Barry Adamson has released ‘SCALA!!!’, his score for the documentary SCALA!!! Or, the Incredibly Strange Rise and Fall of the World’s Wildest Cinema, out now via Mute on limited edition “banned blood” vinyl, CD, and digital formats. The 22-track album soundtracks the rise and fall of London’s legendary Scala cinema, capturing its anarchic energy, late-night chaos, and deep emotional pull. Tracks like “Scala Cats” nod to the cinema’s resident felines, as inseparable from the venue’s mythology as the all-night screenings, sticky floors, and unruly crowds.
Adamson’s score brings his noir, cinematic instincts to a setting that helped shape generations of filmmakers, artists, and music fans. Running from 1973 to 1993, the Scala became a cultural hub through its boundary-pushing programming, double features, and auteur showcases spotlighting figures such as John Waters, Russ Meyer, Derek Jarman, and David Lynch. The documentary features interviews with regulars, staff, and artists including Adamson himself, reflecting on how the cinema’s fearless approach influenced creative lives well beyond its walls.
Often described as a master of the soundtrack form, Adamson uses SCALA!!! to move fluidly between menace, playfulness, and melancholy, mirroring the cinema’s unruly spirit. Across his career, from Magazine and The Birthday Party to Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and a wide-ranging solo catalog, Adamson has built a reputation for narrative-driven composition. His work for film, dance, and stage continues that tradition here, translating the Scala’s legacy into music that feels lived-in, unpredictable, and deeply evocative.