We are beyond excited to share the whole composition and production process behind our soundtrack. This is the very first post of a blog series where we’ll be breaking down how the music came to life. We invite you to stream the full soundtrack on your favorite platform and follow along with our blog, where we’ll dive into why we made certain creative choices and the instruments that bring this score to life.
The Story
The movie is set in FuryTown, a border town between the US and Colombia where underworld monsters coexist with humans consumed by their own jealousy. The monsters are led by Bataña, a Black zombie trying to take over a world inhabited by fallen angels and demons. On the other side of things, Abel finds himself trapped in a love triangle with EDDY and ROBBY. ABEL is having an affair with ROBBY, who just can't bring herself to leave her husband, EDDY. Heartbroken, Abel the cowboy goes searching for answers, only to face a terrifying surprise when CUPID devours his heart. The film navigates between two contrasting worlds: darkness and comedy, the living and the dead, love and jealousy. This exact duality is vividly reflected right through the music.
The Big Picture
When it came to creating the music for Shit Happens, every single instrument played a crucial role in highlighting the story's underlying dualities—the clash between the eerie and the hilarious, or the dynamics of anger and vulnerability. The composition was meticulously crafted to mirror these contrasting elements, creating an immersive experience that underscores the emotional journey of main characters like Bataña or Abel, and the thematic depth of the film as a whole.
We created an epic, mysterious, and ethnic overture that blends elements of a lyrical (female) lament with tribal percussion. It feels like two worlds talking to and confronting each other at the same time, shaping a parallel initiation ritual between hunter and prey. Think of a Colombian mapalé played in a completely fresh context, driven by African vocals.
The Instruments Driving the Story
Pechiche" Drums & Indigenous Instruments: These elements represent Bataña’s underworld and his drive to conquer the living world with a zombie army. The 6/8 rhythmic patterns and earthy tones evoke a sense of ancient rituals and the primal forces at play beneath the surface. Using ethnic percussion infuses the music with a deep, almost mystical tradition, highlighting the raw, untapped sides of Bataña’s underworld. We also brought in indigenous Colombian instruments like the sawawa (a native flute) and the wotoroyoy to add an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the textures.
Electric Guitars: These symbolize Abel, the heartbroken cowboy, and that classic North American southern border vibe. The gritty, distorted tones of the electric guitars evoke a real sense of resilience and defiance. Dissonant chords and tremolo effects add an eerie, sharp edge that mirrors the desolate, harsh landscapes of the Western frontier, blending perfectly with the dark, moody atmosphere of slow-paced Southern Gothic tales.
Theremin:
This one represents the magical and the fantastic. Its unique sound adds an instant element of mystery and charm, infusing the narrative with a sense of the unknown and the whimsical. Its tones can effortlessly shift from eerie to humorous, making it a super versatile tool for pulling at a wide range of emotions.
Synths: Representing the underworld and the darkness. The deep, resonating low-end of the synths adds a thick layer of darkness and complexity to the music, locking in those underworld themes. They create a moody atmosphere that can flip from ominous to mysterious, completely leveling up the overall vibe.
The Final Scene
The last scene kicks off with a 6/8 Western rock track driven by a gritty male vocal, which then flips into a 6/8 mapalé sung by a woman in Spanish—perfectly capturing Bataña’s rising power and ultimate dominance.
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