A24's 'Undertone' Scares with Chilling Backwards Children's Songs

Director Ian Tuason used unsettling audio, including iPhone voice memos and reversed nursery rhymes, to create an immersive horror experience.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:51pm

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In the new A24 horror film 'Undertone', director Ian Tuason relied on unsettling audio elements like children's songs played in reverse and raw iPhone voice memos to craft an immersive and frightening experience. The movie follows a podcaster named Evy who investigates paranormal mysteries, only to have the lines blur between her own life and the disturbing recordings she receives. Tuason drew from his own experiences caring for his ailing parents to inform the film's themes of isolation and darkness.

Why it matters

Tuason's approach to 'Undertone' represents a shift in horror filmmaking, moving away from traditional jump scares and elaborate visuals to focus more on the power of sound and audio to unsettle and terrify audiences. By blending the worlds of the podcast and the haunted house, he was able to disorient viewers and mirror the protagonist's own sense of unease.

The details

In 'Undertone', the protagonist Evy and her co-host Justin receive a series of mysterious voice memos from a couple named Abby and Mike. These recordings feature children's songs played in reverse, revealing disturbing hidden messages like 'Lick the blood off' and 'Mike kill all'. Tuason didn't have to fabricate these phrases - the reversed nursery rhymes genuinely contain the unsettling content. To heighten the rawness, Tuason recorded all the Abby and Mike memos on an iPhone, intentionally avoiding a polished studio sound. He also utilized Dolby Atmos technology to create an immersive, disorienting audio experience that blurs the lines between Evy's podcast world and the haunted house she inhabits.

  • Undertone hits theaters on Friday, March 13, 2026.

The players

Ian Tuason

The writer and director of Undertone, who drew from his own experiences caring for ailing parents to inform the film's themes of isolation and darkness.

Nina Kiri

The actress who plays the lead role of Evy, a podcaster investigating paranormal mysteries.

A24

The production company behind Undertone, known for distributing critically acclaimed horror and independent films.

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What they’re saying

“The recordings are so raw. Having them in your ear so intimately was shocking. I didn't know what to expect, but I was so blown away. I didn't expect it to penetrate so deeply and to just get under my skin in that way.”

— Nina Kiri, Actress

“I felt like that my mom represented something even safer. Children's songs fall under that same umbrella, although, he concedes, 'a lot of them are dark, even when played forward.'”

— Ian Tuason, Director

What’s next

Undertone is set to have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2026, ahead of its wide theatrical release.

The takeaway

Undertone showcases a new approach to horror filmmaking, where directors like Ian Tuason are moving away from traditional jump scares and visual tricks to create a sense of unease and terror through immersive audio experiences. By blending the mundane with the sinister, Tuason was able to disorient and unsettle audiences in a way that gets under their skin.