The Boroughs Score Took Me Straight Back to the Best of the 80s

The Boroughs – A Modern Score with an 80s Soul

I’ve been listening to John Paesano’s The Boroughs soundtrack a lot lately, and it’s one of those scores that immediately takes you somewhere familiar. It’s atmospheric, mysterious, and wrapped in that unmistakable 80s glow. There’s a warm, analogue sheen to it that instantly brings to mind the golden age of Amblin, suburban fantasy, and gentle sci‑fi wonder. Even though the show is set firmly in the present day, the music feels like it could sit comfortably alongside Poltergeist, Cocoon, Back to the Future, Close Encounters, and even Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The show itself has been described as Stranger Things with adults, and that tone absolutely carries through into the score. There’s a Cocoon‑like warmth in the softer cues, a touch of Silvestri’s magic, and moments where I genuinely thought I was listening to James Newton Howard. Paesano leans into the mystery in a way that feels very Shyamalan, restrained and atmospheric with a quiet emotional pull.

Paesano has talked openly about how much the 80s and 90s shaped him. He’s described himself as “a creature of the late 80s,” saying he fell in love with films first and then the music that defined them. When he speaks about the composers who inspired him, names like Williams, Goldsmith, Horner and Silvestri come up naturally, and you can tell these aren’t just influences but the musical language he grew up speaking. He’s even mentioned that for The Boroughs, he and the creative team approached the score as if they were writing it in 1988. That meant starting with big thematic sketches and suites, letting the music grow from character and story rather than being boxed in by modern temp tracks. It’s exactly how Williams, Horner and Goldsmith used to work, and you can hear that in every cue. The score feels imagined first, not engineered.

Certain tracks really show those influences. “Knock Knock” is practically a love letter to 80s suburban mystery. The pulsing synths, the creeping tension, the way it never fully tips into horror, all of it feels like a respectful nod to Poltergeist and Halloween without ever becoming imitation. “Crow Encounters” hints at Close Encounters even in its title, and the music absolutely follows through. It’s eerie and shimmering, full of that Spielberg‑era sense of something strange happening just out of sight. There’s a Poltergeist‑like unease in the harmonic writing that fits the scene beautifully.

In a TV landscape where a lot of music tends to sit quietly in the background, The Boroughs is refreshingly bold. It’s melodic, thematic and emotionally present, the very qualities that made 80s scores so beloved. Paesano isn’t just borrowing the sound of that era. He’s clearly someone who grew up loving those films and is now channelling that affection into something new.

It’s one of the most interesting and enjoyable TV scores of the last few years, and it’s wonderful to hear a composer unapologetically embrace melody, warmth and mystery again. If you grew up on Williams, Silvestri, Horner, Goldsmith or James Newton Howard, this soundtrack feels like home.

Rob

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