With the rise in the mainstream popularity of electronic music, it quickly worked its way into the cinema. Although less creative moviemakers view electronic music only as the background noise and the ploy for attracting the attention of modern audiences, most movie directors incorporate electronic music in movies thoughtfully. Due to its evident connection to innovation and progress, electronic music is often used as a leitmotif for urbanistic environments, with repetitive melodic elements creating a claustrophobic environment.
Due to its unique sound and the inherent connection with innovative technology, electronic music worked its way into the cinema through sci-fi movies in the late 80s. For instance, films such as “Blade” used electronic music heavily to explore the themes of the dystopic future (Ordonneau, 2019). Set in an urban environment and putting a very strong emphasis on progress, these movies utilized electronic music accordingly, thus cementing its place in cinema as the accompaniment to sci-fi films. The late 90s and early 2000s movies such as X-Men reinforced the specified concept, simultaneously simplifying the melody to reinforce the claustrophobic urbanist leitmotif.
Representing innovation and technological development, electronic music is typically incorporated into movies to signify urbanism and create the setting that conveys the sense of claustrophobia due to the repetitiveness of the melodic pattern. Since its inception in the cinematic environment, electronic music has been incorporated into the movies that render sci-fi themes. However, over the past few years, electronic music has been used more flexibly in the movie context, including both its diegetic and non-diegetic forms. As a result, electronic music has provided movie directors and sound designers with a huge field for experimentation.
Reference
Ordonneau, A. (2019). Retro tendencies, decay, and haunted media in hybrid electronic music. INSAM Journal of Contemporary Music, Art and Technology, 2(3), 24-42.