Andor

Andor (Original Score) is the score album composed by Nicholas Britell for the Disney+ science-fiction action-adventure television series Andor, the fourth live-action television series in the Star Wars franchise. The score (which was recorded over the course of two years) is notable for its prominent use of electronic instruments in much of the show's duration, in contrast to the orchestral scores in previous entries into the Star Wars franchise. The soundtrack was released in three volumes, including four episodes each to cover all twelve episodes of the first season. Volume 1 was released on October 21, with Volume 2 on November 4, and Volume 3 on December 9. The main title themes from the first three episodes were released as singles, coinciding its premiere on September 21. The score received critical acclaim with praise towards Britell's musical approach. Background Series creator Tony Gilroy felt that "music in Star Wars is just absolutely essentially identified with John Williams", and saw the need to use a different musical vocabulary with respect to cast, setting and music. He contacted Nicholas Britell about composing music for the series before filming began so that he could use source music to be played on set. Andor is the first Star Wars project Britell has scored, who admits to being a huge fan of the franchise as well as a fan of Gilroy's work. They first met in August 2020, joined by the executive producer Kathleen Kennedy, who demanded the series have a unique sound. Britell agreed that the score would be "orchestral-plus" with a "wide range of sounds", adding that the large scope of the series meant that "every episode has new demands, new music, and new ideas." He also noted that "It's important that as the story evolves, the music should evolve too." Britell said that Gilroy gave him freedom to experiment with the music in order to create a unique musical landscape. Hence, he created a score that is marked by its heavy use of electronic music and analog synthesizers, (deviating from the orchestral sounds of previous Star Wars films) though orchestral music was also implemented in parts. Recording for the series, which took place at the Lyndhurst Hall in Air Studios, London, began two years before Britell was announced in February 2022 as the composer. Multiple sessions were held at the venue and more than 90 players performed in the orchestra.