Tag: Angelo Badalamenti

2015…The Other Scores

~ Filmic Tracks ~ Leave a comment
Vector 2015 Happy New Year background
Filmic Tracks

Now that the Oscars have signaled more or less, the end of the awards season I would like to list a few scores which either didn’t appear in any nomination lists or if they did, didn’t get the gong they deserved. It was a strange year for scores in as much as it started so slow and then [as always I guess] they came in their droves at the end of the year. Comedy scores were many and there was so much good stuff in the endless TV scores on offer.

I have waxed lyrically about some of these scores in the Reviews section of this blog and played tracks from all scores on my Filmic radio show on  Radio Nowhere so if you have some time on your hands and a comfy seat check out some of these brilliant scores which didn’t get the attention they deserved.

In no particular order:-

Ant Man  – Christophe Beck
The Man From Uncle – Daniel Pemberton
The Fantastic Four – Marco Beltrami & Philip Glass
Aesino’s Inocentes – Pablo Cervantes
Broken Horses – John Debney
Desert Dancer – Benjamin Wallfisch
Far From The Madding Crowd – Craig Armstrong
Lost Rover – Johnny Jewell
A Little Chaos – Peter Gregson
Listen Up Philip – Keegan DeWitt
Ex Machina – Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow
The Duke of Burgundy – Cat’s Eye’s
Gold Coast – Johan Caroe & Lasse Martinussen & Angelo Badalameti

 

 

 

 

 

Gold Coast – Soundtrack Review

~ Filmic Tracks ~ Leave a comment

gold-coast-soundtrack-angelo-badalamenti

There are scores which you don’t really grasp unless  you understand musical theory. There are some scores which mystify, confound and defy description. And then there are some score that just are and I stumbled across one today. Gold Coast [Guldkysten] is a Danish film directed by Daniel Dencik and is the harrowing story of romantic visionary Wulff who in 1836 travels to Africa to create plantations on the Gold Coast. Despite his good intentions he is quickly confronted with the harsh reality of the slave trade and it’s unbelievable brutality.

I had not heard of the film or the score until I listened to it today. In fact I listened to it 3 times in a row to take it all in, this is a soundtrack which will burn into your senses. It is scored by Angelo Badalamenti with Masse Martunussen and Johan Caroe. Whilst I have always appreciated Badalamenti’s work I have not been an ardent fan of his and yes there are seconds when you can hear Twin Peaks but don’t let this put you off as here his continuous stream of ambient low notes works big time. I usually cringe when I see more than one composer listed but these three composers work as a team and apart from spotting Badelamenti’s touch, the score is both fluid and wondrous. They were all working off the same hymn sheet as it were. How they thought a synth driven score would work in a film set in 1836 is beyond me but they have and it is a core not to be missed.

I had a purely emotional reaction to this score and didn’t even want to think about the construction of it, I just wanted to immerse myself in it. Saying that I can tell you that in parts it is sparse and in places it swells. It is odd and it’s beautiful in equal measure and it makes you want to see the movie. Two cues of note – Ascension starts slow then with heavy organ it rises till you think you can’t take it anymore and  Entry will simply blow your mind.

  1. Ascension (Angelo Badalementi & Lasse Martinussen)
  2. Love Suite (Johan Carøe)
  3. Entry (Lasse Martinussen & Johan Caroe)
  4. The Jungle (Angelo Badalementi & Lasse Martinussen)
  5. Serenade / The Children (Johan CarOe)
  6. Horror (Lasse Martinussen)
  7. The Party (Angelo Badalementi & Lasse Martinussen)
  8. Genesis (Angelo Badalementi & Johan Caroe)
  9. The Escape (Johan Caroe)
  10. Remember Me (Kwamie Liv & Angelo Badalementi)

Released by Fake Diamond Records
Available at amazon.co.uk