Heartware

The Story

In Heartware, the story unfolds in a retrofuturistic ice cream parlor, where the androids Clu and Lia work. When their colleague self-destructs after consuming raspberry ice cream, Clu becomes increasingly troubled by a strange gut feeling. As he clings to his malfunctioning friend, Lia is eager to replace him as quickly as possible. The film explores themes of identity, destruction, and the complex emotions of artificial beings in a world that feels both familiar and alien. With a blend of dark humor and existential questioning, Heartware delves into the fragile nature of life—both human and android.

The Music

Creating the music for Heartware was an exciting challenge. The film’s unique setting – a retrofuturistic ice cream parlor – needed a soundtrack that felt both strange and emotional. I wanted the score to reflect the quirky atmosphere while also capturing the feelings of Clu, one of the android characters.

To achieve this, I used a mix of analog synths, modular sounds, and synthetic music. The goal was to make the music feel a bit unusual, but at the same time, it had to show Clu’s emotional side. The score highlights the contrast between the weirdness of the place and Clu’s inner chaos. It balances the absurdity of the situation with moments of genuine feeling.

Working on this project allowed me to explore how music can be both strange and heartfelt at the same time. I’m proud of how the score brings together these different elements, making the story feel both quirky and human.