John Avarese's score for Dead Water is released via Plaza Mayor Company. When a relaxing getaway turns deadly, a former Marine must risk his life once again to save his wife and best friend from a modern-day pirate; all the while trying to hold himself together as he faces the ghosts of the war he left behind...

The electronic score for Dead Water is, for the most part, a mellow, chilled out affair. There are quite a few satisfyingly original themes that run throughout the 20 tracks. The review copy we received was oddly missing two tracks, but I doubt there was anything wildly different, as the score plods on rather stoically.

Talking about the project, Avarese said: "The right set of circumstances allowed me to be on set during the filming of Dead Water. As a film composer, this does not happen often, but I was also hired as production sound mixer. As I packed for the trip to the Virgin Islands, I started to think about the score. On set, it became clear that the music process was going to be a long, delicate process. I would have to balance Coop’s suspicion of his friend with his PTSD trauma from his recent return from Afghanistan, and at the same time, the music should communicate his love for his wife. Living through the filming process, on a boat, with an impressive crew and talented actors, I was able to see the script come to life."

This is music designed to sit in the background and add a little atmosphere to the unfolding onscreen action. If you're a fan of chilled scores then you'll find much to appreciate here.

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Darren Rea