Back to Black // Ramin Djawadi – Harry Douglas-Gratton
Westworld is filled with great covers which take advantage of its sci-fi-western setting; this is a show which combines the modern world with the Wild West, and its soundtrack shows it. The selection of artists ranges from The Rolling Stones to Kanye West, all composed as if they were being played on an old upright piano down at the local saloon.
One of my favourite examples of this is Westworld’s version of ‘Back to Black’ by Amy Winehouse. It features a subtle ragtime rhythm as it alternates between bass notes and chords, emulating the style of music you’d expect to hear during a leisurely afternoon in the late-nineteenth century American West. Considering the piano is already featured heavily in ‘Back to Black’, it’s an impressive feat that the song manages to stand out and fit the historical setting despite, at its core, just being a stripped back cover.