Severed from their original theatrical context, Caudron's soundtracks allow us to imagine our own scenarios, such as a long steel corridor bathed in blood red light and a door marked 'Exit' which we never reach since each step takes us no closer. We hear a funeral marching band...our own breath exhaled in terrified gasps...the constant pounding of a drum like the footsteps of Satan himself on our trail...Poe's pendulum swinging ever closer...strings so sharp as to slice your throat, or sweepingly melancholic, draining you of tears as you dread what lurks in the twilight zone...even a much-loved (by samplers) exorcist makes an appearance. And whatever the original visual source of inspiration, I can't help frequently picturing Friedrich's traveller looking over the Sea of Fog when Caudron brings fearsome orchestration into play.
Fans of Kreng will not be surprised that Caudron once again demonstrates his ability to evoke morbidly theatrical moods through tension and release. These lengthy pieces extend the atmosphere he is renowned for, creating what feel like endless journeys into the long dark night of the soul. Whether you invest in the vinyl or download version, there's a feast of finely-tuned sonic terror on offer here.
In complete contrast, his soundtrack for the TV show, Monster (a 10" bonus with the vinyl box), is B-movie plunderphonics. Here samples (including Captain Scarlet, if I'm not mistaken, and Art Blakey) fly thick and fast, providing a bundle of gory loungecore fun. Since this will not be available as a download, I thought I'd supply an exclusive track for you to enjoy, with permission from Miasmah.
Also, coming soon, an interview with Pepijn Caudron. Watch this space.
Ooh, that's pretty creepy... But I love the poster(?) and all its bootleg-style spellign misteaks.
ReplyDeleteNot much info avaliable on the show, C - but yes, the poster's an oddity, complete with those spelling mistakes. As I say, though, his work for theatre is very different.
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