live .
  13. Web site: 2014 in movies: the 10 best soundtracks . 2022-06-08 . Empire . 2016-10-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161030163249/http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movie-soundtracks-2014/ . live .
  14. Web site: 2014-12-16 . A Healthy Dose of Darkness: The Best Film Scores of 2014, PopMatters . 2022-06-08 . PopMatters . en-US . 2021-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226224938/https://popmatters.com/188534-a-healthy-dose-of-darkness-the-best-film-scores-of-2014-2495582446.html . live .
  15. Web site: The Playlist Staff . 2014-12-02 . The Playlist's 15 Best Film Scores Of 2014 . 2022-06-08 . IndieWire . en . 2021-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210613183622/https://www.indiewire.com/2014/12/the-playlists-15-best-film-scores-of-2014-269598/ . live .
  16. Web site: Chitwood . Adam . 2014-12-23 . The Top 10 Scores of 2014: From Interstellar to Godzilla . 2022-06-08 . Collider . en-US . 2020-01-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200105133822/https://collider.com/top-10-movie-scores-2014/ . live .
  17. [Podcasts] Mike Patton Schools The Boo Crew on Horror Flicks and Film Scores ]. 82 . Lauren . Shand . Trevor . Shand . Leone . D'Antonio . . 6 November 2019 . 17 November 2020 . 6:04-6:22 . live . 7 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191107010542/https://bloody-disgusting.com/podcasts/3593040/podcasts-boo-crew-gets-schooled-horror-flicks-film-scores-mike-patton/.
  18. Web site: Acero . Fernando . STEVEN WILSON "No creo que pueda hacer un disco mejor que Hand. Cannot. Erase." . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160620145014/http://www.mondosonoro.com/entrevistas/steven-wilson/ . 20 June 2016 . 17 November 2020 . . June 16, 2016 . es . 16 June 2016.
  19. Web site: 8 October 2019 . The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s . 9 October 2019 . . 6 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191106015426/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-2010s/ . live .
  20. Web site: 2019-06-17 . The 33 Best Industrial Albums of All Time - Page 2 . 2020-10-07 . Pitchfork . en . 2020-10-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201016184239/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-33-best-industrial-albums-of-all-time/?page=2 . live .
  21. Web site: 2019-02-21 . The 50 Best Movie Scores of All Time . 2020-10-07 . Pitchfork . en . 2020-10-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201001071252/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-50-best-movie-scores-of-all-time/ . live .
  22. Web site: Zilko . Christian . Ehrlich . David . Erbland . Kate . 2022-04-26 . The 35 Best Movie Scores of the 21st Century . 2022-06-08 . IndieWire . en . 2022-06-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220605140438/https://www.indiewire.com/feature/best-movie-scores-21st-century-1201918634/ . live .
  23. Web site: Hoeffner . Joe . 2022-01-26 . 5 Film Scores by Alternative Musicians that Shook Things Up . 2022-06-08 . Collider . en-US . 2022-01-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220130012654/https://collider.com/best-film-scores-by-alternative-musicians/ . live .
  24. Web site: Brosnan . Seán . 27 February 2015 . Irish composer Patrick Cassidy nominated for ASCAP Award for 'Calvary' score . 24 May 2019 . . 25 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190525030744/http://iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4288060&tpl=archnews&force=1 . live .
  25. News: Beaumont-Thomas . Ben . 9 January 2015 . Bafta nominations 2015: full house for Grand Budapest Hotel but Mr Turner and Selma snubbed . . 11 April 2015 . 25 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150425125829/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jan/09/bafta-2015-nominations-the-grand-budapest-hotel . live .
  26. News: Vincent . Alice . 11 November 2013 . British Independent Film Awards: Dame Judi Dench and Scarlett Johansson nominated . . 11 April 2015 . 16 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150416211800/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10440958/British-Independent-Film-Awards-Dame-Judi-Dench-and-Scarlett-Johansson-nominated.html . live .
  27. Web site: Erbland . Kate . 16 December 2014 . Roundup: Chicago Critics' awards, London Critics' Circle noms, and the IndieWire Year-End Critics Poll . 11 April 2015 . . 15 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150415103743/https://thedissolve.com/news/4294-awards-roundup-critics-choice-and-london-critics-n/ . live .
  28. Web site: Barraclough . Leo . 13 December 2014 . Pawel Pawlikowski's 'Ida' Wins Best Film at the European Film Awards . 11 April 2015 . . 8 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220608204855/https://variety.com/2014/film/awards/ida-leviathan-among-front-runners-at-european-film-awards-1201378726/ . live .
  29. News: Newton . Steve . 15 January 2015 . Screw the Oscars, here's the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nominees . . 11 April 2015 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113659/http://www.straight.com/blogra/807566/screw-oscars-heres-fangoria-chainsaw-awards-nominees . live .
  30. News: Persall . Steve . 19 December 2014 . Florida Film Critics Circle picks winners . . 11 April 2015 . 16 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150416212359/http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/movies/florida-film-critics-circle-picks-winners/2210900 . live .
  31. Web site: Kohn . Eric . 15 December 2014 . Indiewire's Massive 2014 Year-End Critics Poll: Read the Full Results . 24 May 2019 . . 25 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190525040617/https://www.indiewire.com/2014/12/indiewires-massive-2014-year-end-critics-poll-read-the-full-results-66949/ . live .
  32. Web site: 19 February 2015 . IFMCA Award Winners 2014 . 11 April 2015 . . 14 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150314030623/http://filmmusiccritics.org/2015/02/ifmca-award-winners-2014/ . live .
  33. Web site: 17 February 2015 . The 2015 Kermode Awards Part 1 . 11 April 2015 . . 24 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924155945/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/entries/2c07e448-d5d2-4b0b-b253-ae6bb977438f?sortBy=Created&sortOrder=Ascending&filter=none . live .
  34. Web site: White . White . 18 January 2015 . Boyhood Takes Three At The London Critics' Circle Film Awards . 11 April 2015 . . 19 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150119060518/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=43188 . live .
  35. Web site: Bloom . David . 7 December 2014 . 'Boyhood' Wins Best Picture, Three Other Awards From L.A. Film Critics . 11 April 2015 . . 19 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200719111935/https://deadline.com/2014/12/los-angeles-film-critics-awards-2014-winners-list-lafca-1201313883/ . live .
  36. Web site: Tapley . Kristopher . 11 December 2014 . 'Birdman,' 'Grand Budapest' lead St. Louis film critics nominations . 11 April 2015 . . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303203500/http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/birdman-grand-budapest-lead-st-louis-film-critics-nominations . live .
  37. Web site: Pond . Steve . 16 December 2014 . 'Boyhood' Jumps Out to Big Lead in Critics' Awards . 11 April 2015 . . 10 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810161211/https://www.thewrap.com/boyhood-jumps-out-to-big-lead-in-critics-awards/ . live .

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