# Shimmer Goes Hollywood: Discuss This Soundtrack: Yes, My Mind is Annihilated



## imagegod (Apr 15, 2020)

Starts at :18...what the heck _is _that (I mean the sound, not the cool alien). Any guesses? Personally, I think the sound/instrumentation/composition is completely effed-up (in the best possible way). Enjoy!


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## Per Boysen (Apr 16, 2020)

A synth with heavily modulated low cut filter?


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## andrelafosse (Apr 16, 2020)

Not the same exact melody, but here's a peek inside the sound design for this (great!) film and (awesome!) score...









One of Annihilation’s Composers Explains How That Weird Little Melody Wound Up in the Film’s Trailer


For starters, it has a name.




slate.com


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## cuttime (Apr 16, 2020)

That's one of my favorite soundtracks of the last five years. Salisbury and Barrow discuss it here without giving away any trade secrets. "The Alien" full track is here, too.








One of Annihilation’s Composers Explains How That Weird Little Melody Wound Up in the Film’s Trailer


For starters, it has a name.




slate.com


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## cuttime (Apr 16, 2020)

andrelafosse said:


> Not the same exact melody, but here's a peek inside the sound design for this (great!) film and (awesome!) score...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Beat me to it. Thanks.


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## imagegod (Apr 16, 2020)

Thanks for the replies...good stuff!


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## Niah2 (Apr 16, 2020)

Great film and original score!


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## slateandash (Apr 26, 2020)

imagegod said:


> Starts at :18...what the heck _is _that (I mean the sound, not the cool alien). Any guesses? Personally, I think the sound/instrumentation/composition is completely effed-up (in the best possible way). Enjoy!





Hey guys, we worked with Ben and Geoff on some of the musical sound design for this score. If you have any questions, let me know.

First thing, that synth you hear at 0:18 is actually from the track ‘The Mark’ by Moderatand was blended into the 13 minute cue that covers that sequence.


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## Zero&One (Apr 26, 2020)

I loved the sound during the whole mimicking scene. @slateandash you have any details on that part?


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## imagegod (Apr 26, 2020)

It is so rare to hear something so simple and yet so astoundingly good. It's like someone discovered an entirely new branch of music.

Synths have been around for a awhile now, and they certainly have their place. Yet, it's difficult to point to a synth piece that is superior to what's possible with orchestral music.

Well...in its own small way, this is a bit of superior music.


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## slateandash (Apr 28, 2020)

Zero&One said:


> I loved the sound during the whole mimicking scene. @slateandash you have any details on that part?


B+G with the Oberheim again for the weird vocalisation sound and 'that' riff, a lot of strange resonant flanging on strings. We did some fumbling and noise that we looped amped and then severely compressed, devil-loc'd and eq'd for the weird scratchy, ultrasound heartbeat type thing that comes in through the section where the alien burns up.


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## into (May 2, 2020)

slateandash said:


> B+G with the Oberheim again for the weird vocalisation sound and 'that' riff, a lot of strange resonant flanging on strings. We did some fumbling and noise that we looped amped and then severely compressed, devil-loc'd and eq'd for the weird scratchy, ultrasound heartbeat type thing that comes in through the section where the alien burns up.


You mind if I ask you something about Devs? In cause and effect, that sound, what voodoo do you do? I can hear the cello / bass stab, but is it something like byome causing the grains, or is it actually going through a granular engine?


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## slateandash (May 5, 2020)

into said:


> You mind if I ask you something about Devs? In cause and effect, that sound, what voodoo do you do? I can hear the cello / bass stab, but is it something like byome causing the grains, or is it actually going through a granular engine?


We weren't involved in DEVS unfortunately (other than lending a few instruments to Ben for the sessions) so not sure exactly how it was done. I know they were using Grainspace for some of the granular stuff like the vocals (cycles wasnt ready in time which was a shame as it would have been perfect), so maybe could be that for the Cause and Effect cue.


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## into (May 5, 2020)

slateandash said:


> We weren't involved in DEVS unfortunately (other than lending a few instruments to Ben for the sessions) so not sure exactly how it was done. I know they were using Grainspace for some of the granular stuff like the vocals (cycles wasnt ready in time which was a shame as it would have been perfect), so maybe could be that for the Cause and Effect cue.


Ah ok. Hadn't heard of Grainspace, looks pretty cool. I tried getting a similar thing in Cycles, but can never seem to get it sharp enough for impacts, always a bit droney. Will grab Grainspace now and have a play. Thanks for the reply, appreciate it.


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## method1 (May 5, 2020)

To me this sounds like it has it's roots in the classic "Reese Bass" - commonly found in the mid 90s "Drum 'n Bass" genre, More recently used by artists like Burial.


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## imagegod (May 5, 2020)

Totally cool that you would make that connection...absolutely! Wow, what a sound!

You'd think it would become more common, sort of like 'Inception brass' (which it very well may!).


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## method1 (May 5, 2020)

imagegod said:


> Totally cool that you would make that connection...absolutely! Wow, what a sound!
> 
> You'd think it would become more common, sort of like 'Inception brass' (which it very well may!).



Within those genres (DNB, dubstep) etc it's a widely used sound, just search youtube for "Reese bass" and there are a ton of tutorials. I guess the sound hasn't hopped over into the film music lexicon in the same way.


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## imagegod (May 5, 2020)

Cool...a bit of popular musical culture. Love it. Thanks!


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## Niah2 (May 5, 2020)

Learning so much from this thread. Thank you everyone !

Love Burial as well.


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## imagegod (May 6, 2020)

It just occurred to me:

I have Annihilation on my DVR, and I love re-watching it (for more than few reasons), but the real reason I watch it is for the 'bear-scene' (talk about an incredible use of audio!), but mostly for the payoff of the 'duplication' scene (referenced in the first post)...It's kind of like the nail polish reference in 'American Hustle'...its sweet, but also sour, and I can't get enough of it!


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