I love producing Mark Kermode‘s movie music show on Scala Radio (Saturdays 1-3pm) and the only weekly video game music show on UK national radio, The Console with Luci Holland (Saturdays 5-6pm, repeated on Sundays 10-11pm). It’s loads of fun collaborating with the presenters to pick the music for each show, and we regularly receive excellent suggestions from listeners too. I’ve learnt so much from Mark, Luci and the lovely listeners about screen music and composers.
Therefore, it’s an absolute treat to launch a series of playlists based on the shows in Apple Music! There are 6 playlists in total and I have the pleasure of curating them on a monthly basis.
Mark’s three playlists reflect distinct aspects of his show. First, New and Recent releases, featuring big blockbuster hits-in-the-making to indie titles and short films, celebrating well-known composers and up-and-coming music talent. The current playlist features awards contenders such as Soul, The Little Things, Mank, One Night in Miami and more.
Next, Mark’s personal favourite, which we nearly called ‘The Atonal Squonk Fest’ but decided to settle on Eclectic Mix. This is a collection of the more electronic-leaning, ambient, atmospheric and, at times, unsettling film scores we’ve had the pleasure of playing on the radio, like Uncut Gems, Monos, St Maud and Mandy.
The third playlist provides a warm fuzzy nostalgia hit: the Soundtrack Solace. We introduced this feature at the start of the first lockdown, inviting listeners to tell us about the films and soundtracks they return to during times of uncertainty. It’s a wonderful collection of classics, animations, musicals and family favourites like Mary Poppins, Labyrinth and Local Hero.
The Console playlists also offer up variety, just like the show itself. There’s a Recently Played selection, which tends to focus on new releases like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, The Pathless and Little Nightmares II, but also includes older tracks we’ve featured on the show over the last month or so.
The other two playlists are themed by genre, so there’s a Sci-Fi playlist full of series like Halo, Destiny, Mass Effect and Dead Space, and you can also get stuck into a range of music from Adventure games like Ori and the Blind Forest, Tomb Raider and God of War.
As with the Scala Radio shows, you don’t need to have watched every film, or played every game, to enjoy the music. Hopefully each playlist offers a suitable soundtrack to your day, whether you’re working, studying or out on your lockdown walk. I hope you have as much fun listening to them as I do putting them together!
Find out more here: https://planetradio.co.uk/scala-radio/entertainment/music/mark-kermode-and-luci-holland-playlists-on-apple-music/
