Finneas O’Connell Used Synths That Sounded Like A “Swarm Of Bees” To Capture The Stressful Sound Of ‘Beef’ – Sound & Screen TV

Why It Matters

The innovative sound design heightens audience anxiety, setting a new benchmark for TV scoring, while Finneas’s crossover from pop production to premium streaming drama signals growing demand for star composers in original series.

Key Takeaways

• Finneas crafted bee‑like synth patches for *Beef* Season 2
• Score blends nature sounds with nostalgic 2000s tracks
• “Vicious Thoughts” shifts from piano to aggressive synth
• O’Connell’s TV work follows Oscar‑winning film music career
• Live performance showcased at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event

Pulse Analysis

Finneas O’Connell has built a reputation that stretches from Grammy‑winning pop production for his sister Billie Eilish to an Oscar for the James Bond theme “No Time To Die.” In recent years he has turned his attention to visual media, debuting with Apple TV’s *Disclaimer* before taking on the high‑profile Netflix drama *Beef*. The transition reflects a broader industry pattern where chart‑topping producers bring their sonic sensibilities to television, offering fresh textures that can differentiate a series in a crowded streaming marketplace.

For the second season of *Beef*, O’Connell engineered a score that mirrors the show’s volatile relationships. He recorded ambient garden noises—sprinklers, distant traffic—and layered them with custom synth patches that he described as sounding like a “swarm of bees,” a deliberate choice to induce unease in both himself and viewers. The music oscillates between delicate piano motifs and aggressive, distorted synths, exemplified by the track “Vicious Thoughts.” Licensed tracks from LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip and M83 further anchor the series in a nostalgic yet contemporary soundscape.

The success of O’Connell’s approach underscores the commercial value of distinctive audio branding for streaming series. Networks such as Netflix are increasingly courting high‑profile musicians to craft scores that can become cultural touchstones, driving social media buzz and subscriber retention. As audiences grow more attuned to the emotional cues delivered through music, producers who can blend organic field recordings with experimental synth work will likely command premium fees. Finneas’s live showcase at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event signals that the industry views such hybrid scoring as a competitive advantage.