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Sunday, August 15, 2021

Daniel Licht 1957-2017 | It's Been Four Years Since Dexter Composer's Passing

A little tribute to Daniel Licht, composer of Dexter.

Rolfe Kent, Michael C. Hall and Daniel Licht (2012)
Daniel Licht, composer for the amazing Dexter soundtrack, and a handful of franchise horror movies and video games died four years ago, on August 2, 2017.

He was best known for scoring all eight seasons of Dexter, using unconventional abstract instruments such as surgical tools, bones, theremin, knives, duct tape, wine glasses, saws, and scissors to make the show's sounds resonate with viewers. 

Read the full article (and listen to his Dexter OST) below!


Daniel said a few years back, that his goal with the music was "to illustrate the depth of each killing Dexter commits, whilst having a cognitive response from the audience." 

Traditional instruments such as flutes, violins, guitars, cellos, mandolins, drums and violas were used as well.



[via Wikipedia] Licht was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in suburban Detroit and attended the Roeper School, as well as summer school at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He started playing music at the age of eight with his first instrument being the clarinet. He took up the guitar four years later. He began his musical career while still in high school playing guitar with a small jazz ensemble at clubs in the area. Following high school graduation, he attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts and graduated in composition, jazz and world music. 

Licht moved to New York City and established himself as a musical artist in the Lower East Side creative music scene. He would travel to Germany, the Netherlands and Northern Europe to perform and compose music for theatre and dance companies. He created scores for such companies as Mercedes Benz, Sony and AT&T.

He then moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career in film scoring, at the suggestion of his former classmate, Christopher Young. His first major project was the 1991 feature film Children of the Night. His composition earned him his first soundtrack CD release.



“Dan was an incredibly talented musician and composer, but most of all, he was a dear friend. His passing leaves all of us a bit quieter, a bit sadder, and without the gift of his music and his love,” said Dexter Showrunner Clyde Phillips back in 2017.

In addition to Dexter, Daniel Licht also composed the scores for a handful of horror movies. On his resume you’ll find Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, Amityville: It’s About Time, Ticks, Children of the Corn 3: Urban Harvest, Hellraiser: Bloodline, Thinner and Bad Moon. He was also the composer for 2011 video game Silent Hill: Downpour.

Hopefully, Showtime will pick Daniel's nephew Jon Licht as the main composer for Dexter: New Blood. Jon had been working with him on Dexter ever since the first season, and he's definitely the best choice to replace Daniel. Fingers crossed!

If you have a Spotify account you can listen to all of the Original Dexter Soundtrack from season one to season eight by Daniel Licht, below! Also, tell us in the comment section, which tracks are your favorites!

Dexter Season 1
   
Dexter Seasons 2 and 3
   
Dexter Season 4
   
Dexter Season 5
   
Dexter Season 6
   
Dexter Season 7
   
Dexter Season 8
 

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