{"product_id":"robin-carolan-werwulf","title":"Robin Carolan - Werwulf","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor his latest collaboration with Robert Eggers, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobin Carolan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e plunges into the brutal, superstitious world of medieval England with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWerwulf\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Drawing on the sounds, rituals and beliefs of the period, Carolan creates a score that is at once gritty and folksy, surreal and otherworldly. Hurdy-gurdies, the cymbalum and other archaic instruments are reimagined through unconventional playing techniques and electronic manipulation. Everyday farming tools, including axes, cleavers and scythes, were played against wood and bone to create uncanny percussive sounds, while bells and clay jugs became the source of strange drones. Together these sounds evoke the agricultural rhythms of the time while conjuring the unseen forces that shaped its beliefs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStrings are central to the score’s unsettling atmosphere, shifting between wind and creaking trees. Carolan experimented with a string quintet in a session he called the “Ghost Meditations,” electronically manipulating the recordings until they took on a spectral quality. He also drew on experimental instrument makers \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFron Reilly\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBart Hopkin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, whose adaptations of archaic instruments offered new ways to reimagine period sounds. Among the score’s collaborators are violinist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDaniel Pioro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who helped with the more experimental ideas for strings, string player \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLaura Cannell\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with her extensive knowledge of medieval music, longtime friend \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJack Bevan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, from the band \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFoals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who contributed folk percussion, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAntonina Nowacka\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, whose voice brings a celestial quality to the instrumentals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe soundtrack also features “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWynter Waxeth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,” an original song performed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEthel Cain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in Middle English. What began as a discussion about using her voice as a texture within the score soon developed into a fully fleshed out song. Medieval music, prayers and strange ambient recordings were exchanged and with Eggers’ help, Cain mastered the Middle English pronunciation, bringing an earthy, feral, haunted beauty to the score.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarolan’s inspirations extended beyond music into art, literature and the physical spaces of medieval England. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Drolatic Dreams of Pantagruel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Lucas Cranach’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Werewolf or the Cannibal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEnglish Medieval Graffiti\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e informed his thinking, while medieval churches offered a chance to absorb their atmosphere first hand. Another important influence was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTōru Takemitsu\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e’s score for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnimaru\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, an obscure 1980s Japanese adaptation of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWuthering Heights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWerwulf\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is an exercise in world building, capturing not only the environment of the period but also the psychology of a society shaped by superstition, faith and the unknown. Designed to unnerve and disorient, the score reaches for something emotionally overwhelming, reflecting what Carolan sees as one of Eggers’ most devastating works.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SACRED BONES RECORDS","offers":[{"title":"Indies Exclusive Silver Vinyl 2LP","offer_id":60250967408985,"sku":"SDZ-55586","price":40.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black Vinyl 2LP","offer_id":60250967441753,"sku":"SDZ-55587","price":38.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"2CD","offer_id":60250967474521,"sku":"SDZ-55588","price":21.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/CAR_20261028_1459_150108_289_v_0840526519484_002.jpg?v=1793200113","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/robin-carolan-werwulf","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}