The acclaimed composer of such genre works as The Descent, The Descent: Part 2 and Eden Lake, as well as several scores for director Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige, Insomnia), has composed a haunting score for Philip Ridley’s Heartless, the film that won three major awards at the Fantasporto festival last year. Starring Jim Sturgess, the film has been on release in major territories for a while and was released on DVD in the US in April. Described by reviewer Michael Demtschyna as a “moody, classy score that provides both the shocks as well as some surprisingly moving moments,” Julyan’s Heartless features the composer’s typical mix of emotional string writing (including beautiful cello solos) and “under-your-skin” electronic layers. Thematic material is soulful and moving, action writing hard-hitting and exciting – and the atmosphere and suspense is, as always the case in Julyan’s scores, top-notch!

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WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

“David Julyan’s chilling score is appropriately haunting and tentative without intruding or telegraphing the horrors to come.” - Independent Film Analysis

“David Julyan’s affecting score hovers under some moments and soars during others.” - NY Daily News

ABOUT THE SCORE

The winner of the prestigious Silver Menier Prize as well as three major awards at the 2010 Fantasporto Festival (best film, director and actor), Philip Ridley’s Heartless is an unusual genre movie starring Jim Sturgess as Jamie Morgan, an isolated and sensitive young man with a large heart-shaped birthmark on his face. One day Jamie learns that there is no randomness about the chaotic gang violence that dominates the urban world he lives in. There is a reason for everything. This is where Jamie’s nightmare begins – and where David Julyan’s subtle score for the film really starts to get under your skin.

The British composer is completely in his element in Heartless. His dark and mesmerizing scores have deepened the emotional impact of many thrillers and horror films, including the two Descent movies and three films by acclaimed director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige). For Heartless, Julyan wrote a beautiful and haunting score that made an emotional connection to the main character. “The director wanted to avoid the flashbacks to the dad being creepy, none of the tension from the rest of the score was appropriate there – these were about Jamie’s loss and love for his father, his recalling of happier times,” David Julyan says. “I wanted the score to take us on Jamie’s personal journey, his search for happiness.” The score features his signature mix of acoustic elements and densely organic electronic textures. In terms of themes, Heartless doesn’t feature any big horror motifs. “I wanted the sparseness to the theme for Demons In The Dark, the sense of isolation of a city at night. We wanted an intimate score so decided to use only an ensemble of eight strings.”

Another function of the score was to provide pulse to the storytelling and pacing. David explained: “One of the main elements is what I call a ticking clock, lots of electronic percussion with long delays on it. We wanted to subtly drive the movie forward and also give a sense of time running out.”

TRACK LISTING
  1. Heartless: Main Titles 3.02
  2. Demons in the Dark 3.09
  3. Journey to Cendrillon 3.04
  4. Papa B 4.53
  5. New Skin 1.37
  6. Weapons Man 1.35
  7. Magical Tree 2.39
  8. It’s Ten O’Clock 3.26
  9. You’re Beautiful 1.31
  10. Papa B Returns 4.35
  11. Run, Jamie, Run! 3.00
  12. I’m Not Afraid 4.50
  13. So Many Stars 3.07
  14. Into the Dark 1.12
ALBUM INFO
  • Title: Heartless (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  • Composer: David Julyan
  • Catalogue no: Screamworks SWR-11003
  • Release date: June 21, 2011 (online) / June 28, 2011 (CD)