Highlights
- Producer and songwriter Finn Keane says the gothic film score marked a deliberate move away from the Brat era
- The soundtrack blends orchestral recording at Abbey Road Studios with rough, experimental textures
- The album arrives alongside the film’s UK cinema release
A deliberate pivot after Brat
Songwriter and producer Finn Keane, a long-time collaborator of Charli XCX, says working on the soundtrack for Wuthering Heights offered the pair a natural shift following the high-energy success of the Brat era.
Keane, who previously worked on several of Charli’s major releases and won a Grammy for producing Von Dutch, described the project as a creative counterpoint to the club-driven sound that defined 2024. According to him, both artists were eager to explore something darker and more cinematic after encountering the script for director Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
From tour buses to hotel studios
Work on the music began while Charli was touring the Brat remix project. What initially started as a conversation about contributing a single track soon expanded into a full album as inspiration grew. Recording sessions took place wherever time allowed, from studios on the road to makeshift setups in hotel rooms.
Keane said the intention was to step outside dance music entirely and embrace a new palette, reflecting the film’s gothic mood and emotional intensity.
Building a gothic soundscape
To shape the score, the team incorporated orchestral recordings at Abbey Road Studios while also experimenting with deliberately raw textures. Keane even contributed scratchy violin parts himself to create a rougher edge alongside professional musicians.
Charli cited influences including The Cure and Kate Bush, whose 1970s hit inspired by the same novel remains closely associated with the story. The soundtrack also features a collaboration with Welsh musician John Cale, whose spoken-word contribution appears on the lead single.
Balancing pop and film score
The finished album spans 12 tracks, including a collaboration with Sky Ferreira. Keane said the challenge was to create music that could stand alone as Charli XCX songs while still functioning as a cohesive film score with emotional depth.
He described the film itself as visually striking and intensely atmospheric, expressing hope that audiences would discover a different side to Charli’s musical range through the project.
Release alongside the film
Wuthering Heights opened in UK cinemas on 13 February, with the soundtrack released the same day, marking a simultaneous launch that underscores the close connection between the music and the film’s storytelling.
