FROM INTRADA:
“For Intrada's latest release, composer Patrick O'Malley chose to eschew the current sound-design approach of many modern-day horror films and lean into a more traditional (and frankly fan-embraced) style of horror scoring. Composers from earlier decades always lauded the opportunities provided by horror films to embrace experimentation that were not often afforded in other genres. It provided an opportunity not only to embrace dissonance as would be expected, but also the lyrical side so often ignored in horror films today. Think Jerry Goldsmith's delicate theme for Carol Ann balanced alongside the aggressive action in Poltergeist. The two can easily coexist in a horror setting.
O'Malley may not be a name known to many, as Young & Cursed is his first full-length film score after working on several shorts and in the classical music scene. Hopefully this score is the harbinger of many more feature-length film assignments to come.”
FROM THE DIRECTOR
“I'm always amazed when a composer is able to interpret material that has been developed prior to their involvement and understand and evoke the emotion and feeling that was intended in the script and then in the film that evolved from that material through the music that they create.
Patrick O'Malley has done this for my film “Young and Cursed” in a masterful way. He took on the very difficult task of interpreting a tug of war between good and evil that, per the film, exists thematically in everything that we see and do. Additionally, per the story, who we are, the ying and the yang, the black and the white that can exist within each of us; and then resolving that in a way that allows one deep feelings about the experience. He has achieved this in a brilliant way.
O’Malley is an insightful interpreter, a one-of-a-kind creator - a composer of the highest level of intelligence and sensitivity. It has been a great experience working with him and I would look forward to the pleasure of that unique collaboration again. Anytime.” - Andrew Chiaramonte
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
available from Intrada Records, 2026
“While it may be early in the year to discuss potential best score awards, this work is exceptional…hauntingly beautiful…one of the most entertaining horror soundtracks I have listened to in a while. Highly recommended.”
- Movie Music International
“Young & Cursed marks Patrick O'Malley's feature debut, but his background in contemporary classical music and short films is evident in the structural maturity of this score. There are echoes of Jerry Goldsmith, especially in the way innocence and horror are contrasted, but a unique sensibility is also evident, with a very expressive use of orchestral color…an ambitious score that embraces both dissonance and lyricism…A promising talent to watch closely.”
- TODO Soundtrack
Music Composed by PATRICK O’MALLEY
Score Producer, MIDI Programming and Orchestrations: PATRICK O’MALLEY
Music Preparation by JON SENGE
Score Mixed by SHACHAR BOUSSANI
Album Mastered by ASAF SHAY
Custom Instruments Recorded by TYLER ESCHENDAL
Album Cover Artwork by ANGELA BERMÚDEZ
Cello Solos by MICHAEL KAUFMAN
Vocal Solos by HOLLY CURRAN
Score Performed by FAME’S STUDIO ORCHESTRA
Conducted by OLEG KONDRATENKO & ARBER CURRI
Sound engineer: DRAGISA STOJANOV
Pro Tools engineer: MARINA LEFKOVA
Recorded at FAME’S PROJECT, Northern Macedonia, on NOVEMBER 17, 2023, and AUGUST 13, 2025
Executive Producer for Intrada: ROGER FEIGELSON
Special Thanks to ANDREW CHIARAMONTE, EMMETT ALSTON, ELIOT GURRIN, ASHLEY MAHER, TYLER ESCHENDAL, KATYA RICHARDSON, ADAM BORECKI, CAROLYN ULE, ROBERT ALEXANDER, DANNY LEO, CHRISTOPHER YOUNG and MY INCREDIBLE FAMILY
FROM THE COMPOSER
“One of the best things that can be given to any composer (of film music or otherwise) is a large canvas. When I first read Andrew and Emmett’s script for Young & Cursed, I initially thought that the film would only need light touches from the music; subtle electronics with the occasional reverb-submerged piano and grit-filled jump-scare stinger (after-all, the plot outline is a bunch of kids in a cabin getting spooked for 90 minutes!). But, upon seeing a rough cut of the film and hearing Andrew passionately discuss his goal of putting the audience in a larger frame of mind about the spiritual nature of good and evil, a much different sound came to me: a traditional-style score combining orchestra, choir, synths, electronics, and a battery of home-made “found object” instruments. I also felt it would be promising to explore lyricism and contrapuntal ideas just as much as dissonance to address the film’s themes of good and evil. I wrote two demos for Andrew and he enthusiastically gave me the go-ahead to write the rest of the music with this big palette and melodic style. Those two demo tracks, “Lilith’s Theme” and “Hope and Sorrow”, open this album, and are followed by the complete score in the order it appears in the film.
Young and Cursed is my first “official” feature film score after having composed for several shorts and working in the classical music scene. It was a joy to delve into the emotions of these characters and help accentuate their feelings and the larger struggle they go through over the course of the film through the music. It was also a great deal of fun to continue to develop orchestral and harmonic ideas from my classical work in the context of a supernatural horror film, along with nods and homages to some of my favorite horror scores. My thanks to Andrew, Emmett, and Eliot (our multi-talented editor/VFX supervisor/co-producer and film music enthusiast!) for your amazing trust and collaboration.” - Patrick O’Malley