Playlist: Gazelle Twin’s Outstanding Soundtracks

Brighton artist selects her cinematic favourites…

Soon to release her new album ‘Unflesh’, and fresh from collaborating with Alex Banks on his ‘Illuminate’ LP and issuing her own ‘ANTI BODY’ EP in May, Gazelle Twin is experiencing a busy 2014.

The musical moniker of Brighton-based performer Elizabeth Bernholz, the music of Gazelle Twin is eerie and enveloping, clangourous and comforting, a strange concoction of oppressive constituents and industrial atmospherics (occasionally) balanced by warm intimacy and approachable heart. It’s pretty good, like HEALTH getting hammered with Fever Ray in the last bar at the end of the world. You should probably buy ‘Unflesh’. Check out ‘Anti Body’, from the album, below – ahead of Bernholz’s movie-centric playlist highlighting her favourite soundtracks.

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“I don’t have much patience for blockbuster movie soundtracks these days. Too often I feel they lack restraint, fill far too much space, use the same old tricks, or just don’t understand the beauty and power of silence. Anything in the last 10 years by Hans Zimmer will illustrate that point. Sorry Hans, I loved Gladiator though. Luckily, I grew up through some excellent movie times, and so much of my musical education happened through exposure to some of the best soundtracks ever made. More than any band or individual artist, film scores are the thing that really drove me to want to compose music, and here’s a few that have been crucial to that process. EB”

Solaris, Cliff Martinez (2002)

“Eduard Artemyev’s original score for this is in some ways impossible to match, but Cliff managed to do so with something very timeless and beautiful. It’s more than sustainable on repeat and really stands alone from the movie, just as every great soundtrack should.”

Stalker, Eduard Artemyev, (1972)

“While on the subject of Artemyev and (director) Andrei Tarkovsky, it’s done to death as a reference these days, but here’s one of the stand-out electronic soundtracks (and films) of all time.”

Akira, Geinō Yamashirogumi (1988)

“I remember watching this around the age of 12 and getting hooked to every aspect, including the amazing soundtrack which was completely new to me at the time. It’s a fusion of early European vocal chant, Balinese percussion, and 1980s metal, with traditional Japanese Taiko drums. I love the MIDI electronic production and the percussive use of breath and vocal techniques.”

Ghost In The Shell, Kenji Kawai (1995)

“Almost in exactly the same compositional style as Akira, this is another anime work of art. I read that it’s a marriage of Bulgarian harmonies with Japanese melodies and you can really hear the influence of the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir. Also, silence is everything.”

Aliens, James Horner (1986/87)

“For those who know me, or have read any of my interviews, Alien and Aliens has been a staple part of my life since being a child and not many days go by without me mentioning it in some tenuous context. So while being totally predictable, I can’t really make a soundtrack list without including this. I always liked the fact that the score acts in part as sound effect – such as the insect-like strings (pinched from Vaughn Williams’ ‘The Wasps’) and the clustered piccolos that make your skin crawl just listening to them. I also noticed listening recently to this ‘Main Title’ piece that there’s this genius technique to create electronic delay/echo effect just using trumpets.”

Highlander, Queen / Michael Kamen (1986)

“Well, I grew up wanting to be immortal, owning a collection of swords and fine antiques from 1783 to decorate my industrial New York apartment… so this is one of my most treasured soundtracks.”

Last Of The Mohicans, Trevor Jones / Clannad (1992)

“I’m a sucker for electronic and orchestral arrangements of Irish folk – think Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds Of Love’ LP. Similarly, Clannad will always have a place in my heart for that reason.”

The Thing, Ennio Morricone (1982)

“What I love about this is the willing influence of Carpenter’s iconic minimal synth pulse. The soundtrack is restrained and cold. Barely alive, as if in ice. Just like the alien/s.”

The Mission, Ennio Morricone, (1986)

“One of my good friends, Gita Mistry – who made all my former Gazelle Twin costumes – casually mentioned one day that she met Ennio Morricone when she was a kid. To my total amazement, she is part of the Barnet School Choir singing on one of my all time favourite Morricone soundtracks, The Mission.”

The Good The Bad And The Ugly, Ennio Morricone (1966)

“This is the third Morricone soundtrack in my list and I think, the one that Portishead could not have existed without. Some of the arrangements, performance techniques and vocal effects are so mind blowing. Even by modern standards it’s such a huge piece of music.”

Eraserhead, Alan Splet/David Lynch (1977)

“Much like my love affair with Aliens, I have a long-held addiction to Eraserhead’s soundtrack. The heavy sense of industrial melancholy is so well matched to the picture – those unknown mechanical roars, radiators hissing, fierce winds (possibly post-nuclear) and then that eerie long-player sound.”

There Will Be Blood, Jonny Greenwood (2007)

“I didn't really know much about Jonny’s ‘other’ music or classical work, but this came as a real surprise to hear such amazing chamber writing, and used really perfectly as a period soundtrack.”

Under The Skin, Mica Levi (2014)

“Mica effortlessly creates power and individuality from the most minimal elements, in everything she does. I hope she makes more soundtracks.”

Melancholia, Richard Wagner (1857, 2011)

“I've been so over exposed to Tristan und Isolde through painstaking analysis at A Level and during my music degree. But until I saw this, I had never imagined it could be used so perfectly as a cinematic overture, and so far out of its original context. This was one those very rare moments watching a contemporary film where my jaw literally dropped for the entire opening sequence.”

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‘Unflesh’ is released on September 22nd. Find Gazelle Twin online here and see her live as follows:

September
26th – Dome Studio, Brighton

October
1st – Corsica Studios, London
3rd – Old Fruit Market, Glasgow
18th – Red Gallery, London

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