Scottish rock band Mogwai’s soundtrack to the new BBC series ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103’ is a haunting and poignant tribute to the victims of the tragic incident which occurred in 1988.
The series is based on the real events which took place on 21 December 1988, when a bomb exploded in the hold of flight Pan Am 103 when it was heading from Heathrow to JFK. The incident occurred as the plane passed over Lockerbie and resulted in the death of 270 people, making it the worst terror attack on British soil, as well as the first serious act of terrorism against US citizens. ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103’ tells the story of the Scots-US investigation into the attack and the catastrophic impact it had on its victim’s families and Lockerbie.
Mogwai’s soundtrack for the show marks their 12th album release and was recorded at their studio Castle of Doom, with Tony Doogan. The album starts off with ‘Calling all units’, a haunting track with emotive piano and gritty production, which creates a sense of urgency, like that felt in the wake of the attack.
‘JFK’ creates a sense of suspense, owing to its a repetitive and anxious sound. ‘No Survivors’ uses melancholic guitar and muted drums to convey the devastation left behind by the attack. In contrast, fourth track ‘Luqa Airport’, has a surprisingly calmer and almost peaceful air to it, with plaintive guitar and a quite minimal sound.
‘A little piece of Scotland’ is conveys a strong depth of emotion and despair, beginning with a pulsing sound and delicate electric guitar. The track starts to accelerate half way through, building up into a loud crescendo, before returning to a quieter sound again, conveying the rollercoaster of emotions felt after the attack.
The repeated piano on ‘Indian Head’ creates a cinematic song with a feeling of restlessness to it. ‘Bad Intelligence’ also has an uneasiness to it, as the beat and bass simmer in the background of the track. ‘Closure’ is a deeply sad, yet almost hopeful, song with delicate piano.
‘Back home to Giffnock’ combines contemplative electric guitar and subdued drums to create a sense of sorrow and tiredness. ‘Reconstruction’ has a sense of resolve to it, with a slow pace and sorrowful undertones. Final track ‘We let you down’ maintains a tense atmosphere throughout, but has some uplifting moments, bringing the album to a close in a fittingly stirring manner.
Starring Connor Swindells, Patrick J. Adams, Merritt Wever, among other well-known and talented actors, the series debuted on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on 18 May, with new episodes coming every Sunday and Monday. Mogwai’s soundtrack for the show is an instrumental deep-dive into human suffering and the search for answers to an awful tragedy. The band is currently on tour and you can catch them at one of the dates below if you’d like to see them play live.
Mogwai on tour 2025
29 May – Ghent, dunk!festival
31 May – Madrid, Tomavistas
20 June – Lido di Camaiore, La Prima Estate
24 July – Galway International Arts Festival
25 July – Limerick, Live at the Big Top
26 July – Dublin, Vicar Street
27 July – Dublin, Vicar Street
29 July – Belfast, Mandela Hall
7 August – Crystal Palace Park, London, South Facing
12 August – Locorotondo, Masseria Ferragnano
14 August – Carhaix, Motocultor Festival
15 August – Hasselt, Pukkelpop
31 Aug – The Hague, Paard
01 Sept – Nijmegen, Doonroosje
03 Sept -Malmo, Plan B
04 Sept – Gothenburg, Pustervik
06 Sept – Helsinki, House of Culture
08 Sept – Tallinn, Helitehas
09 Sept – Riga, Palladium
10 Sept – Vilnius, Kablys + Kultura
11 Sept – Warsaw, Progresja
13 Sept – Budapest, Reflektor Festival
14 Sept – Prague, Lucerna Music Bar
15 Sept – Vienna, Vienna Arena
16 Sept – Zagreb, Tvornica Kulture
18 Sept – Lausanne, Les Docks
19 Sept – Munich, Muffathalle
20 Sept – Cologne, Live Music Hall
9 October – Athens, Floyd Live Music Venue
11 October – Istanbul, Harbiye, Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre