THE LONGEST SHOT.

Cast your mind back to THE TRUMAN SHOW remember the score, yes of course you do does,nt everyone, it was for me one of the highlights of the movie, the film was fascinating and the score helped considerably. The composer who penned the music for the movie has just finished scoring THE LONGEST SHOT which is now available to listen to on various digital platforms. It is a score I suggest that you should check out as it is probably one of the most atmospheric and entertaining that I have heard so far this year. THE LONGEST SHOT is a drama thriller, which focuses upon a Shanghai based hitman named Zhao who is preparing to retire from his trade. He takes the contract for two assassinations or hits, both of which take place in the same location and are scheduled to be carried out at the same time. But he discovers that the target of one of the contracts is the consignor of the other. Zhao decides he will take on both contracts to make a huge amount of money and set him up in his retirement, but what he encounters is a tangled web of deceit and a maelstrom of complexity. The music for this taught and tense affair is suitably slanted to suit and underline the more than apparent stress filled and pressured storyline of the movie, but even though there are many dramatic and thickly atmospheric passages and compositions within the score, the composer’s Burkhard Dallwitz and Brett Aplin still maintain an impressive array and level of thematic material. This is one of those dark and brooding works that on occasion unearths a lilting and richly melodic moment, although maybe these are few and far between, they provide a welcomed respite to the remainder of the score which is superbly uneasy and wonderfully sinister. The music on one hand purveys a perfect edgy atmosphere and unsettling moments throughout, it is a masterpiece of the disconcerting and the disturbing, with poignant and emotive interludes scattered along the way. I recommend tat you at least check this score out, but I know once you have done this you will want to own it, no question.

ELEPHANT TO INDIA.

 

 

ELEPHANT TO INDIA is a new documentary which actually will receive its premiere tonight in Austria. The musical score is by composer Tobias Alexander Ratka. Although the work is made up of samples it is still an imposing and very thematic work with the composer performing the guitar parts within the soundtrack. I am told by the composer that a CD of the score will be available at the premiere, but it is also available on various digital music outlets. The score is a fairly short one, well at least on the recording that is as it has a running time of just over half an hour, but what a great way to spend thirty minutes listening to a really melodic and well structured work that oozes charm, vibrancy and wonderful melodies. Whether there is more music within the documentary itself I do not know, but if there is I look forward to the expanded version of the score. The opening cue, A LONG JOURNEY is a perfect opener for the score, the composer fashioning a rhythmic and appealing piece which is proud and expansive and one that sets the scene for much of what is to follow, this is a haunting and gloriously joyous sounding track, which enlists the aid of choral sounds alongside strings and various percussive elements, which all combine to create a theme that develops into a majestic sounding affair. Mid-way through the tempo slows and the music becomes more intimate as in not as epic sounding, with woods being added and a sitar effect being utilised briefly. The sitar effect returns in track number two, ISTANBUL in which the composer also employs ethnic sounding percussion and woodwind, the percussive parts acting as a background to the woodwind performances and gaining pace as the cue progresses. Track three, THE STREETS OF CHINA, is also an upbeat and up-tempo work, pizzicato sounds add punctuation to the percussion and strings that form the main part of the track, which is slightly comedic in its overall sound, but is I think more of a hustle and bustle style as opposed to comedy. Track number four is one of my favourite cues on the recording, slow ethnic percussion acts as a background to strings and voices that are laced and enhanced further by woodwind to create an imposing and entertaining theme tat is rich and proud sounding. But saying this, I don’t think one can actually say there is one cue that is superior to any of the others on this score, as all are equal in the quality and entertainment department. Track number six is a fun track, an upbeat backing track is bolstered by an accordion sound and also further enhanced by strings and bright and up-tempo woodwinds that have a wonderful rhythm and honestly do get one’s foot tapping throughout.

Track number seven, RELAXING is a delight, solo guitar is employed and does exactly what the track title suggests, easy on the ear aswell as being perfectly soothing and calming. The same can be said for track number eight, WAITING FOR KASACHSTAN guitar is again utilised but the cue contains more than just a guitar solo, there is a clock effect purveyed in the opening of the track, that is underlined by low but rich sounding strings, these soon fade and the clock ticking returns and becomes more prominent with guitar playing over the top of it, all the time little nuances and chimes are being added as the piece slowly builds with the addition of percussion that at first is subtle but becomes more and more dominant, until the sliding rich strings and guitar return to build into a magnificent fully fledged theme which again is aided by voices and has to it a luscious and wonderfully beguiling sound. And as they say there is more a lot more to this soundtrack, but rather than go into details I would much rather that you checked it out yourselves, its on Spotify and also I tunes as far as I know so why not go to either and type in Tobias Alexander Ratka and see what delights await you, within this beautiful score and other works that are there. Recommended…

The documentary “Elephant to India” celebrates its big premiere at the Film-casino in Vienna. The event is sold out and the soundtrack is now available on all streaming platforms. The film will now be shown at Cineplexx – Austria’s biggest cinema franchise – and will premiere in Germany in 2020.

 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2b0ubvvdxrUki4977zwCOJ

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlDQalQy-4c&list=OLAK5uy_n-EiZmUkM2jgt2zpGlI8Aq3kkgSs6Z-vo

FILM TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oerYwE1bcQ4&t=45s —