The World To Come

Although versatile indie musician Daniel Blumberg (Cajun Dance Party, Yuck, Hebronix) began composing instrumental score material for events and shorts films in the late 2010s, The World to Come marks his feature-length film debut. A psychological romantic drama set in the mid-19th century, it made its festival debut in 2020, with the soundtrack and broader film release following a year later. Sparse and experimental in nature, the score includes contributions from avant-garde musicians such as Peter Brotzmann, who is among several clarinetists here, percussionist Steve Noble, and a trio of string players. Josephine Foster sings the closing title song as well as contributing vocals to the score, and Peter Walsh (Scott Walker) co-produced. The soundtrack adheres to a rough pastoral palette inspired by Blumberg visiting the rural location of the films set. (The track list includes descriptive titles like "The Orchard," "The Woods," and "Chicken Plucking.") "Opening (Dryers Farmhouse)" begins with a blend of dissonant noise and overtones before settling into a coherent, if unsettling, clarinet melody supported by quietly rumbling low strings and minimal additional woodwinds. That track also introduces a recurring arpeggiated theme for main character Abigail ("Abigails Walk"), which transforms when combined with the wistful melody for "Tallie" on entries such as "First Kiss." More turbulent selections include scenes like the squealing, cacophonous "The Storm" and "The Fire," which opts for funereal, woodwind-supplied unison wails. Elsewhere, "Nellie" is defined by improvisational tonal percussion, while tracks including "The Wagon" add Fosters wordless vocals. Unsettling and plaintive throughout, the soundtrack ends with its sole song, the also mournful "The World to Come," which calls back earlier musical themes. A striking score debut, it does much to establish the films tone. ~ Marcy Donelson