Craig Armstrong Essentials

Scottish composer Craig Armstrong has been writing captivating music across genres since studying at the Royal Academy of Music in the 1970s. His Snowden soundtrack combines folky lyricism with claustrophobic electronics, and his music for thriller The Quiet American fuses seductive orchestral gestures with gripping electronic beats. His non-film work also exudes a cinematic quality; the original compositions for his pensive Piano Works embody the mystery of a spy film, while "Be Still My Soul", the only track that isn't a totally original composition, sets itself apart by integrating melodies of Sibelius and turning from a choral exercise into a jazzy fantasia.