Kinds of Kindness (soundtrack)

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Kinds of Kindness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by
ReleasedJune 21, 2024
Recorded2023–2024
Studio Angel Recording Studios, London
Genre Film score
Length46:58
Label Milan
Producer Jerskin Fendrix
Jerskin Fendrix chronology
Poor Things
(2023)
Kinds of Kindness
(2024)
Once Upon a Time... In Shropshire
(2025)

Kinds of Kindness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2024 film Kinds of Kindness directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. The musical score is composed by Jerskin Fendrix in his sophomore scoring stint and released through Milan Records on June 21, 2024.

Contents

Development

The musical score for Kinds of Kindness is composed by Jerskin Fendrix in his second feature as a composer, after working with the same director on Poor Things . [1] He received the offer in late-2022, when he worked on the final recording and mixing of Poor Things , and visited the sets of the film's shooting that held at New Orleans for a cameo where Lanthimos provided a suggestion for the musical landscape that involved only piano and choir, unlike the electronic and processed score for Poor Things. [2]

Fendrix attributed the difficulties of writing the score from an emotional point of view, which is "usually quite a big feeling, and then working out the best way of expressing that, very concisely or very exaggeratedly." [2] When he read the script, he really struggled the characters' emotions and motivations and even discussed with the co-actor Jesse Plemons who shared his experiences on navigating into the bizarre psychological landscape. Because of which, he attempted into a new direction where he tried to think about the space between the emotions. Hence, for the piano pieces, he wanted to explore the spaces between the emotions were very empty and absent and with the choir pieces, he wanted to explore the spaces which were very saturated and noisy and insanity-inducing which he considered the main principle. [2]

Fendrix played the piano where the segments ranged from classically styled to slightly dissonant to insistent single-note repetition. He further played the piano in a hotel scene with Plemons, which was named as "Hotel Cheval". For the choral material, he sought words from co-writer Efthimis Filippou who wrote a series of poems dealing with human body parts and body horror. Those poems were rendered by the 24-member choir from London that conveyed several moods and ranged from medieval to strangely modern and often unsettling sounds. Fendrix wrote around four hours of piano music, along with much of the choral material being made into the final edit. [2] The end titles song "King Lear" had no connection with the score, and is a demo of the song which was made for Fendrix's second studio album Once Upon a Time... In Shropshire released during October 2025. [2] [3]

Reception

Wendy Ide of The Guardian wrote "the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, is admirably daring, combining discordant piano that sounds as though it was played by fighting cats, with hilariously portentous choral interludes." [4] Justin Chang of The New Yorker wrote "The music, composed by Jerskin Fendrix, proves similarly repetitive, an unvaried string of ominously plinking piano notes." [5] Yasmin Omar of Curzon Film wrote "Jerskin Fendrix's score, comprising piano keys hammering discordantly together and a choir droning ominously like bees in a hive, is used sparingly, and unnervingly." [6] David Ehrlich of IndieWire wrote "Jerskin Fendrix's spare musical accompaniment allows Kinds of Kindness to maintain the same torpid rhythm from start to finish (there's a lot of chanting)." [7]

Track listing

No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."The Death of R.M.F." 3:01
2."Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Remastered)3:39
3."Hotel Cheval" 3:13
4."Hymn"Matia Ponos Stoma Fthonos2:58
5."How Deep Is Your Love" Margaret Qualley 2:27
6."R.M.F. is Flying" 1:35
7."Le Marteau" 2:04
8."Maritime Achievement Awards" 2:01
9."Kindness" (Dream) 2:13
10."Hymn"Matia Vlemma Stoma Psema2:12
11."Rainbow in the Dark" Dio 4:16
12."R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich" 0:46
13."Dream" (Pool) 1:25
14."The Little One" 1:47
15."Kindness" (Pool) 0:50
16."Hymn"Me Skotosan Oloi Oi Chori2:37
17."Brand New Bitch" Cobrah 3:17
18."King Lear" (Demo) 6:38
Total length:46:58

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [8]

Release history

Release history and formats for Kinds of Kindness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
VariousJune 21, 2024 Milan Records [9]
November 1, 2024 LP Waxwork Records [10]

Accolades

Accolades for Kinds of Kindness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
AwardsDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipientResultRef.
World Soundtrack Awards 16 October 2024 Best Composer of the Year Jerskin Fendrix [a] Won [11]
[12]

Notes

  1. also for Poor Things

References

  1. "Jerskin Fendrix Scoring Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Kinds of Kindness'". Film Music Reporter. March 26, 2024. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Burlingame, Jon (June 26, 2024). "'Kinds of Kindness' Composer Jerskin Fendrix Delivered Four Hours of Unsettling Piano and Choir Music for Yorgos Lanthimos". Variety . Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  3. Wray, Daniel Dylan (June 19, 2025). "'Death is complicated and kaleidoscopically beautiful': Jerskin Fendrix on his emotional new album – and life after Oscar success". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 21, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  4. Ide, Wendy (June 30, 2024). "Kinds of Kindness review – Yorgos Lanthimos reunites with Emma Stone for overlong but admirable triptych". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  5. Chang, Justin (June 21, 2024). "The Monotonous Miseries of "Kinds of Kindness"". The New Yorker . ISSN   0028-792X. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  6. Omar, Yasmin (June 25, 2024). "Kinds of Kindness Review: A Twisted, Troubling Triptych". Curzon Film . Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  7. Ehrlich, David (May 17, 2024). "'Kinds of Kindness' Review: Yorgos Lanthimos' Hostile Anthology Feels Like an Allergic Reaction to His Recent Success". IndieWire . Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  8. "Kinds of Kindness". Film Music Reporter. June 21, 2024. Archived from the original on September 26, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  9. "Kinds of Kindness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Apple Music . June 21, 2024. Archived from the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  10. "Kinds of Kindness". Waxwork Records. November 1, 2024. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  11. Calnan, Ellie (October 16, 2024). "'Poor Things' composer wins big at 2024 World Soundtrack Awards". Screen International . Archived from the original on November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  12. Grein, Paul (October 17, 2024). "Billie Eilish & Finneas' 'Barbie' Song Leads 2024 World Soundtrack Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard . Archived from the original on February 23, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.