It’s funny, I keep finding my way back to accidentally hearing Nicholas Britell scores - always surprised to find out that he is indeed behind the wonderful music I’d been listening to throughout the whole movie/show. Most recently, and most surprisingly yet, was Andor. I suppose because I didn’t know he did TV as well. And also because Andor’s score veers into almost hauntological electronic at times (e.g. the Morlana club) and Britell - as far as I’d heard - had never touched the universe of EDM before. He proves time and again how adaptable and versatile he can be, but always paired with a creator who seems like an organic fit. McKay, Jenkins, Gilroy. Not a bad roster of consistent collaborators.
Britell scored a lot of short films and documentaries to start, before really breaking out with the Big Short and Moonlight. He then solidified top tier status by crafting the theme song to Succession and delivering consistently incredible compositions for If Beale Street Could Talk, Vice, and the Underground Railroad series. Andor’s score is as rich, complex, and hard-hitting as ever - melancholy, heroic, gritty, and with winking humor too.
The only comparison that comes to mind is Aaron Copland. This symphonic, all-American feel - powerful, cascading, instantly recognizable if not for the fact that you get so pulled into the storytelling of it. I’ll save (for another post) my rant on how we should be giving more recognition to film composers as mainstream, cutting-edge symphonic musicians. We should be so lucky if Britell gives us the same output as Copland! Can’t wait to see what he does next.