All of Us Strangers (soundtrack)

Development

Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch was reported to compose the score in August 2023. She joined the project during post-production and found the film very special after watching the final edit, connecting with its characters and themes. There was no prescriptive musical approach; she discussed scene meanings and her reaction to the music to gauge whether the cues communicated correctly. Although she did not reference pre-existing music as inspiration, the 1980s pop songs in the storytelling influenced her to let the score work fluidly with synth sounds.

She did not reference the novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada, taking Haigh's version as the only one. The cast performances shaped the music, as she aimed to mirror the acting's intensity. She avoided a huge, bombastic score due to the film's subtlety, using acoustic instruments like cello, violin, and piano while performing synths during the film to maintain emotional touch. Bringing live musicians added variation and emotion, but she wanted to manipulate acoustic parts to feel like a dream or memory. Synths used included the Sequential take 5, Moog Sub 25, and MicroKORG.

Critical reception

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter described the score as pensive electronic music that hums and chimes. Wendy Ide of The Guardian wrote that it harmonises with and complements intricate sound use. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair called it jarring, pinging, murmuring, and droning. Helen Hawkins of The Arts Desk noted a mix of 1980s disco and pulsing electronic score suggesting real and supernatural worlds. Anna Smith of Rolling Stone UK termed it haunting, while Tori Brazier of Metro called it atmospheric. Matt Glasby of Radio Times wrote that low shimmering chords mimic the passing of time. Mark Kermode called it a fantastic original score.