Alex Somers’ journey into film composition began with a Tascam four-track tape recorder he acquired at age 13, which ignited his fascination with manipulating sound and creating his own sonic realities. This early interest evolved significantly, leading him to study film scoring and music therapy at Berklee College of Music. Upon completion, Alex relocated to Reykjavík, Iceland where he attended the Iceland Academy of the Arts. In Reykjavík, Alex honed his skills as a composer, producer, audio engineer and mixer. His pivotal moment came when he collaborated with Jónsi of Sigur Rós, contributing to ambient projects like Riceboy Sleeps and Liminal, which saw him transition to a sought-after composer for film and television.
Somers gained notable recognition in film scoring, contributing music to acclaimed projects such as Captain Fantastic, Honey Boy, Here We Are: Notes For Living On Planet Earth, and the Netflix series Black Mirror episode “Hang the DJ”. More recently, his solo composing efforts include 2020’s hugely popular Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana, Apple TV’s Causeway starring Jennifer Lawrence, ABC’s Under the Bridge miniseries, Amazon’s Holland starring Nicole Kidman, and the Prime Video series Overcompensating with Charli XCX. In addition, Somers makes music as a collaborator with artist and composer Scott Alario. The duo co-scored (with Forest Kelley) the 2019 Oscar-nominated documentary film Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018, directed by RaMell Ross). In 2024, they connected with Ross again, this time to compose music for his fiction feature debut Nickel Boys (MGM, 2024).
His work also extended to producing and recording with artists like the aforementioned Sigur Rós and Jóhann Jóhannsson. With several solo albums to his name, his work outside of film scoring showcases his distinctive style, blending elements of film composition, ambient, post-classical, and electronica into a cohesive and evocative sound. His music often combines his fascination with found sounds and his musical influences, including electronic pioneers like Oval and his brother John Somers. Now based in Los Angeles Somers continues to work on film scores and new solo projects, marking a new chapter in his dynamic career.