Sony Music Masterworks today releases Sound of Freedom (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Javier Navarrete. Available everywhere now, the album features original music written by Navarrete for the high-stakes true story about a federal agent in a fight against child traffickers in Colombia. Navarrete resonated with the film's storyline and themes, particularly the importance of protecting childhood innocence in an increasingly grown up world. Recording at London's iconic Abbey Road Studios, Navarrete utilized a largescale orchestra comprised of internationally renowned instrumentalists for the soundtrack, also enlisting youth soloists and a children's choir as collaborators across the album's 19 tracks. Directed by Alejandro Monteverde, Sound of Freedom is available now to stream and purchase.
Of the score, composer Javier Navarrete says, "From the beginning, Sound of Freedom was a unique project. The roughness of the subject material made me doubt if I would be up to the task, and I went back and forth about it, but now believe I made the right decision. It took some time for Alejandro [Monteverde] and me to find the right key for the subject matter, until I came up with a mockup including a children's choir. Our conductor, Julian Kershaw, would later describe their singing as 'primitive-pagan,' but it is the call of the lost children, their way to plead with us to rescue them from the depths of their misery and absolute darkness. This single melody and the fragility of the children's voices immediately unblocked our indecision and doubts: melodies, guitars and strings easily followed once we had opened the doors to this magical yet unfortunate kingdom."
Speaking about the album's recording process, he continued: "I suggested that the score would be better recorded on a large scale, and the producers agreed. I have to thank them for this: they hired the best choir, orchestra and instrumental soloists on hand, including guitarist Ale Martí, and brought them together to record at London's Abbey Road Studios. The entire process of recording and mixing went smoothly, with some highly emotional moments for the performers, engineers and attendants. Now, the result is up for everyone to judge and hopefully enjoy."
On a more personal level, Navarrete mentions the impact the project has had on his life, concluding of his experience: "The moment I arrived to London for the score's recording, I completely lost any desire to drink alcohol. I never had any intention to stop drinking, it really just happened. It's been four years and I haven't had any desire to go back. I feel much better. That may seem a modest amount of Freedom to have conquered with these sounds, but it means a lot to me."