“One Battle After Another” is an action-comedy-thriller film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely adapted from the 1990 Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland. Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood composed the film score, marking his sixth collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson. I love all things Radiohead, and Jonny […]

The Glinting of Waking Fields I wrote the “The Glinting of Waking Fields” to evoke a morning’s gentle beginning. The song represents a landscape in the first light of dawn, with dew or sunlight creating a shimmering, sparkling effect across fields as they come to […]

Zambita Zambita is pretty little tune by Gustavo Santaolalla from the critically acclaimed film, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004). This instrumental track perfectly encapsulates the spirit of youthful adventure, self-discovery, and the vast, breathtaking landscapes of South America. Santaolalla, a two-time Academy Award winner for Best […]

Vladimir’s Blues Released in 2004 on the album The Blue Notebooks, “Vladimir’s Blues” is a poignant, minimalist piano piece by composer Max Richter. The song’s title is a nod to the writer, Vladimir Nabokov, who was an expert on a family of butterflies known as […]

Kids “Kids”, by synth composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, is a central theme from the Stranger Things soundtrack. It perfectly captures the show’s sense of wonder and 1980’s retro vibe. Of all of the musical motifs from the Netflix show, I think Kids (called […]

Ezio’s Family “Ezio’s Family” is an iconic piece of music from Assassin’s Creed II. Composed by Jesper Kyd, the theme has become synonymous with the game’s protagonist, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Its gentle, melancholic motif perfectly captures the essence of Ezio’s personal tragedy. While the […]

Chichina Directed by Walter Salles, The Motorcycle Diaries 2004 is a biographical drama that chronicles the transformative road trip taken by a young Ernesto Guevara and his friend Alberto, across South America in 1952. The iconic soundtrack is from Gustavo Santaolalla. His song “Chichina” serves […]

[no spoilers] Weapons I wouldn’t have seen Zach Cregger’s Barbarian had it not been for the recommendation of a few friends. Upon first glance, the film seemed to be about a woman’s chance encounter with a psychopath. I felt like I had “the gist” and […]

Lima Lima is one of my favorite tracks from Gustavo Santaolalla’s The Motorcycle Diaries soundtrack. Rather than his usual minimalist approach, Lima really displays Santaolalla’s guitar prowess. I had an opportunity to see Gustavo Santaolalla play live in Pittsburgh (in 2013) with his band Bajofondo. Rather […]

Zephyr I initially set out to re-record Gustavo Santaolalla’s ‘Rein’ from the soundtrack of Biutiful (2009). I had shared it on my blog over a decade ago, and with much-improved sound quality, I was eager for a fresh take. But as often happens, my ear […]

F1: The Movie, immerses viewers in the high-stakes world of Formula One racing. The film stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Joseph Kosinski. If you mashed up the films — Top Gun: Maverick, and Days of Thunder (with Pitt’s own Tarantino character) Cliff Booth […]

Parting Ways Gustavo Santaolalla’s iconic guitar motifs, which are essential to the The Last of Us games, form the backbone of the HBO series’ score. While many of the original tracks have been adapted—often revised, shortened, and retitled—Santaolalla has also woven in brand new compositions. […]