The History of Sound

Following the cinematic release of The History of Sound earlier this year, London-based cellist, composer and producer Oliver Coates now releases The History of Sound (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Directed by Oliver Hermanus and based on the short story by Ben Shattuck, the film stars Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor.

Coates shapes a score built from memory, emotion and place, where kitchens, churches and forests carry as much weight as melody. The music moves through folk, orchestral, chamber and choral forms, alongside synthesised and sampled sound, with wind, water, birds, insects and fire woven into the wider sound design.

The soundtrack follows Lionel’s emotional world, from loss and emptiness to a deeply Romantic love story shared with David. Folk song sits at its centre, recorded where it lives, in homes, porches and places of worship, with raw vocal takes and an upright piano prepared with a pencil inside.