As much as setting, dialogue, and physical expressions matter to the digestibility of the film,soundtracksalso acts as an imperative form of expression that accentuates everything from the tension between two characters or the overall mood of a scene. With new, original music forA24films likeBabygirl, it seems like now is the best chance to go over the studio’s best original songs.
From comparing their composition to explaining their relevance and effectiveness in capturing the film’s essence, these songs highlight how A24 specifically uses its musical arrangements to strengthen the digestion of its films.
10"Leash" - Sky Ferreira
‘Babygirl’ (2024)
Read Our Review
Babygirlsees international icon Nicole Kidman paired up with rising star Harris Dickinson in a contemplative, erotic thriller. The film focuses on the steamy romance between CEO Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) and her younger intern Samuel (Dickinson). As their relationship progresses, complex emotions about their age difference, their roles at Romy’s company, and the looming threat of their secret world collapsing.
A Multi-Layered Mirror of Babygirl’s Message
After being trapped in quite the controversial record label contract, alt-pop maven Sky Ferreira was tapped by director Halina Reijn herself to contribute to the film’s soundtrack. In an interview with Vogue, Reijn revealed that she found Sky’s songs to be the perfect embodiment of “the duality of gracious femininity and the dark beast inside”, the central theme of the film. Decorated with powerful synths, the electro-rock song perfectly echoes the film’s exploration of desire and destruction, drawing listeners into the dark, pleasure-driven world that the characters find themselves in.
9"Compress/Repress" - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
‘Challengers’ (2024)
Challengers
Challengerssees Zendaya team up with Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor in an exhilarating piece about tennis. When friends Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor) meet rising tennis star Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) after one of her matches, the three become forever bonded by their relationship to tennis, with both men also using the sport as a means to get closer to Tashi. Their initial meeting begins an eventful 13 years full of setbacks, betrayal, and secrets that threaten to undermine their respective success.
An Emotionally Volatile, Electric Explosion
A fast-paced dance soundtrack accompanies the film, capturing the intensity of the sport itself and the adrenaline rush experienced by the players themselves. “Compress/Repress,” however, is a clear standout among the energetic productions offered by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The thumping instrumental is accompanied by an instructive chorus that pulls the listener into a blissful trance, the lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek assertion of Art, Tashi, and Patrick’s dependency on another and their shared experience in the realm of tennis.
How Challengers Redefines the Love Triangle Trope
Despite the steamy trailers, Challengers is not your average love triangle film. Here’s how they redefine the trope.
8"Skin" - Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barro
‘Ex Machina’ (2015)
Ex Machina
Ex Machinafinds programmer Caleb Smith (Domhall Gleeson) eagerly visiting CEO and employer, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) after winning a contest. As he acclimates himself to the luxurious setting, Caleb learns of Nathan’s intentions. Introduced to Ava (Alicia Vikander), an advanced android, Caleb is instructed to conduct the Turing test, a life-changing process for all parties implicated. Often regarded asone of the best films about androids,Ex Machinais a must-watch marvel.
A Mesmerizing Alarm
While associated with a notoriously imperative scene, “Skin” mimics the trajectory of the film itself. Beginning with a soft ambient hum, the song gradually grows louder, culminating into an explosive thrashing climax that is reminiscent of works by Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch. Evoking the cold, lifelessness of artificial intelligence, the song almost acts as a warning to the listener about the growing threat that emerges after Caleb arrives at Nathan’s luxurious abode.
7"Party, Crash" - Colin Stetson
‘Hereditary’ (2018)
Hereditary
Easily one of the most disturbing filmsin recent memory,Hereditary, the debut film by renowned writer-director Ari Aster, invites audiences into the home of the Graham family. After the passing of the Graham family’s peculiar matriarch, Ellen (Pat Barnett Carr), Annie (Toni Collette), her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and her children Peter (Alex Wolf), and Charlie (Milly Shapiro), attempt to mourn and move forward. However, a slew of tragedies follows, culminating in a bizarre and unforgettable conclusion.
A Haunting Chase
Named after one of the most pivotal and alarming scenes in the film “Party, Crash”, the song itself is unsettling from the start. Muted thumping beats rest under a lurching roar that captures the urgency and fear of the scene. As Peter rushes to get his younger sister Charlie to a nearby hospital after an accidental allergy reaction, the instrumental intensifies, culminating in a locust-swarm of a climax that matches the devastation that follows their fateful trip.
6"Hot Girl" - Charli XCX
‘Bodies, Bodies, Bodies’ (2022)
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Bodies, Bodies, Bodiessees contemporary heavyweights like Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Sennott, and MyHa’la band together for a film that is equally funny as it is disturbingly authentic. Following a group of affluent friends in a secluded mansion, the film chronicles the beginning of an innocuous “hurricane party” before descending into a bloody, chaotic murder mystery.
A Self-Indulgent, Thumping Cult Classic
Embodying the attitude of many characters, Charli XCX’s “Hot Girl” is easily one of the more impressive offerings for an A24 film. Brash, confident, and gleaming with self-obsession, the song acknowledges the self-absorption of the characters with a sly wink, while simultaneously surrendering to the unrestricted euphoria they experience at the beginning of the party. For longtime fans, this standout not only calls back to her “Vroom Vroom” EP but also seems instructive to 2024’s attention-consuming opus “Brat”.
5"Apo Mesa Pethamenos" - Danai Stratigopoulou
‘The Lobster’ (2015)
The Lobster
The Lobsterfollows a divorced man named David (Colin Farrell) who checks into a hotel. After he gets settled in, he learns from the hotel manager (Olivia Colman) that he has only 45 days to find a partner or else he will be transformed into an animal of his choosing. Settling on a lobster, David quickly befriends John (Ben Whishaw) and Robert (John C. Reilly). After learning a few jarring mandates and going through a bevy of absurd experiences, David morphs into quite the compelling lead in one of the century’s satisfyingly weird romances.
A Sorrowful Yet Splendid Accompaniment
During a mesmerizing hunting scene, the Greek offering from Danai Stratigopoulou sets quite the mood. A flurry of piano keys flutters around the active hunters, offering a chilling yet bright accompaniment to the chaos. Lyrically, the song is a tearful lament about a past love. Translating to “Dead Inside,” the themes evoked in Stratigopoulou’s somber performance mirror the chase and desperation for love and companionship seen among the hotel guests.
4"Under Pressure (Remix)" - Oliver Coates, Queen & David Bowie
‘Aftersun’ (2022)
Drawing from her own experiences, director Charlotte Wells made her directorial debut in 2022 with the filmAftersun. The film introduces 11-year-old Sophie Patterson (Frankie Corio) and her 30-year-old father Calum (Paul Mescal) as they enjoy their holiday in Turkey, or at the very least, attempt to. While they share fun and formative moments, Sophie begins to pick up on Calum’s true emotional state, his efforts at self-improvement, and the facade he tries to keep up in the meantime. A tremendous look at childhood memories and paternal-child bonds,Aftersunis a particularly moving film.
A Memorable, Morose Rendition
Between the warbled production, the isolated vocals, and the repetition of lines like “give love” and “this is our last dance” only emphasizes the crushing conclusion to Sophie and Calum’s vacation. One of the best examples of the music complementing the emotional weight of the scene, audiences not only witness but hear the heartbreaking dissolution of the trip and its impact on Sophie. Moreover, the transition from the familiar, jovial production to a somber, almost haunting finale that lines up with Sophie’s tear-jerking realization.
3"Starburned and Unkissed" - Caroline Polachek
‘I Saw the TV Glow’' (2024)
I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glowexplores the adolescence of Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), two young teens who bond over the young-adult dramaThe Pink Opaque.Centered around two super-powered teen girls who are up against a maniacal manipulator of time, the show serves as a source of solace for Owen and Maddy. Their adolescence is anything but tranquil, with abuse and grief defining their teen years.After the series gets prematurely canceled, the duo split up but, down the line, reunite, leading to a raw yet illuminating series of epiphanies.
A Passionate, Powerful Lament
Alongside artists like Yeule, Snail Male, and Phoebe Bridgers, Caroline Polachek contributed to the film’s soundtrack with the grunge-inspired “Starburned and Unkissed.” Initially penned for her most recent record “Desire, I Want to Turn Into You,” Polachek considered the song to be perfect for the film.
Set during a scene of Owen walking down a school hallway, the song expertly captures emotions like isolation, especially in an increasingly digitized world. While the song speaks to the dissolution of a romantic relationship, lyrically, the song can also be read as frustration stemming from disassociation or gender dysphoria, major themes that appear in director Jane Schoenbrun’s work.
I Saw the TV Glow’s Gut Punch of an Ending, Explained
I Saw the TV Glow is one of the best films of 2024, and the film’s shocking ending is filled with symbolism and deeper meanings.
2"Rain Song" - Emile Mosseri & Han Yeri
‘Minari’ (2020)
Minarifocuses on the Yi family, a South Korean, Californian-based family that moves to Arkansas. Jacob (Steven Yeun), the optimistic patriarch, believes that the soil is rich enough to grow Korean produce ready for purchase in Dallas.
On the contrary, Monica (Han Ye-ri) regrets the move, fondly remembering the city life and the accessibility of a nearby hospital for their son David (Alan Kim). David, who lives with a heart condition, faces well-meaning restrictions from his parents while also having to experience said parents' verbal altercations with his sister Anne (Noel Kate Cho). The underlying hope and tension result in a charming and confrontational look at the immigrant story in the United States.
A Touching Memory of Family
“Rain Song” appears in the credits following the film’s conclusion. While popular connotations of rain point to sadness or doom, “Rain Song” is optimistic in nature. With much of the film chronicling the family’s efforts at cultivation and the turmoil that ensues as a result, the song serves as a tender reminder that rain brings forth a new day. Han Ye-ri’s touching performance of the hopeful hymn was initially meant to be a lullaby Monica sings to David, reminding audiences of the Yi family’s tenacity.
1"This Is a Life" - Son Lux, Mitski, David Byrne
‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ (2022)
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Lauded by many as the best film of 2022,Everything Everywhere All at Oncefollows the disgruntled Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese immigrant who eloped to the United States with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). Between her struggling relationship with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and the looming threat of the IRS, Evelyn feels the pressure of her responsibilities. But when an unusually familiar visitor warns her of a worrisome entity’s apocalyptic plans, Evelyn shatters the painful dullness that defines her life and embarks on a multiverse-spanning adventure.
The Meaning, or Lack Thereof, of Life, Explored
Alongside havingone of the best screenplays in recent years,the film also has a stellar soundtrack produced by Son Lux. “This Is a Life,” featuring Mitski and David Byrne, plays around with fate and free will in the same manner the Wang family does, tenderly expressing the transformative power of choice and free will, even during the lowest periods one can experience. Much like the characters, Mitski and Byrne come to the consensus that life is a grand, malleable experience and the decisions made in said life are more powerful than one presumes.
