Matt Johnson has scored his brother Gerard’s new film, Odyssey
THE THE soundtrack new British crime thriller Odyssey, starring Polly Maberly and Mikael Persbrandt.
In a continuation of the Brothers Johnson’s longstanding collaboration, Matt Johnson has scored his brother Gerard’s new film, Odyssey. The film is in UK cinemas now with the full soundtrack album following on 5 December.
A dark, metaphysical thriller in which a cutthroat real estate agent takes a spectacular fall from the corporate ladder when her loan-sharks call in their debts, Odyssey is set against the backdrop of London’s contemporary housing crisis and the cut and thrust world of capitalism, need and corporate greed. Drawing on the occult and European horror, Gerard describes his latest, characteristically uncompromising and distinctive work as “true to the warped world we find ourselves existing in”.
As with previous THE THE soundtracks – Tony, Moonbug, Hyena and Muscle– the Odyssey soundtrack CD comes with an 84-page hardback book, this time featuring a foreword by Jason Wood, a Q&A between Gerard and co-writer, Austin Collings, as well as film stills and behind-the-scenes photographs.
Additionally, two tracks from the Odyssey soundtrack have been released as a limited edition double A-side 7″ vinyl single, Unrequited/Live & Let Live featuring previously unseen artwork by Matt and Gerard’s late brother, Andrew (AKA Andy Dog).
Gerard has created two powerful new music videos for this double A-sided single, exclusively using unused footage from the film.
Watch the Live & Let Live video below:
Live & Let Live
Unlike Gerard’s previous films, Odyssey centres around a female protagonist. Though most of the soundtrack is instrumental, for the songs with vocals, Matt felt it would be fitting to feature a female voice – in this case Gillian Glover, who also sang backing vocals on Ensoulment.
THE THE has a history of collaborating and duetting with notable female vocalists such as Neneh Cherry, Anna Domino, Sinead O’Connor, Meja Kullersten and Liz Horsman – but in Live & Let Live it is the first time anyone else has sung lead vocals in a THE THE song. Barrie Cadogan, THE THE’s guitarist on Ensoulment, as well as for The Comeback Special and Ensouled world tours, also played electric guitars on Unrequited.
Unrequited/Live & Let Live joins the growing collection of THE THE’s recent standalone 7″ singles including We Can’t Stop What’s Coming (2017), I Want 2 B U (2020), $1 One Vote! (2023) and Slow Emotion Replayed (2025).
Watch the Unrequited video below:
The Inertia Variations
Finally, The Inertia Variations, a beautiful and moving 84-minute film, directed by Swedish documentarian Johanna St Michaels, will be made available for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD on 28 November (UK). Without this documentary, Matt Johnson would not have awoken from his creative torpor to start writing and releasing music again, including his first new studio album in nearly a quarter century, Ensoulment, as well as The Comeback Special (2018) and Ensouled (2024-25) world tours. This film was the catalyst for everything that followed in its wake.
The Inertia Variations, named after a series of poems of the same name by John Tottenham, is centred around Matt Johnson’s 12-hour live Radio Cinéola broadcast, which included live music, poetry and interviews with teachers, healers, environmental activists and political commentators – people whose voices are frequently silenced.
Internationally premiered at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen in 2017, The Inertia Variations enjoyed a run of sell-out screenings at cinemas across Europe and the USA but never – until now – had a physical release. The 84-page hardcover mediabook features the full documentary on Blu-ray and DVD, along with six exclusive live performances by Matt and guests from the original broadcast.
An exclusive, one-off event at the prestigious British Film Institute, Southbank London will take place on 16 December to mark this release. As well as The Inertia Variations, three recent music videos will be screened, followed by a Q&A with director Johanna St Michaels, Matt Johnson and Jason Wood, Executive Director of the BFI. Tickets are on sale now. Click here
For more on THE THE, Odyssey soundtrack CD mediabook and double A-side limited edition vinyl of Unrequited/Live & Let Live, click here
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