Percussive build. Growing layers of drums and rattling percussion, creating a wide-reaching rhythmic picture. Woodblocks cut through the blanket of drums momentarily before the uniform pounding resumes. Atmospheric, determined and full of anticipation, perfect music for a ceremonial event, a soundtrack to an epic, other-wordly ritual or tribal gathering onscreen.
Balkan-style instrumental. Sustained string note builds anticipation, piano motif and drums enters underneath, excitement builds. Strings become louder and earthier in tone. Balkan-style melody enters on choppy violins with double bass drums and piano accompaniment. Grows with frenetic energy, soaring, squeaking violins, melodies intersecting. Dramatic change of tone: complete slow down with drunk double bass and woozy violin swaying drowsily between notes. Shrill piano joins adding jazzy flourishes, all build back to previous upbeat, ramshackle melody. Dramatic, surprising, reckless and intriguing, suitable for a rollicking TV advert or Film/TV/Doc scene, or a strange party scene, where our character is disorientated and disconcerted by the madness happening all around, dropped unexpectedly into a quirky unknown world.
Delicate yet jumpy and surprising, with a structure that spans through 4 different musical ideas and arrangements throughout the piece. A classical and poignant orchestral start followed by a paced, urged second section. After that, a solid rhythmical element enters the scene and takes the piece at its maximum level of complexity. The last part is left to a somber and saturnine piano with the help of rarefied woodwinds inserts. Overarching all these shifts, a feeling of melancholy and yearning, a flower full of hope.
Breezy and atmospheric, with a nice combination of strings and woodwinds that deliver ostinato figures and create a bed for a piano solo theme in the middle section. It is somewhat excited and relentless, with a sad tone and melancholy lurching around. Definitely not standing still, will suit running scenes, possibly nature shots and short form adverts. Period dramas a la Atonement welcome here.
Magical and crisp, with woodwinds, balzato strings, and a light orchestral arrangement that create a cohesive yet delicate sense of progression. Confident and pleasing with a mysterious edge, will suit fairy and dreamy worlds, nature related footage, short form adverts.
Build of electronic arpeggios over rasping synths leads to a massive industrial drop at 0:15. Smooth, dark and serious. Elements of Massive Attack and Tricky. 1 minute ad length.
Sparse plucked Cello, calm and slightly wry, anticipating something, a note of unease. Then out of nowhere urgent and plaintive bowed cello and violin. Rhythmic at first then suspending itself with long drawn out notes. At 4:14 there is a unified statement, uneasy and dissonant. It feels like someone is valiantly struggling to pull themselves up but can’t do it. They try harder and more desperately but the forlornness of the situation overtakes them, they pause, then after a last effort they fall to their doom. If you were ever narrating an Edgar Allen Poe story, this would be the soundtrack to it.
Soothing and contemplative, with swirling high pitched strings that evoke a sense of uneasiness on a solid and reassuring base of long cello drones. Orchestral percussion brings in tribal and epic reminders. Feels like Macbeth, or a classy Braveheart. “In the frosty air, the lonesome warrior reaches the summit of the mountain and beholds the grandioseness of a burning war field”.
Dissonant and cloudy, a crying lament of strings that successfully combines early classical 1900s influences with modern day film scoring. It has four definite sections that alternate relaxation with excitement. It will suit period dramas with complex characterisations but also possibly otherworldly and supernatural settings. Atonement. Downton Abbey if it had more balls.
Hugely passionate, an intense dialogue of strings intertwined beautifully to create a beautiful, varied and dynamic piece. A stream of playfulness and longing, with determined and delicate sections. This feels like an emotionally charged dance, a passionate love-making session, a frenetic game, a storm ravaging the sea. Not This Day takes us through many different states, and eventually rests with a triumphant positive end.