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Daniel Blumberg, an English artist distinguished for his talent as a musician, songwriter, and composer, earned the largest acclamation of his career in 2024 with his original score for ‘The Brutalist.’ Coupled with a BAFTA and an Academy Award for Best Original Score, Blumberg’s musical abilities struck a powerful chord industry-wide and beyond.
Beginning his musical journey young, Blumberg has a rich history that laid the groundwork for such achievement. At the age of 15 in 2005, he was already making waves in the indie rock world, as a co-founder and vocalist for Cajun Dance Party. With one album, “The Colourful Life,” released, he then fronted Yuck, another indie rock band from 2009 to 2013. The band’s self-titled debut album was met with positive reviews, marking Blumberg as a rising talent in the music industry.
His creative juices, however, didn’t limit him to the confines of Yuck. Amidst his tenure with the band, he also played under the alias Oupa, releasing the album “Forget.” Eventually, he chose to leave Yuck behind in 2013 to explore other musical landscapes. First up was “Unreal” by Hebronix, a venture blessed by the producing talents of Neil Michael Hagerty and released by ATP Recordings.
While Blumberg’s musical prowess continued to evolve and reach new heights, his most noted work to date is undeniably his chilling soundtrack for ‘The Brutalist.’ His score played a crucial role in underlining and enhancing the movie’s narration. The story, just like its musical accompaniment, is ambitious, tracing the life of a fictional Hungarian architect in a post-war America. The sound is broad, embracing large brass orchestrations, intimately lyrical piano melodies, and free-flowing jazz.
This poignant mix of sweeping brass, lyrical piano, and unpredictable jazz is most effective in the film’s jazz club scene. Here, Blumberg showcased his composing prowess by assembling an improvised version of his themes performed by an exhilarating jazz quartet. This electrifying number and its corresponding scenes are particularly memorable and redefined the possibilities of on-set live performances.
However, the musical journey does not stop there. For the movie’s 1980’s-set epilogue, Blumberg broadened his spectrum yet again by engaging with synth-pop pioneer Vince Clarke in New York. This collaboration birthed a synth and drum machine-driven dance track, a redemptive remix of the film’s main theme symbolizing a new era in the movie’s narrative.
Daniel Blumberg’s musical voyage is a testament to his unrelenting dedication to embracing diverse styles, setting him apart as an exceptional composer. His work’s mesmerizing diversity and ambitious mix, such as in ‘The Brutalist,’ mirror his own musical portfolio stretching from rock music to minimalist solos. Similarly, his collaborations with prominent musicians like Billy Steiger and Tom Wheatley continue to amplify his already resonant sound.
In the grand landscape of the music industry, names like Daniel Blumberg, Vince Clarke, and Neil Michael Hagerty continue to push the boundaries of what is musically possible. Their pioneering work propels others into unexplored territories, thus influencing the world’s very understanding of sound and music. Blumberg, in his indomitable pursuit of creative expression, has indeed left an indelible mark on film scoring with the masterpiece that is ‘The Brutalist’ Score.
