Dev Hynes is composing the score for Olivia Wilde’s latest film for A24, The Invite, and has released the first preview track, titled Contentious Environment. The collaboration marks Hynes’s first time working with Wilde and arrives as she returns to directing after a four-year hiatus.
The Invite is an English-language reimagining of a 2020 Spanish dramedy, shifting its focus onto a strained couple — Joe, played by Seth Rogen, and Angela, portrayed by Wilde — whose dinner with their enigmatic neighbors spirals into a tense examination of intimacy and boundaries. Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton co-star as the visiting couple, setting the stage for a film that mixes dark humor with social discomfort.
Hynes, who performs and records as Blood Orange, has quietly built a parallel career in film composition. This new commission is his sixth feature score, a body of work that already includes music for films such as Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener, Rebecca Hall’s Passing, Melina Matsoukas’s Queen & Slim, and two projects with Gia Coppola. That steady output has made him as sought-after behind the scenes as he is in the indie-pop world.
Why this matters now: a new Hynes score for an A24 title brings together an auteur director returning to form, a cast recognizable to mainstream audiences, and a composer whose cinematic work has become increasingly prominent — all factors that can shape how the film is received and how its music circulates in playlists and awards season conversations.
- Composer: Dev Hynes (also known as Blood Orange)
- Director: Olivia Wilde
- Distributor: A24
- Notable cast: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton
- Lead soundtrack single: Contentious Environment (released ahead of the film)
- Film type: English-language remake of 2020 Spanish comedy The People Upstairs
Listeners can expect Hynes’s signature ear for texture: previous scores have moved between atmospheric chamber pieces, minimalist string writing and pop-inflected motifs. Early reactions to the single suggest a composition that balances intimacy with an undercurrent of unease — appropriate for a story about blurred personal boundaries.
Hynes’s filmography highlights
Across the past decade Hynes has shifted between solo records and cinematic assignments. His film work includes collaborations with directors across genres, from indie dramas to mainstream thrillers, signaling a growing reputation for adaptability and emotional subtlety in film scoring.
| Track # | Title |
|---|---|
| 01 | Through The Window |
| 02 | Contentious Environment |
| 03 | Suite For Cello I |
| 04 | We’re Doing This |
| 05 | Hawk In Bathroom |
| 06 | They’re On Their Way |
| 07 | Flan |
| 08 | Sex Parties |
| 09 | Arguments |
| 10 | Explain Yourself + Our Neighbors |
| 11 | Palladio I. Allegretto |
| 12 | Can We Please Do A Reset |
| 13 | Window |
| 14 | Tequila |
| 15 | A Little Example |
| 16 | The Band |
| 17 | Not Heard Anything |
| 18 | Suite For Cello II |
| 19 | Unapologetic |
| 20 | Hawk’s Story |
| 21 | You Do Have Sex, Right? |
| 22 | Carmen Suite No. 2 – II. Habanera |
| 23 | I Don’t Eat Meat |
| 24 | Sorry |
| 25 | Suite For Cello III |
| 26 | It’s Over / Suite For Cello |
For fans of Hynes’s recorded work, the score provides another angle on his artistic range—less overtly pop-focused and more focused on cinematic development. For Wilde, partnering with an adventurous composer reinforces the tonal ambitions of her filmic return.
Availability: the single is already circulating on major streaming platforms, and the full soundtrack appears to be planned to arrive alongside the film’s theatrical release. Given A24’s track record and Hynes’s growing profile in film music, expect the soundtrack to become a talking point as reviews roll in.
Music and film critics will be watching how Hynes’s compositions shape the movie’s emotional architecture, and whether this collaboration nudges either artist toward new creative territory.
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Hello, I’m Atlas. I explore the latest musical releases for you and guide you to your next sonic favorites.