The Northman: (Soundtrack 2LP Red Vinyl)

$70.99

“Rob wanted the world of The Northman to feel harsh and uncomfortable, and for everything to feel like it was caked in mud and dry blood, so it was crucial for the score to mirror that.” Composers Robin Carolan (Tri-Angle Records) and Sebastian  Gainsborough (Vessel) were given a task of epic proportions when director Rob Eggers (The VVitch, The Lighthouse) asked them to create the score for his ambitious and highly anticipated new film The Northman, releasing on April 22nd. They needed to make a score that both honored the immense research that had gone into the authenticity of this Viking era period piece and complimented the cinematic maximalism of the film for a modern audience. The artists stretched themselves to the depths of their creativity and the resulting album is a gorgeous sonic tableaux that places the listener right in the center of the film.

While arranging the score the composers consulted musician and ethnographer Poul Høxbro for inspiration and insight into the history of Viking music. Having backgrounds in left field electronic music, Robin and Sebastian felt liberated by the constraint of using a small selection of musical tools for this piece. “Electronic music has almost limitless potential when it comes to making sounds and that’s obviously an incredible thing, but you can also go down the wormhole and get lost in it sometimes. There’s no risk of that happening when you only have a few primary instruments to draw upon.” Robin remarked.

They utilized traditional instruments such as the tagelharpa, langspil, kravik lyre, and säckpip to build the cinematic world of The Northman but they also took creative freedoms in adding instruments likes drums, which some academics believe wouldn’t have played a big part in Viking musical culture, simply due to the lack of archaeological evidence of actual drums. “One of the pieces we wrote was intended to emulate the sound of a bullroarer; an ancient instrument used in sacred rituals or in battle to intimidate enemies. It makes a really disorienting roaring vibrato sound and low frequencies capable of traveling insane distances.” Robin says when asked about one of the more unique aspects of the score. Everyone involved put so much effort into both their research and their creativity and this richness is evident in every track. The album as a whole is a cinematic masterpiece of sound and ambiance, both gorgeous and disturbing, like the film it so beautifully accompanies.

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Description

Tracklisting:

  1. Approaching Hrafnsey
  2. The King
  3. Entering the Temple
  4. Last Teardrop
  5. Blood Tree, Part I
  6. Strike, Brother
  7. Escape
  8. I Will Avenge You, Father
  9. The Land of the Rus
  10. A Burning Barn
  11. Seeress
  12. Raven’s Omen
  13. Storm At Sea / Yggdrasill
  14. Iceland
  15. I Will Save You, Mother
  16. Slave Work
  17. Guðrún
  18. Follow The Vixen’s Tail
  19. He-Witch
  20. Draugr
  21. Mound Dweller
  22. To The Games
  23. Birch Woods
  24. First Of Many
  25. Trollish Sorcery
  26. Svið Night, Part I
  27. Svið Night, Part II
  28. I Am Your Death
  29. Come Morning
  30. I Am His Vengeance
  31. Óðinn
  32. Valkyrie
  33. Vestrahorn
  34. Hidden Valley
  35. Blood Tree, Part II
  36. Blóð Inside / I Choose Both
  37. A Maiden King
  38. The Wolf Has Grow
  39. The Gates of Hel / Slain by Iron
  40. Hekla
  41. Cut the Thread of Fate
  42. Make Your Passage / Valhöll
  43. Ættartré / End Credits

Additional information

Weight 1 kg
Dimensions 32 × 32 cm