Saxophonist Colin Stetson has written the score for the new National Geographic series Barkskins. Known for such soundtracks as Hereditary and Color Out of Space, the composer has today shared a new song from his latest project, “Awake You Sleepy Hearts”. The track happens to feature a familiar voice in David Thewlis, best known as Professor R.J. Lupin from the Harry Potter franchise and star of Barkskins.
Based on the 2016 novel by Annie Proulx (“Brokeback Mountain”), Barkskins takes place over 300 years, following a series of related characters amidst the deforestation of North America. Thewlis’ plays Claude Trepagny, a land speculator with some poetical words in Stetson’s new song: “Awake you sleepy hearts/ The birds sing in the trees!” Does that sound uplifting? Not while Stetson’s haunting score plays underneath. It’s a disquieting song, with a deep and dark malice lurking beneath the surface.
Check out “Awake You Sleepy Hearts” below. Via IndieWire, the full Barkskins soundtrack drops on June 5th.
In addition to being one of our favorite soundtracks of the decade, Stetson’s Hereditary score was recently selected by Thom Yorke for his first Sonos radio mix.
Barkskins (National Geographic Original Series Soundtrack) Tracklist:
01. Forest Fire
02. Company Man
03. The Tree
04. Renardette
05. True Warrior
06. English Scum
07. Lie Down
08. The Company Way
09. Marth Burns
10. Father Clape
11. A Proposal
12. Aftermath
13. With Death Upon You
14. First and Last Meals
15. The Letter
16. Retrieving the Dead
17. Punishment
18. Alive
19. Awake You Sleepy Hearts [ft. David Thewlis]