Track Listing

1. Via L4 Norte
2. Field
3. Luukkaankangas
4. Soprus
5. Transitions
6. Ortem Ende

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #239330 in Music
• Released on: 2008-01-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

CD Description
FILM (2008) collects works the composer Stefan Nemeth made for a handful of short experimental films. Like much experimental film music, and like much of the music released on Thrill Jockey (the label that has issued FILM), the pieces are themselves experimental in nature, relying on rhythmic patterns, tonal washes, seemingly found sounds, and electronic effects. Composed and performed by Nemeth, these works draw the listener into their gauzy, alluring textures.

Customer Reviews

Nemeth- Film Review (8/10)
`Film' is the debut solo release by Viennese musician Stefan Németh. As the founder of Mosz Records (Lokai, Pan American, Boris Hauf) and the synthesizer/computer player in Austrian experimental band, Radian, Németh has a seasoned experience in the avantronica scene. In recent years his talents have spread to producing scores for film and video and `Film' comprises of music originally composed for various experimental film and video artists.

Deeply experimental yet never fragmented enough to let the attention of the listener wane, Németh has struck a happy balance between leftfield arrangements and traditional film score aesthetics. Fusing together acoustic instrumentation, field-recordings and electronic trickery, Németh creates a dark and vibrant electro-accoustic soundtrack to wherever your imagination takes you. The concatenation of spritely avantronica with deep, relatively lethargic ambient soundscapes contrasts nicely resulting in an emotional and stirring encounter which seeps out the speakers and cloaks the listener in a thick, sludgy audio-goo.

Starting off with a bout of jazzy percussion, the drumkit being extended with the use of electronics, Németh creates a rousing atmosphere of gloomy majesty by lacing in electric guitar and field recordings. On 'Field', the thick rumbling atmospherics take the listener hostage by utilising a skillfully arranged formula of glistening metallic shards, swelling melodic drones, haunting bass and rapid fire percussion. So far so dark. Transitions initiates with a military tirade of clustered metallic percussion and fuzzy echo which mimics `This Heats' fantastic '24 Track Loop'. The percussive soundscape continues and meanders throughout the track and is accompanied by warm ambient synths, electro glitches, unsystematic clangage, industrial scrapings and gaseous discharge. The combination of these elements creates a rich and contrasting audio soup which drives forward with an eerie sci-fi momentum.

After the atmospheric and superbly crafted skittering glitches and frayed melodics of `Luukkaankangas' which are sequenced into a captivating micro-techno aesthetic, Németh launches into Soprus, a simple yet effectual experiment in the interplay between treble and bass. The treble heavy tone of the flickering high-octave keys contrast nicely to the blossoming ambient skree which initially sounds like an encroaching arctic wind. Skeletal melodies eventually start to flower across the frosty sonic terrain as keys from the lower octave range join in to add depth to the dynamic. Very reminiscent of `Marsen Jules', the closing track `Ortem Ende' seems to documents the growth and eventual decline of life. Consisting of subtle turbulent glitch, waxing and waning bass and effervescent drifting melodies, the individual elements exist in harmony and combine into a thick yet hazy soundscape which does not need video imagery to make its mark on the listener.

With its, fluctuating electronics, involving textures and melancholy spirituality, `Film' proves to be a classy piece of electro-acoustic experimentation that rewards the listener if they put the work into listening to it. Sure, it can spin away happily in the background but the real value is gained when listening to it in a captive state. Much enjoyment can be gained by creating imaginary visual accompaniments to the individual pieces or imagining what the pieces where soundtracks too. So lie back dreamers and enjoy the warm and sometimes turbulent cloak of sound that is `Film'. (KS)

For fans of: An imaginary project undertaken by Seefeel, Glenn Branca, Chicago Underground Duo and Twine to create a soundtrack for a forthcoming David Lynch movie.