Labrinth: The Talented Creator Behind The "Euphoria" Score
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Photo Credit: Kanya Iwana
This year, HBO blessed us with the highly stylized and explicit teen drama Euphoria, starring Zendaya, aka every parent’s worst nightmare.
And while there were plenty of teens partaking in drugs, Grindr swiping, and rock n’ roll, the most memorable part of Euphoria is the musical score, which is dotted with the moody but catchy tracks of Labrinth. It was released digitally via Milan Records earlier this month.
Labrinth created a total of 26 dreamy tracks for the series, each one completely unique. Labrinth’s sound seems to blend Black Keys style strides with quieter RnB, and even a bit of gospel in the harmonizing.
Most impressive is this artist’s ability to evoke emotion, which lends to the melodramatic nature that makes Euphoria #1 in the teen angst game. Sparse and romantic but somehow simultaneously robust, Labrinth has one of those eclectic yet familiar sounds.
Labrinth started out a producer and from there he got into singing and writing his tracks. His music is inspired by equal parts hip hop and RnB; both Wu-Tang and Jodeci.
Highlights from the soundtrack include the theme song “Forever,” which you can easily keep on loop for hours, as well as the grungy, lo-fi sound of “Mt. Everest.” Zendaya also features with some smooth vocals and a church chorus on the synth-studded “All For Us.”
The artist told Rolling Stone, “When you look back to your teenage days, it feels semi-magical but semi-crazy and semi-psychotic. I wanted to make sure the music felt like those things.” Somehow, Labrinth’s score makes the series feel like a teen drama that can be taken seriously by older adults as well, which is no easy feet.