Sebastian Arocha Morton is a Grammy-nominated American record producer and composer based in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his career as a record producer and songwriter, Morton has worked with many notable artists, including Seal, Sting, Santana, Donna Summer, Fischerspooner, Vikter Duplaix, Common, and Mary J. Blige. Morton was also a composer and producer for the films Little Miss Sunshine, Iron Man 2, Houdini, RoboCop, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, League of Gods, Mr. Robot, and Young Sheldon.
Morton composes and fuses a wide variety of musical genres, ranging from dance to hip hop, soul and ambient, among various other genres. His approach to film scoring bridges the worlds of modern electronic production and more traditional melodic orchestral composing.
Education and career
Morton graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied film scoring and production/engineering. Afterwards, he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in the film and music industries as a staff writer for Universal Music.
Morton then began producing electronic music in the early 2000s under the artist name ROCAsound. After several Billboard #1 singles and platinum albums, he started his own production company and opened a recording facility under the same name. As ROCAsound, he has remixed and produced tracks for the soundtrack to Iron Man 2, as well as songs and remixes for Donna Summer, Sting, Chaka Khan, Seal, The Dandy Warhols, Counting Crows, Jody Watley, The Killers, Kaskade, Ricky Martin, Yuridia, and Fischerspooner, among various other artists.
After much success as ROCAsound, Morton discovered and signed Billboard #1 electronic artist Samantha James, and went on to write and produce the albums Subconscious and Rise for San Francisco label OM Records. Morton later worked on Donna Summer's final studio album Crayons, where he was credited among producers such as Greg Kurstin and J.R. Rotem. The first single for that record, "I'm a Fire" (produced and co-written by Morton), went to #1 on the charts and set a record for her as the only female artist in history with a #1 Billboard dance hit in every decade since the 1970s. Also, as a songwriter, Morton has worked closely with hit writers Claudia Brant and Bruce Sudano.
Other collaborations include: "One of These Days" (with Santana and Ozomatli) "Never Coming Home" for the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy soundtrack (with Sting) "Not in Love" (with Enrique Iglesias and Floetry) "Scent of Magnolia" (with David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto) Alex Cross (film collaboration with composer John Debney) Disney Parks: World of Color and Iron Man Experience (collaboration with composer John Debney) "Whenever I Say Your Name" (BBC Radio version) with Sting feat. Mary J. Blige "Superfreak" (ROCAsound Revamp) with Rick James
Discography
Filmography Year Title Director(s) Notes 1999Los BeltránMike MilliganComposer 2000Los Beltrán (Season 2)Carlos BermudezTheme Song 2001The ScoreFrank OzSong: “The Hacker”La Segunda NocheAlejandro GamboaExecutive Music Producer 2002BoomtownGraham YostWith W.G. Snuffy WaldenAnna's DreamColin BickleySongwriter 2003ElysiumJae-Woong KwonComposerKnock FirstDavid CollinsComposerMiss MatchDarren StarMusic Producer, Songwriter 2005AmericanoKevin NolandComposerCold CaseJerry BruckheimerMusic Programmer, Sound DesignerQueer Eye for the Straight GirlDavid CollinsComposer 2006Dr. Dolittle 3Rich ThorneMusical Director, ProducerWindfallLaurie McCarthyMain Theme ComposerWhat About BrianDana StevensMusic Programmer, Sound DesignerPeaceful WarriorVictor SalvaAdditional Music with composer Bennett SalvayLittle Miss SunshineJonathan Dayton & Valerie FarisMusic Producer, RemixerQueer Eye for the Straight GuyDavid CollinsComposerStarting OverAlex MiltschGuest Music Producer 2007The Air I BreatheJieho Leewith composer Marcelo ZarvosThe UnitDavid MametScore ProducerCSI: New YorkAnn DonahueElectronic Music Producer 2008What Just HappenedBarry Levinsonwith composer Marcelo ZarvosCSI: MiamiCarol MendelsohnSource MusicLife with DerekDaphne BallonSongwriterSharkIan BiedermanSongwriter 2010Iron Man 2Jon FavreauElectronic Music Programmer, Sound DesignerTerriersTed Griffinwith Robert DuncanThe Cutting Edge: Fire and IceStephen HerekMusic Programmer, Sound Designer 2011CarjackedJohn Bonitowith Bennett SalvayDisney World of ColorDisney Parkswith John Debney 2012BacheloretteLeslye HeadlandMusic ProducerAlex CrossRob Cohenwith John DebneyMario Frangoulis: Live with the Boston PopsMatt AskemComposer: “Rojo Violento”CybergeddonAnthony E. ZuikerMusic Programmer, Sound DesignerFringeJ. J. AbramsSong: “Angel Love” 2013King JohnTed WassComposer 2014RoboCopJose Padilhawith Pedro BromfmanDraft DayIvan Reitmanwith John DebneyHoudiniUli EdelComposerMatadorJay BeattieSoundtrack ProducerPartnersRobert HornMusic ProgrammerThe AfterChris CarterComposer 2015The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of WaterPaul Tibbittwith John DebneyPenn Zero: Part-Time HeroSam LevineMusic RemixerAmerican OdysseyNora Kay FosterComposerMinions: ParadiseMiriam WilsonVideo Game 2016League of GodsKoan HuiCo-Composer with John Debney, Soundtrack ProducerFuller HouseJeff FranklinElectronic Music ProducerGame of SilenceDavid HudginsComposerMr. RobotSam Esmailwith Bennet SalvayThe Grand TourPhil ChurchwardComposer 2017DeepJulio Soto GurpideMusic ProducerYoung SheldonChuck LorreComposer, Additional MusicLinda from HRJeff BarbanellComposer 2018AugieJames KeachComposerEvidence of InnocenceRobert IvkovicComposerReasonable DoubtRob RosenSongwriterThe Orville (Season 1)Seth MacFarlaneMusic Producer, Additional Music 2019The Orville (Season 2)Seth MacFarlaneMusic Producer, Additional MusicMadden NFL 19Mike Youngwith John DebneyMarvel Land: Summer of SuperheroesDisney ImagineeringMusic Producer, Additional Music
Selected awards Some of Morton's Grammy Award nominations include:
2006 Grammy nominee: Little Miss Sunshine (Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media) 2007 Grammy nominee (with Vikter Duplaix): "Make A Baby" (Best Urban/Alternative Category)
Billboard #1 Singles and Albums include: 2004 Billboard Electronic Albums Chart: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy soundtrack (Never Coming Home feat. Sting) 2005 Dance Singles Chart: Jody Watley - "Looking for a New Love" (remixes) 2007 Dance Singles Chart: Samantha James - "Rise" 2008 Dance Singles Chart: Donna Summer - "I'm a Fire" 2009 Latin Albums Chart: Luis Miguel - No Culpes a La Noche
References
External links ROCAsound official website Discogs profile Instagram profile AllMusic profile