Missir is an Icelandic documentary series whose first season premiered in September 2021, with a score by yours truly. The series delves into the profound experiences of individuals who have faced significant grief and loss. Through personal narratives, it explores how they have navigated their sorrow, processed trauma, and ultimately rebuilt fulfilling and happy lives. The show, directed by Reynir Lyngdal, is hosted by Freyr Eyjólfsson and produced by Republik Film Production for Icelandic streamer Sjónvarp Símans.
Speaking with director Reynir Lyngdal and host Freyr Eyjólfsson ahead of shooting I immediately fell in love with their intention, which was to open a dialogue about things that we all experience in our lives, but often tend to keep a lid on or even treat as a taboo. They were determined to treat the subject with grace and the respect it deserves.
Musicwise, that meant that the score should not overdramatize the moments of grief, it should be there to add emotional depth, but not tell people how to feel. So we went with that. A mixture of simple repetitive melodies that could just as well be interpreted as hopeful as sad.
The series quickly became a huge success, in recognition of its impactful storytelling, it was honored with the Edda Award for Best Human Interest Program of the Year in 2021 and got renewed for a second season.
As I went trough the tracks, refreshing the score and adding to it for the second season I decided to release an EP with the main themes from the series, and use the opportunity to mix them in Dolby Atmos, for the ever growing group of people that enjoy listening to music in Spatial Audio. Listen here on Apple Music: