Forgotten Island is DreamWorks Animation’s 2026 fantasy-adventure comedy, co-directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, and distributed theatrically by Universal Pictures on September 25, 2026. The film follows two lifelong best friends, Jo and Raissa, voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, as they get pulled into the mystical Filipino-folklore world of Nakali.
The voice cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Lea Salonga.
From this point on, this article focuses entirely on the film’s music — the score, the original songs, and the licensed tracks that make up the Forgotten Island soundtrack.
Forgotten Island Soundtrack Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film Name | Forgotten Island |
| Director | Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado |
| Studio | DreamWorks Animation |
| Distributor | Universal Pictures |
| Film Release Date | September 25, 2026 (United States) |
| Composer | Nathan Matthew David |
| Label | Back Lot Music |
| Soundtrack Release Date | September 18, 2026 |
| Total Tracks | 37 |
| Album Runtime | 87:41 |
| Film Runtime | 108 minutes |
Forgotten Island Soundtrack Overview
The official Forgotten Island (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) dropped digitally on September 18, 2026 through Back Lot Music, a week ahead of the film’s theatrical release. It runs 37 tracks and just under 88 minutes total.
The album blends Nathan Matthew David’s original score with a string of new and licensed songs from Filipino and Filipino-American artists. A vinyl, CD, and cassette physical edition is also available for pre-order through Mutant in partnership with Back Lot Music.
Musically, the soundtrack moves in two distinct directions. The real-world segments lean on analog synths and ’80s-’90s pop-hip-hop textures, while the Nakali segments shift into traditional Filipino instrumentation as the story crosses into the folklore world.
Who Composed the Forgotten Island Soundtrack?
Nathan Matthew David is a Filipino-American film and television composer, born in the United States to immigrant parents from Manila and Pampanga. He trained formally at USC’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program after years of writing music for student films and playing in bands.
For Forgotten Island, David said the score needed a nostalgic feeling, explaining, “We leaned heavily on analog synths from that era.” As the characters cross into Nakali, he layers in traditional Filipino instruments including the kulintang, the kutyapi, and the Las Piñas bamboo pipe organ, alongside a Filipino choir performing Tagalog phrases.
David’s earlier credits include the TBS comedy Angie Tribeca (2016–2018), the Peabody Award-winning docuseries Surviving R. Kelly (2019) — for which he won a 2020 ASCAP Screen Award — the Syfy series Deadly Class, the A24 film SLICE (co-composed with Ludwig Göransson), and the 2023 comedy Joy Ride.
Forgotten Island Official Tracklist
- BRB – H.E.R. & Liza Soberano (3:33)
- Pasakalye – Nathan Matthew David (0:55)
- Tayo Na – Nathan Matthew David (1:17)
- A Parallel World – BINI (3:38)
- Lola – Nathan Matthew David (0:55)
- Tadhana – Nathan Matthew David (1:47)
- Never Tear Us Apart – Sophia Laforteza (3:15)
- Nakalimutan – Nathan Matthew David (0:53)
- Susmaryosep! Hay Naku! Maanghang! – Nathan Matthew David (0:43)
- Salbahe Ako – Carl Angelo & Ruby Ibarra (3:04)
- Ninakaw Sa Akin – Nathan Matthew David (1:32)
- Batiba – Nathan Matthew David (0:57)
- Sarimanok – Nathan Matthew David (1:02)
- Mga Kababayan – SB19 (3:32)
- Bungi – Nathan Matthew David (1:08)
- King Truffle Waffle – Nathan Matthew David (1:45)
- Prince Mermahn – Nathan Matthew David (1:48)
- Jerk in the Box – H.E.R. & Liza Soberano (0:21)
- Double Up – Guapdad 4000 feat. P-Lo (1:58)
- Kapre – Nathan Matthew David (1:39)
- If We Remember – Nathan Matthew David (1:25)
- Magnanakaw – Nathan Matthew David (4:16)
- Hulihin – Nathan Matthew David (4:39)
- It Was You – Nathan Matthew David (2:34)
- Balik – Nathan Matthew David (2:15)
- All of Them – Nathan Matthew David (2:07)
- One Last Deal – Nathan Matthew David (2:43)
- Forgotten Friendship – Nathan Matthew David (2:51)
- I’m So Sorry, Apo – Nathan Matthew David (2:12)
- Without You – Nathan Matthew David (0:58)
- Memories Are Magic – Nathan Matthew David (0:57)
- Bahagi Mo – Nathan Matthew David (1:22)
- Paalam, Nakali – Nathan Matthew David (1:52)
- Jo and Raissa Suite – Nathan Matthew David (6:14)
- Ang Manananggal Suite – Nathan Matthew David (6:51)
- Batiba Suite – Nathan Matthew David (4:30)
- A Parallel World (Amping Mix) – BINI feat. Lea Salonga (4:13)
Score Highlights
“Pasakalye” opens the album on a short, traditional-sounding cue, using the Tagalog word for a musical overture as a framing device for the score to come.
The three orchestral suites — “Jo and Raissa Suite” (6:14), “Ang Manananggal Suite” (6:51), and “Batiba Suite” (4:30) — are the longest and most expansive cues on the album, consistent with David’s description of the score shifting into indigenous Filipino instrumentation once the story reaches Nakali.
“Magnanakaw” (4:16) and “Hulihin” (4:39), whose titles translate to “thief” and “to catch,” are the two longest standalone score tracks outside the suites, suggesting extended chase or conflict sequences.
“Forgotten Friendship” and “Paalam, Nakali” (“Goodbye, Nakali”) sit near the album’s closing tracks, pointing to the film’s emotional final act.
Forgotten Island Licensed Songs / Needle Drops
Two catalog songs are confirmed as licensed tracks for the film, separate from the original score and new recordings: DMX’s “Party Up” and Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out.” Both were named directly by Variety and corroborated by Philippine outlets covering the same soundtrack reveal.
“Who Let the Dogs Out” also plays a confirmed role in the film’s marketing: the official trailer ends with Jo calming a panicked Raissa by quoting the song’s lyrics.
Separately, the official trailer features Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” as trailer music. This placement is confirmed only for the promotional trailer — it has not been verified as an in-film cue or as part of the official soundtrack album.
Composer Filmography Table
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–2018 | Angie Tribeca | TV Series |
| 2018–2019 | Deadly Class | TV Series |
| 2019 | Surviving R. Kelly (Season 1) | Documentary Series |
| 2020 | SLICE | Film (co-composer) |
| 2023 | Joy Ride | Film |
| 2023 | Underrated | Documentary |
| 2023 | The Brothers Sun Season 2 | Series |
| 2026 | Forgotten Island | Film |
Where to Listen to the Forgotten Island Soundtrack?
The Forgotten Island soundtrack is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, released digitally through Back Lot Music on September 18, 2026. Fans wanting a physical copy can pre-order the album on 2x 140g color vinyl, CD, or cassette through Mutant. Both the digital and physical releases carry the same 37-track sequence.
FAQs
Who composed the Forgotten Island soundtrack?
Filipino-American composer Nathan Matthew David scored the film, drawing on analog synths and traditional Filipino instruments.
How many tracks are on the Forgotten Island soundtrack album?
The official album has 37 tracks and a total runtime of 87 minutes and 41 seconds.
When was the Forgotten Island soundtrack released?
The soundtrack was released digitally on September 18, 2026, a week before the film’s theatrical release.
Where can I stream the Forgotten Island soundtrack?
It’s available on Spotify and Apple Music, with a vinyl, CD, and cassette edition available through Mutant.
What is the title track of Forgotten Island?
The film’s title track is “BRB,” performed by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano.
Are the DMX and Baha Men songs officially part of the soundtrack?
Yes. “Party Up” by DMX and “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men are both confirmed as licensed songs used in the film.
When does Forgotten Island release in theaters?
The film opens in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026, from Universal Pictures.
Related reading: The Brothers Sun Soundtrack (also scored by Nathan Matthew David) · See our full streaming guide