Elective Affinities: The Scores of Mica Levi

Shuttering strings and echoes; melodies from the void set the stage for Under the Skin (2013). Bending warped pads and grieving orchestral moans accompany a recent widow in Jackie (2016). From manipulated samples of blowing into a bottle in Monos (2019) to the trash heap distorted beats of Zola (2020), composer Mica Levi has made a career of being selective. Working with only iconoclastic filmmakers presenting dark subjects, Mica is an inspiration to methodical introverts and music aficionados alike.

Dissecting some of the most exciting and original film scores of the past decade, composer Cayne McKenzie contends: Mica Levi is an artist that makes no bad decisions.

This talk will be followed by a screening of two short films directed by Jonathan Glazer and scored by Mica Levi: The Fall (2019, 7 min) and Strasbourg 1518 (2020, 10 min).

Cayne McKenzie’s film scores include Violent and Ash. He has written and performed with the bands We Are the City and Big Kill.