Episode 1: “Come Home Year”
10 SongsEpisode 2: “Crown and Anchor”
5 SongsEpisode 3: “Sir John Franklin”
6 SongsEpisode 4: “The Ocean Will Have Us All”
2 SongsEpisode 5: “Little Pot Rock”
3 SongsEpisode 6: “The Unfathering Deep”
3 SongsAtmospheric Score by Mark Korven
To anchor the unsettling maritime dread of the isolated fishing outpost of Snooks Arm, Netflix recruited acclaimed Canadian composer Mark Korven. Renowned internationally for his boundary-pushing acoustic scores on Robert Eggers' The Witch and The Lighthouse, as well as Scott Derrickson's The Black Phone, Korven brings his signature tactile, acoustic-driven instrumentation to Below. Rather than relying on standard orchestral swells or synth-heavy jumps, Korven utilizes historical acoustic instruments, bow-scraped strings, and discordant folk textures that capture the chill of the North Atlantic and the mystery lurking in the deep.
Across the six episodes, Korven's score moves between quiet, windswept environmental drones and aggressive percussive tension. The musical cues mirror the psychological fractures within the Penney family, led by Josh Hartnett and Charlie Heaton, blurring the boundary between realistic sound design—creaking boat timber, freezing wind, and ocean tides—and an ominous musical presence.
Maritime Folk Heritage & Needle Drops
Complementing Korven's eerie score is an inspired commercial music palette assembled by award-winning music supervisor Natasha Duprey. The series is deeply rooted in Canadian maritime culture, and its needle drops reflect this heritage with unmistakable authenticity. The local tavern scenes and fishing routines come alive through traditional East Coast reels and sea songs, including performances by Newfoundland folk groups Salt Beef Junkies and Ray Johnson And The Sou' Westers, alongside Canadian icons like Gordon Lightfoot (“Sundown”), Anne Murray (“Snowbird”), and Celtic-punk favorites Spirit of the West (“Home For A Rest”).
To underline the escalating tension and generational friction, Duprey contrasts these warm community anthems with gritty classic rock and post-punk staples. Highlights include Danzig's thunderous “Mother,” Gerry Rafferty's smooth groove “Right Down the Line,” Ace Frehley's “New York Groove,” and April Wine's high-octane “Roller.” In the final stretch of the series, the soundtrack leans into hypnotic, existential energy with Iggy Pop's “The Endless Sea,” Siouxsie & The Banshees' driving cover of “The Passenger,” and The Waterboys' enduring maritime classic “Fisherman's Blues,” delivering a resonant musical identity that stays true to its coastal setting.