Alright, time to talk about the not-so-secret weapon humming just below the surface of Common Side Effects — the music. If you’ve watched even half an episode, you already know that score crawls right under your skin, wraps itself around your nerves, and sticks with you long after the credits roll. And who’s spinning that eerie magic? Enter Nicolas Snyder, composer and soundscape wizard, who’s been making listeners shiver ever since his trippy work on Scavengers Reign.
Who Is Nicolas Snyder, Anyway?
Before we get swept up in synth waves and ghostly choirs, let’s take a quick detour through Snyder’s backstory. He’s no classically trained, tux-wearing maestro. Nope. Snyder’s journey looks more like a patchwork quilt. He studied filmmaking and spent years tinkering with sound design. Along the way, he dabbled in woodworking (yes, for real), and eventually ended up in front of both microphones and mixing consoles.
This winding path explains a lot about why his scores always feel a little left-of-center. Snyder doesn’t do generic. Instead, he weaves together his own mishmash of influences. You hear it in every note: a touch of cinematic flair here, a wild sound experiment there, all mashed together like the world’s strangest — and coolest — playlist.
From Creepy To Cosmic: Snyder Shaped the Sound of CSE
So, how did Nicolas Snyder land the gig scoring Common Side Effects? Well, anyone who caught his atmospheric, jittery work on Scavengers Reign probably isn’t surprised. That show dropped a sonic bomb on sci-fi television. Producers at CSE clearly wanted someone who could turn music into another living, breathing character.
Starting out, Snyder sat with the scripts, absorbing every surreal twist and dangerous secret. He noticed right away that this show didn’t just dabble in the unknown — it wallowed in it. He knew the score had to walk that fine line: part sci-fi fever dream, part grounded drama. And, honestly, who better to do it?
Building Soundscapes: Snyder’s Musical Toolbox
The wild thing about Nicolas Snyder? He doesn’t compose the way most people picture it. Forget pianos and pristine studios. Instead, he starts by messing around with weird sounds — often ones he grabs straight from nature.
A few gems from his toolkit:
- Field Recordings: Snyder’s always packing a recorder. If he hears a branch snapping or wind whistling through a pipe, odds are it’ll sneak into a track.
- “Thups”: Ever plucked a twig and thought, “Perfect percussion”? Probably not. But Snyder captures these “thups”—those snappy, organic sounds you get when you pluck a stick — then builds entire rhythms with them.
- Synthesizers Galore: Electronic textures make up the backbone of the CSE sound, but you’ll never mistake this for standard-issue synthwave. Snyder morphs and mangles electronic tones until they sound almost, well, alive.
And there’s no rigid formula. Snyder likes to improvise. He starts with a musical idea, then lets it unravel naturally. Sometimes it leads into warm, shimmering synth layers. Other times it dives into cold, metallic clinks and hisses. The result? Every soundtrack cue feels fresh, unpredictable, and — most importantly — tailor-made for what’s happening onscreen.
Inspirations: Not All From This Planet
So, what’s floating in Snyder’s musical brain while he composes? It’s definitely not just movie soundtracks and radio hits. The dude pulls from everywhere, especially nature. He once told Objects & Sounds that organic sounds — branches, footsteps, wind — always find their way into his music.
Of course, he also credits classic film composers and experimental icons. But Snyder’s real genius lies in blending all of that with the din of everyday life. For CSE, he crafted tracks where a synth might rise out of a chorus of insect clicks, or where soothing melodies curdle into something warped and unsteady. The end goal? Make viewers feel as unsettled as the study participants onscreen.
Official Soundtrack: Earworms for the Apocalypse
April 2025 brought adventure for CSE music fans, thanks to Milan Records. They dropped the Common Side Effects official soundtrack, and it’s a goldmine for the detail-obsessed.
Here’s what you need to know:
- 24 Tracks Deep: Snyder didn’t phone this one in. The album runs through highlights from every major story beat and tonally weird corner of the season.
- Special Guests: Odeya Nini and Anya Lagman lend their voices to a handful of tracks, taking things from spooky to soul-piercing. Nini’s wordless vocalizations, in particular, swirl through the mix, adding an almost ritualistic feel.
- Organic Meets Alien: You get moments of soft, earthy instrumentation, only to be blindsided by metallic clatters and icy synthesizer washes.
You can snag the album on major streaming platforms or grab the vinyl (if you like your anxiety atmospheric and analog).
Snyder’s Sound: Reaction From Critics and Fans
Let’s just say Snyder isn’t flying under the radar anymore. The social buzz since the soundtrack dropped has been wild. On Twitter, fans dissect favorite cues, matching them to their favorite scenes. More than one viral TikTok remix features a mood-boosting chunk of Snyder’s weird percussion.
Critics took notice too. Film Music Reporter praised the score’s “rare originality,” and multiple recaps called Snyder’s music the “creeping undercurrent that makes CSE impossible to shake off.” Streamers have added cue after cue to personal chill-out (or freak-out) playlists. Even people who bailed on the show’s plot still confess they keep the soundtrack on repeat.
Soundtrack Highlights Worth Hunting Down
Snyder’s sprawling score means there’s something for everyone — whether you want to lose yourself or stay unsettled.
Some fan favorites:
- “Clinical Trial” – This one opens with sterile, cold percussion before blooming into a lush, meandering synthscape.
- “Side Effect” – Jagged strings and ghostly background hums. This track became shorthand for paranoia among fandom meme-makers.
- “Unknown Variables” – Odeya Nini’s voice floats over fragile chimes, making this cue both tender and menacing.
But don’t just take our word for it. Dive into the whole album, shuffle it, and see which track hits your nerves just right.
How The Music Completes the Mood
Here’s the deal: Common Side Effects would still be a wild show without the music. But with Snyder’s score, it gets a jolt of mood that’s impossible to ignore. Every creeping melody or jarring cluster of sounds makes the onscreen world feel richer, more tactile, and, honestly, a bit more dangerous.
Anytime showrunners dive into the characters’ heads — or leave viewers hanging just a second too long — it’s Snyder’s music that does the heavy lifting. You don’t just watch. You feel the anxiety, the alienation, the pulse-quickening questions. Music and story blend together, impossible to pull apart.
One Last Dose
So, what’s the takeaway here? Nicolas Snyder has changed the game for TV soundtracks — again. With Common Side Effects, he’s folded the show’s DNA straight into every note, crafting a listening experience that’s as strange and specific as the show itself. If you ever wondered how far a score can push the tone and mood of a series, this might just be the gold standard.
And honestly? We can’t wait to see what headspace Snyder haunts next. Stay tuned. And maybe leave a nightlight on. Just in case.
