The original music album from the documentary film Dust & Metal (Cát Bụi & Kim Loại) emerges from a groundbreaking creative collaboration that explores stories of freedom in Vietnam, both past and present, through the distinctive lens of the nation’s ubiquitous motorbike culture. Directed by Esther Johnson and produced alongside Live Cinema UK with support from the British Council, the film was developed in partnership with the Vietnam Film Institute and TPD, a center for developing young movie talents in Hanoi. The film also includes contemporary footage and features a script written by the director.

The documentary features a unique soundtrack, an evocative electronic score composed and performed by Vietnamese artist Xinh Xô, that accompanies a tapestry of rare digitized archival footage and contemporary scenes. What sets the album apart is its dynamic presentation: the score was performed live alongside screenings of the film across the UK and Vietnam, engaging audiences through immersive “cine-concert” events. This dynamic musical experience mirrors the film’s vibrant portrayal of urban roads, narrow alleys bustling with activity, and the ever-present symphony of engines and horns that define everyday life in Vietnam, offering audiences an immersive and unorthodox perspective on the country’s rich culture and histories.