Amazing orchestral production in a frenetic desperate chase. It feels like something massive and cataclysmic is bearing down at you, there was no time to warn anyone or gather anything, the only thing to do was RUN. Is it a monster? Is it a natural disaster? Is it an army? Full orchestra climaxes with a doom laden soft bellow of horns.
Author Archives: jamie
AP Comedy Live 60 secs
Amazing orchestral production in a zany comedy farce. It’s a full on circus of errors, the feeling of a scene where everything is happening and anything can happen. Short and sweet, with a pause for effect before a blasting end. Full live orchestra. Suitable for rich comedy moments, classic cartoon and fun adverts.
African Rhythm Layers
Wonderfully percussive and relaxed, bit like a version of Nick Drake, near a river, on a Kora, building into something more positive and hopeful as it progresses. Wild but gentle, short but sweet.
Haunted Music Box
Haunting simple and cinematic, with music box, angelic vocals, piano and orchestral strings, including a searching solo violin. If you are looking for a magical and macabre setting for something you’ve hit gold. This will suit pretty much anything from fantasy adverts to Brother’s Grimm fairy tales. You can almost hear someone narrating over the top. Brilliant.
Angel
Searching and feel-good. Soft Folk melodic tones are joined by guitar, piano, angelic vocals and rhythm that reminds me of “Close to me” by The Cure, except this is pure, wholesome and moving. Definitely moving, you feel yourself either running or flying across landscapes. Fiercely positively driving, that’s the way to describe it I reckon. For ads and campaigns, with the message that we’re getting somewhere, it’s all going to be alright.
October
Folk roots, with vox, piano and guitar, building with anticipatory percussion (hi-hat and tambourine), breaking from a walk into an effortless run. Vocals pushing the fantasy but never in a way that leaves reality. For ads and campaigns, with the message that something magical, wonderful is happening and you’re all invited.
5 Silver Line (suite)
Running over the hills, through the forest, but like, as fast as the wind. In black and white, as part of a dramatic film sequence (or an advert for Jägermeister) – is my exploitative interpretation of this brilliantly thumping and atmospheric track. Tribal drums (in the folk sense?) perfectly synchronised with acoustic guitar keep you on your toes with off-kilter time signatures and dramatic flourishes. The vocal version adds a close but haunting feel pushing you like the wind… you can probably tell I like this track. Imagine Woodkid, if Woodkid was good.
Moonless Jungle
Secret clandestine fun, what are those guys up to, skulking around in the shadows? Repetitive spooky chimes are joined by strings and percussion, and eventually pizzicato strings. The arrangement is dynamic, jumping into action in places, and at other times sparse and anticipatory. Great for subversive sections of film with a bit of fun involved.
Down These Roads
A strong industrial beat joined by a strident classical strings and mandolin-like synth, introduces a sampled female vocal singing “I’ll drive down these roads”. Massive, triumphant, fanfare, orchestral big beat / in your face hip hop. This has got car advert all over it.
Focus (Dharana)
A slow and unhurried build with synth strings and radiant tonal swirls. A roving bass line joins at 0:40. At 2:09 it breaks into something classy, a laid back but grooving rhythm section bears down and comes into its own at 3:33, losing the swirling synths, but adding rhythmic piano stabs. At 7:05 the swirls are back but now pulsing in time; at 7:49 our original strings and swirls are back again, finally at 9:14 the track gradually breaks down towards a faded end. Glamourous and dreamy with a killer groove. I’d imagine this working for a sophisticated branding video, for luxury products and/or spaces.