Morning Free download of this performance on SoundCloud. Morning is the central theme from August: Osage County — a highly underrated soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. Much like Brokeback Mountain, the film’s score has Santaolalla exploring uniquely Americana themes. [I posted this song in 2014, but […]

Soft Descent | Inextinguishable Flames Free download of this performance on SoundCloud. While Inextinguishable Flames is the prototypical riff from The Last of Us Part II — Soft Descent is more reminiscent of Gustavo Santaolalla’s work on The Motorcycle Diaries. The latter is quite possibly […]

Only Solitude Free download of this performance on SoundCloud. I adore this piece of music from Gustavo Santaolalla’s Monsterland soundtrack. So creative, so beautiful. While it’s actually played on a violin, I reimagined it as a solo guitar piece in Santaolalla’s signature, minimalist style. You […]

It Can’t Last Free download on SoundCloud. It Can’t Last is a dynamic little song from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. This piece is played on a Ronroco. Think of that as a tiny Andean guitar. I would say ukulele […]

Allowed to be Happy Free download on SoundCloud. This is definitely my favorite piece from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack. The chorus section has a slight pop sensibility to it. I love how Santaolalla creates long passages. Each piece feels like a journey. […]

Grieving Free download on SoundCloud. Grieving is some very creative (yet minimalist) guitar work by Gustavo Santaolalla, from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack. It fits well with the ‘All Gone’ themes from both game soundtracks. I expanded well beyond the original motif to […]

Reclaimed Memories Free download on SoundCloud. Reclaimed Memories is pretty little guitar piece from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. The signature of this score is Santaolalla’s use of a 6 string guitar banjo. It was very easy to transfer this […]

Longing Free download of this performance on SoundCloud. This arrangement combines both Longing and Longing (Redemptions) from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack. The latter of which is actually played on a Ronroco — a tiny, 5 string Andean guitar — that Gustavo Santaolalla […]

Unbroken Free download on SoundCloud. It took me all of two seconds to realize that Unbroken occupies the same space (and delivers the same poignancy) as The Choice from the first game. What a great piece of music from the master, Gustavo Santaolalla. Lately, I’ve […]

Vanishing Grace (a variation) Free download on SoundCloud. I’ve been steeped in Gustavo Santaolalla’s music and guitar playing since 2005 when his iconic score for Brokeback Mountain was first released. The minimalism of his playing captivated me immediately. Santaolalla’s style has informed my playing ever […]

The Choice Free download on SoundCloud. Though I haven’t played The Last of Us (not a gamer) The Choice has long been one of my favorite pieces of music by composer, Gustavo Santaolalla. He truly has a knack for the “major lift” which is why, […]

Joaillerie By 1998, Gustavo Santaolalla was already an iconic musician and producer in the Latin alternative rock scene. His album, Ronroco, launched his reinvention as a film composer. The song, Iguazu, was used to great effect in, The Insider. Following 1998’s Ronroco, Camino is a […]