A nerve-shredding tale of a small town plunged into absolute terror. The authorities believed they had buried the truth about the tragedy that claimed over 700 lives. Now, three years later, a reporter has emerged with footage revealing the cover-up and an unimaginable killer: a mysterious parasitic outbreak. Told from the perspective of those who were there and saw what happened. The Bay unfolds over 24 hours through people’s iPhones, Androids, 911 calls, web cams, and  whatever else could be used to document the nightmare in Claridge...

To be honest, atmospheric scores for sci-fi/horror movies are not usually something I find enjoyable. I understand their purpose - to heighten the emotion of a tense scene - but when listened to in isolation, they almost always sound a little too dry. And when they're electronic in nature, I always assume I'm in for a painful listening experience. Still, I always try to keep an open mind and approach each review without any preconceived expectations.

Marcelo Zarvos's minimalist score for The Bay could have been dull and lifeless, but he pulls out all the stops and manages to deliver a pleasurable listening experience. It's as tense to listen to in isolation as it is when viewed with the visuals - and that takes some doing.

It's eerie and creepy, beautiful and haunting, subtle and mesmerising. Zarvos has worked his magic here and this is certainly a score that's worth checking out. Sure, it's minimalist approach won't be to everyone's liking, but I for one found it be a richly rewarding multi-layered score.

9

Darren Rea