THE THE announce details of several releases this autumn including the ‘Odyssey Soundtrack CD Mediabook‘ available on 5th December, a ‘Double A-Side limited edition vinyl‘ with two singles from ‘Odyssey: ‘Unrequited’ / ‘Live & Let Live’’ available on 7th November and the ‘Inertia Variations documentary‘ available on 28th November, through earMUSIC.
In a continuation of the Brothers Johnson’s longstanding collaboration, Matt Johnson has scored his brother Gerard’s new film, Odyssey (starring Polly Maberly and Mikael Persbrandt). The film will be released in UK cinemas on 7th November with the full soundtrack album following on 5th December (EU/UK) / 23rd January (US) via Cinéola in partnership with earMUSIC.
Odyssey trailer and pre-order HERE
A dark, metaphysical thriller in which a cutthroat real estate agent takes a spectacular fall from the corporate ladder when her loan-sharks call in their debts, Odyssey is set against the backdrop of London’s contemporary housing crisis and the cut and thrust world of capitalism, need and corporate greed. Drawing on the occult and European horror, Gerard describes his latest, characteristically uncompromising and distinctive work as ‘true to the warped world we find ourselves existing in’.
As with previous THE THE soundtracks – Tony, Moonbug, Hyena, and Muscle – the Odyssey soundtrack CD comes replete with an 84-page hardback book, this time featuring a foreword by Jason Wood, a Q&A between Gerard and co-writer, Austin Collings, as well as film stills and behind-the-scenes photographs.
Additionally, two tracks from the Odyssey soundtrack will be released as a limited-edition double A-side 7” vinyl single, ‘Unrequited’ / ‘Live & Let Live’ featuring previously unseen artwork by Matt and Gerard’s late brother, Andrew (AKA Andy Dog) the single will be released on 7th November via Cinéola in partnership with earMUSIC.
‘Unrequited’ / ‘Live & Let Live’ pre-order/pre-save HERE
Unlike Gerard’s previous films, Odyssey centres around a female protagonist. Though most of the soundtrack is instrumental, for the songs in which a voice is heard, Matt felt it would be fitting to feature a female vocalist – in this case Gillian Glover, who also sang backing vocals on Ensoulment. THE THE has a history of collaborating and duetting with notable female vocalists such as Sinead O’Connor, Neneh Cherry and Anna Domino, but in ‘Live & Let Live’ it is the first time anyone else has sung lead vocals in a THE THE song. Barrie Cadogan, THE THE’s guitarist on Ensoulment, as well as for The Comeback Special and Ensouled world tours, also played electric guitars on ‘Unrequited’.
Gerard Johnson has created two powerful new music videos for this double A-sided single, exclusively using unused footage from the film being released with the singles on 7th November.
‘Unrequited’ / ‘Live & Let Live’ joins the growing collection of THE THE’s recent standalone 7” singles including ‘We Can’t Stop What’s Coming’ (2017), ‘I Want 2 B U’ (2020), ‘$1 One Vote!’ (2023), and ‘Slow Emotion Replayed’ (2025).
Finally, The Inertia Variations, a beautiful and moving 84-minute film, directed by Swedish documentarian Johanna St Michaels, will be made available for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD on 28th November (UK) / 5th December (US). Without this documentary, Matt Johnson would not have awoken from his creative torpor to start writing and releasing music again, including his first new studio album in nearly a quarter century, Ensoulment, as well as The Comeback Special (2018) and Ensouled (2024-25) world tours. This film was the catalyst for everything that followed in its wake.
The Inertia Variations trailer and pre-order HERE
The Inertia Variations, named after a series of poems of the same name by John Tottenham, is centred around Matt Johnson‘s 12-hour live Radio Cinéola broadcast, which included live music, poetry and interviews with teachers, healers, environmental activists and political commentators – people whose voices are frequently silenced. Though not a typical biographical documentary – it certainly provides an overview, seamlessly incorporating archive footage as well as appearances from long-term creative collaborators such as Tim Pope.
Internationally premiered at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen in 2017, The Inertia Variations enjoyed a run of sell-out screenings at cinemas across Europe and the USA but never – until now – had a physical release. The beautifully-designed 28-page hardcover mediabook features the full documentary on Blu-ray and DVD, along with six exclusive live performances by Matt and guests from the original broadcast.
An exclusive, one-off event at the prestigious British Film Institute, Southbank London will take place on 16th December to mark this release. As well as The Inertia Variations, three recent music videos will be screened, followed by a Q&A with director Johanna St Michaels, Matt Johnson and Jason Wood, Executive Director of the BFI. Tickets go on sale to BFI members on 4th November and on general sale on 6th November.
“St Michaels is able to integrate herself into intensely personal worlds and in doing so blurs the lines between private and public perception to provide telling glimpses into realms that we all know exist but rarely see on screen.”
– Jason Wood, Executive Director of the BFI
“A compelling work of conceptual art in its own right”
– Niall Greig Fulton, Edinburgh International Film Festival
“The story behind THE THE’s enigmatic disappearance, a quiet epic of a character study”
– Huck
“A welcome, unconventional return from one of the country’s most erudite artists.”
– The Scotsman