Dustin O'Halloran Essentials

Dustin O’Halloran is perhaps best known as half of the lauded ambient duo A Winged Victory for the Sullen, but one look at his CV reveals a vast oeuvre of elegant film scores (Marie Antoinette), ethereal ambient/classical crossover compositions (Sundoor), and minimalistic solo piano works (Piano Solos). Born in Phoenix in the ‘70s, O’Halloran grew up to study art at Santa Monica College, eventually cofounding indie-rock band Devics and moving to Italy; in his work for films like Lion and The Art of Racing in the Rain, melancholic piano often gives way to more uplifting, buoyant conclusions full of shuffling percussion and soaring strings.