Some of my favorite scenes in movies are forever intertwined with the music playing at the time. Thinking back to Ghost World, by the far the most touching scene was the end sequence where some very adult decisions and realizations about life are made. David Kitay’s Theme From Ghost World lends the scene the emotional weight needed to draw the viewer / listener in. The same thing could be said about the end scene of Donnie Darko while Michael Andrews & Gary Jules version of Mad World tugs at the heartstrings. Deryshire’s (that’s in England) Haiku Salut have created an impressive debut that serves as the soundtrack to an imaginary film.
The band formed in 2010 and is made up of Sophie, Gemma, and Louise. The describe themselves as “Baroque-Pop-Folktronic-Neo-Classical-Something-Or-Other” which is about as apt of a description as I can think of. The music sounds like the perfect accompaniment to an old silent film – incorporating a healthy dose of accordion with electronic flourishes. There is an emotional resonance to the music that makes it hard to believe this is a debut.
You’ll Never Find a Rainbow If You’re Looking Down (highlights)
Sounds Like there’s a Pacman Crunching Away At Your Heart is an amazing song title, it’s a bonus that the song itself is equally impressive. Acoustic guitar and accordion slowly give way to an electronic beat that is positively infectious. It fades out into an instrumental coda that recalls some of the finer moments from Sufjan Stevens.
Los Elefantes gets things started off with melancholy piano before accordion enters, higher in the mix. An epic comic tragedy that leaves an impression on the listener. The song has an increased focus on percussion over the last-minute, providing a grand finale. Maybe the soundtrack to a scene from a film, or you can even provide your own memory for the music.
Glockelbar boasts a slightly ominous tone over top of an extremely catchy beat. This one would sound right at home on a Stereolab record. Hard to believe this is only a 2 minute track, so entrancing are the chimes & beats. Perfection – and make sure to check out the video too.
This album comes highly recommended. The music can serve as the soundtrack to long forgotten memories, good times, even those romantic nights from long ago. The video for the song Glockelbar was a collaboration with the Japanese animator Mitsuo Toyama and is embedded at the bottom of this article. You can catch up on all things related to Haiku Salut on the band’s website on the world wide web – http://haikusalut.com/
Verdict: Ghost of Chaplin
For Fans of: Air, Stereolab, Mono, Stephen Jones
Tracks:
- Say It
- Sounds Like There’s a Pacman Crunching Away At Your Heart
- Leaf Stricken
- Los Elefantes
- II: Lonesome George (Or Well, There’s No-One Like) :II
- Watanabe
- Haiku Interlude #1
- Six Impossible Things
- Rustic Sense of Migration
- Glockelbar
- Train Tracks For Wheezy
- No, You Say It
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAwkI1RzQg]