Sacred Bones & Back Lot Music release the physical & digital release of Robin Carolan’s original motion picture soundtrack for Robert Eggers’ forthcoming film Nosferatu. The soundtrack is available for both physical purchase and to stream digitally following the release of the first two singles, with the film set to hit theaters nationwide on December 25th.
Robin Carolan’s latest soundtrack for the highly anticipated Nosferatu is a haunting, gothic-infused and meticulously crafted work that draws from a vast palette of sounds, instruments, and inspirations. Following their successful collaboration on The Northman, Carolan reunites with Eggers to bring the legendary tale of Nosferatu to life, infusing the film with a score that is as complex and nuanced as the story itself.
With Daniel Pioro, one of Britain’s most exciting young classical musicians, at the helm as the orchestra leader and first chair for a vast majority of the recording, the soundtrack for Nosferatu features a vast orchestration, including 60 string players, a full choir, various horns and woodwinds, a harpist, and two percussionists. This orchestral richness brings a profound depth to the score. “From the get-go, it was important to me that I not just write something you’d solely think of as a ‘horror score’,” Carolan explains. “I wanted to really lean into the melancholy, tragic aspect of the tale, and even make room for something akin to romance, albeit a very warped kind of romanticism.”
The involvement of Letty Stott, who previously worked on The Northman, adds a unique texture to the soundtrack. Stott brought with her an array of obscure, ancient horns and pipes, enriching the sonic landscape with sounds that evoke the eerie world of Nosferatu. The score also features custom-built instruments, such as a toaca-like device constructed by percussionist Paul Clarvis, which was used to add authenticity to certain scenes. “Nosferatu being set in the 1800s meant I was able to rely a lot more on contemporary instrumentation,” Carolan notes, “but it was still important to make sure the score wasn’t overly contemporary sounding.” Despite the grandeur of the orchestration, one of the most challenging pieces to create was the deceptively simple music box that plays at the beginning of the film. Carolan recalls how he and Eggers struggled to settle on the right sound, with Eggers having a very specific idea in mind. This meticulous attention to detail is a hallmark of their collaborative process, one that can be described as almost telepathic.
Carolan’s inspirations for the score were as eclectic as they were profound. He frequently drew upon the works of Bartok and Coil, while films like The Innocents, Angels and Insects, and Eyes Wide Shut provided cinematic inspiration. Additionally, he explored the more obscure side of Hammer Horror soundtracks and found a deep connection to the music of the Ukrainian film The Eve of Ivan Kupalo, which helped shape the score’s otherworldly tone. Still, Carolan intentionally moved beyond the typical horror score, focusing on capturing the tale’s melancholy and tragic elements while weaving in a sense of warped romanticism.
For Carolan, working with Eggers on Nosferatu was both a dream and a challenge. “Rob had been talking to me about wanting to make Nosferatu for a very long time, so to finally see that happen and to actually be a part of it was a dream. Initially a very daunting, slightly terrifying sort of dream, but a dream all the same.” The result is a soundtrack that not only complements the film but also stands on its own as a testament to Carolan’s artistry and the enduring power of collaboration.
Nosferatu is written and directed by Eggers and stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney and Willem Dafoe. The reimagining of F. W. Murnau’s 1922 classic tells a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her. The movie will be released in theaters nationwide on December 25 by Focus Features.
‘Nosferatu Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ released physically via Sacred Bones and on digital via Back Lot Music today November 22nd, 2024. Purchase links here.
Variant info:
SBR355-C1 Sacred Bones mail-order exclusive Lilac LP, limited to 500
SBR355-C4 Sacred Bones mail-order exclusive Art Edition Blue Incantation LP, limited to 1000
SBR355-C2 Sacred Bones Society Exclusive Black and Oxblood Hand Pour LP, limited to 150
SBR355-C3 Oxblood Red LP
SBR355-LP Black LP
SBR355-C5 Waxwork exclusive Clear and Oxblood Splatter LP, limited to 1000
SBR355-CD
TRACKLIST (VINYL EDITION)
Side A:
1. Once Upon a Time
2. Come to Me
3. Premonition
4. Herr Knock
5. Ellen’s Dream
6. Incantation
7. Goodbye
8. The Inn / Moroi
9. Shrine
10. A Carriage Awaits
11. Come by the Fire
12. Destiny
13.The Castle
Side B:
1. Covenant
2. The Crypt
3. Lost
4. Hysterical Spell
5. Devourance
6. The Monastery
7. Solomonar
8. Increase thy Thunders
9. The Professor
10. Dreams Grow Darker
Side C:
1. Possession
2. An Arrival
3. A Return
4. Grünewald
5. Despair in my Coming
6. A Curious Mark
7. Orlok’s Shadow
8. The Vampyr
9. The First Night
10. Death, All Around Us
11. I Know Him
Side D:
1. The Second Night
2. These Nightmares Exist
3. A Priestess of Isis
4. Last Goodbye
5. Never Sleep Again
6. The Third Night
7. The Prince of Rats
8. Daybreak
9. Liliacs
