Meet Marcelo Cervone. A musician and actor from London. You might know him from playing the character Rio on the TV show Andy and the Band. Marcelo can play all kinds of instruments and knows how to arrange songs well. He recorded all the music for this song all by himself in his home studio. The song is called “Imagine If Black Boys Just Smiled at Each Other”. Marcelo wrote it for a short film of the same name. The film tells a story about how black boys are sometimes treated differently when walking down the streets.
Right away when you hear the beginning words “Would you like me to tell you the story of the black boy?” you stop whatever you’re doing and pay close attention. The music starts with swirling synths that pull you right into the story. Layer by layer, the composer adds more instruments and sounds to give the song different feelings.
Let’s focus on two things: what makes the song moody sometimes, and what makes it happy and bouncy? The synthesizers at the start sound like lightsabers clashing, and they’ll get your whole body moving! But hidden underneath is a piano that adds a darker tone. It’s a nice balance. Small electronic bits and ambient noises fill the edges, keeping things interesting. Then the drums kick in and the energy keeps building higher and higher.
Percussion and piano beats punctuate the strings, driving the piece forward with more and more intensity. Marcelo Cervone turns up the drama and emotion without losing the atmospheric quality that draws you in. As things weave in and out, new motifs emerge naturally from the texture.
The soundtrack ends on a dreamy, sweet, emotion-filled ending. Marcelo Cervone’s amazing composition stands alone as a moving and thought-provoking work that will have many people talking about it.
This single-track concert version offers a tight sample of Marcelo Cervone’s cinematic score. While it can only hint at the full experience of the soundtrack within the film, it can be enjoyed as a beautiful piece of music on its own. Marcelo Cervone’s emotional and atmospheric composition brings new layers of meaning and impact to the film’s exploration of Black male identity and experience. Fans of movie scores and those interested in soundtracks as independent artistic works will love this deeply felt musical work. Stream “Imagine If Black Boys Just Smiled at Each Other” tonight across streaming sites, and check out the video that accompanies it on YouTube.
