Silva Screen Records digitally release composer Harry Escott’s original score for the new BBC drama Roadkill. Starring Hugh Laurie, the four-part political thriller was written by David Hare (The Hours, The Reader) and directed by Line of Duty’s Michael Keillor. The thriller follows a self-made, forceful, and charismatic politician whose public and private life is being picked apart by his enemies...

Harry Escott’s score for Roadkill is a jazz-infused, small ensemble affair featuring Mercury nominated pianist Kit Downes as leader of the band of world class performers - Martin France on drums, Richard Price on Double Bass, Oliver Pashley on Clarinet and Hugh Wilkinson on Vibraphone. Escott’s jaunty yet slippery themes and chromatic angular waltzes, seem to be purposefully disassociated from the on-screen drama. The music’s role in Roadkill is to heighten our understanding of the central character, the sociopathic politician Peter Laurence.

If you're a fan of jazz-based scores then you'll find plenty to enjoy here. While there are a nice balance of themes and set pieces here to heighten the onscreen drama, Escott has done a masterful job of delivering a soundtrack that also works incredibly well as a classical/jazz based album away from the show.

There's chaos, madness, intrigue, suspense and romance all crammed into 34 min and 30 sec (19 tracks) of material. Wonderful stuff.

7

Darren Rea