Lend an ear to SPINEMA: a column exploring all movie music, music related to movies, and movies related to music. Be they film scores on vinyl, documentaries on legendary musicians, or albums of original songs by horror directors, all shall be reviewed here. Batten down your headphones, because shit’s about to sound cinematic.
Released last month, composer Timothy Williams’ score to the film We Summon the Darkness is available on digital platforms from Lakeshore Records.
While many soundtracks — especially those of horror films — seek to etch out an 80s vibe in the vein of John Carpenter, Timothy Williams’ We Summon the Darkness score goes a step further: it was not produced with modern digital tools, but rather recorded using his collection of authentic 80s era analogue synthesizers.
I haven’t actually caught the film yet, so these impressions of the album are based solely on the listening experience.
Overall, the albums mixes up musical tracks with other stretches which are more functional than musical, along the lines of “scary tones and rhythms” — Soundscapes. Atmospherics.
The album opens strong with the title theme, setting an heavy layer of atmosphere before tinkling in with a short Carpenteresque melody.
“Will the Sun Rise” is probably my single favorite track on the album, a hopeful and melodic piece which reminds me of the transcendent work of John Murphy (Sunshine, 28 Days Later, et al).
“Parents Away” mixes quickly moving rhythms with cool synth melodies, while the melancholy “Get Out” would be right at home underlining a dramatic scene from The Matrix.
“Jaw Breaker” breaks out some buzzing guitars sounds to play against tinkling melodies — think of the action scenes in Paul Anderson’s Resident Evil and you won’t be far off. Remove the guitars and a similar aesthetic plays on “Step Moms Home”.
Album closer “Don’t Believe Everything” before launching a heavy synth melody.
Overall, I don’t have a particularly strong reaction to the album — while cool to listen to, and great background for working or writing, it’s largely “mood rhythms”. The more melodic tracks are definitely the highlight, but even so, they don’t stand out as especially memorable in the way that, for example, John Carpenter’s themes do.
TRACK LIST
01. We Summon The Darkness
02. You B*tch
03. Window Toss
04. Drugged
05. When Will The Sun Rise?
06. Which One For The Knife?
07. Parents Away
08. Get Out!
09. Jaw Breaker
10. Cop Killer
11. Kitchen Courage
12. Flamed
13. Step Moms Home
14. It’s On
15. Wanna Have Fun?
16. Pantry Prisoner
17. Not My Fault
18. Naked
19. Lock Down
20. Escape Gone Wrong
21. Motorhead
22. Don’t Believe Everything
A/V Out.
Get it at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3i5pKbq
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