MUSIC+SOUND AWARDS 2024 WINNER SPOTLIGHT

BEST ORIGINAL COMPOSITION IN A FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY

Secrets of the Neanderthals

Entrant / Composer: Anže Rozman at Bleeding Fingers Music, Los Angeles

Score Producer: Russell Emanuel

Score Supervisor: Greg Rappaport

The inaugural Music+Sound Awards Best Original Composition in a Feature-Length Documentary was won by Bleeding Fingers’ Anže Rozman for his beautiful score on Netflix’s Secret of the Neanderthals.

Anže discusses here the creation of the score and explains how the music was designed to evoke the humanity of Neanderthals and connect audiences to their ancient world. From recording in the legendary Divje Babe Caves to incorporating authentic instruments and sounds, we can appreciate the artistry behind this captivating score even more…

“For the score it was very important to us to be able to translate to the audience that Neanderthals were much more like us Homo Sapiens than we ever thought. They were human like us. They cared for each other and potentially had their own language, art and religion.

In September of 2021 we travelled to my home country of Slovenia to record a replica of the "Divje Babe" Neanderthal flute in the Grand Hall of the Postojna Cave.

The original flute, which is made out of a cave bear tibia bone was found in the Divje Babe Caves and is the oldest instrument to have ever been found and key scientists believe it is of Neanderthal origin.

Slovenian woodwind player Boštjan Gombač has an exact replica made out of a brown bear tibia bone and this replica was used for the recording in the magical cave chamber with its mystical 11s reverb.

We also recorded rocks, stalagmites, conch shells, stomps, frame drums and claps. These sounds were used throughout the score, and we believe they helped transport the audience back in time and connect them with our Neanderthal sisters and brothers.”

Visit Anže’s site HERE

And Bleeding Finger Music’s HERE