MovieScore Media storms the beaches and infiltrates the forests with its latest release for Dominic Burns’ Allies, a stirring WWII drama scored by French composer Philippe Jakko. The versatile orchestral underscore ranges from epic battle set pieces ('Opening', 'Forest Battle') to nervous ambience suspense ('German Camp') and touching, lyrical moments ('Brothers', 'Harry and Catherine'), celebrating the beauty of humanity in the middle of the war. While the music clearly favours the lower range of the orchestra, with a heavy reliance on celli, violas, double basses, horns and snares engaged in furious ostinati, a handful of lyrical moments heighten the emotional impact with a choir as well.

Allies composer Philippe Jakko graduated in musical high schools in Paris and Lyon where he studied harmony, counterpoint, composition and conducting, gaining a music degree in musicology (on film scoring). Philippe is also a multi-instrumentalist: he plays the piano, guitars, keyboards, bass and the Arabic oud. His music for Valérie Donzelli's 'Que D'Amour!' was nominated for the Best Score at Festival de La Rochelle in 2013. Apart from film scoring, Philippe is also active in the world of ballet, he composed a hip hop opera and wrote several hit songs: 'Yakalelo' (1998) and 'Parce qu'on sait jamais' (2008) sold over 1,500,000 copies.

The story of Allies takes place in August 1944 when a team of British soldiers, led by an American Captain, are dropped behind enemy lines in France on a mission that could shorten the war. As nothing goes according to plan, commando Sergeant Harry McBain and Captain Gabriel Jackson know they must put aside their personal animosity if the mission is to succeed. Starring Julian Ovenden, Chris Reilly, Matt Willis, Edmund Kingsley and Leon Vickers, Allies tells the story of friendship and survival inspired by true events from the war.