From a 25ft Hurdy Grande to a 90ft wind harp, the Newton Brothers leave no stone unturned when it comes to crafting the ultimate horror score.
Inspired by the greats such as John Williams, both Andy Grush and Taylor Stewart have been composing music from a young age. They have gone on to score numerous highly successful titles together, including Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, Oculus, Gerald’s Game and most recently, Doctor Sleep — all directed by Mike Flanagan.
Spending the day in their studio, it was clear they have a lot of fun experimenting and creating different sounds together, and their friendship and spirit of collaboration is inspiring to watch. In this video, we find out the story behind their pseudonym, how they built their careers with different directors and producers, and their big break with Detachment, starring Adrian Brody.
They also show us the instruments and gear used to form their signature sonic palette — from the wind harp to the waterphone and Resonant Garden synth, as well as orchestral instruments and choirs — expertly sampled and manipulated to bring a unique identity to each of their scores.
For their latest soundtrack release, Doctor Sleep, the pair spent 3-4 months preparing for the project, studying the book, experimenting with new sounds, and honing in on certain aspects of the story to create sonic identities for key characters and scenes.
Their latest score for The Grudge, starring Andrea Riseborough, will be released in January 2020.
