If you’ve been watching Legion since it first premiered on FX earlier this month, then you know everything about the show is supremely gorgeous, from the stunningly colorful cinematography to the lush background music. That latter aspect of the series is thanks to the amazing work of composer Jeff Russo â and soon, you won’t have to wait for new episodes to appreciate his genius.
On Friday, February 24, Lakeshore Records is releasing the official Legion soundtrack, so you can listen to the hauntingly trippy tunes of the FX series anywhere you want. It will be available first as a digital download, but if you prefer physical media, it’ll also be released on CD March 24, and finally on vinyl sometime later. And really, what could be closer to the spirit of Legion‘s vaguely ’70s aesthetic than listening to its music on a record player?
In fact, it was that exact aesthetic that Russo, who also composed music for Fargo and The Night Of, tried to evoke in the music for Legion. âI used many esoteric synths from the ’70s including something called a âsynthi,â” he said in a statement. âThat along with a traditional cinematic orchestral sound makes up most of the sound of the score. I also used a lot of bowing metals…springs, and different kinds of metal percussion.â
Russo also admitted that he was inspired by reading Oliver Sacks’ book Hallucinations, which Legion showrunner Noah Hawley recommended to him. âIt is all about the way that our mind can change our perception of reality and what that says about our brains. It was something that directed me right to where this amazing show was going.â
If you also hear some vaguely Pink Floyd-sounding influences in the above preview as well, that’s also intentional. Russo told Vice he Hawley are big fans of the band and wanted the the show to sound like Dark Side of the Moon. You know, because naming a character “Syd Barrett” clearly wasn’t enough of an Easter Egg.
What do you think of Legion‘s music? Do you have a favorite track from the preview above yet? Let us know in the comments below!
Image: FX Networks