Revisit the mesmerising soundscapes of celebrated, multi-award winning Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Various Artists/ Metaphors: Selected Soundworks from the Cinema of Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Film director/visual artist Apichatpong Weerasethakul has a very particular way in which he tells a story. Characterised by languorous shooting and scenes where nothing seems to be really happening, his meandering filmmaking style focuses on atmospheres, reverie-like encounters and prosaic, almost mundane, dialogues punctuated by silences. In his award-winning cinematic works including Blissfully Yours, Tropical Malady, Syndromes and a Century, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, and Cemetery of Splendour, these elements coexist with soundtracks that range from ambient sounds and on-location field recordings to pop songs of different moods and shades.
Curated by sound designers Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr and Koichi Shimizu, Metaphors is a collection of 14 songs and soundworks culled from Apichatpong's career-spanning filmography. Instrumental opener Reverberation, lifted from 2006's Syndromes and a Century, sets the tone of the record with birdsongs and reverb guitars. Halfway through the track, things take a sombre turn -- the bird chirping morphing into a deep, ominous rumble before vanishing entirely.
Fashion Show offers a bit of mood change with Straight (Thai title Kam Nai Jai), a love-themed, midtempo track built around whispery vocals and shoegaze influences off the director's outlandish 2004 psychological drama Tropical Malady. Dawn of Boonmee from Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is six minutes of pure background noises (birds, crickets, roosters, a human clearing throat) portraying a vignette of a bucolic morning and someone's going about their day. Tracks like For Tonight (from For Tomorrow for Tonight) and Roar from Tropical Malady also feature similar field recordings.
Clocking in at nearly 14 minutes, Sharjah and Java (Dilbar/Morse Beat Roar/Ablaze) is a study in manipulated sonic textures. Set to a cacophony of rhythmic industrial sounds, distant human voices and various electronics, it suggests the sort of experimental techno music one would play in the apocalyptic world. The same could also be said for Jenjira's River from Fever Dream and Memory of the Future from Syndromes and a Century, two other standouts that embrace the experimental spirit of electronic music.
Elsewhere, a relief comes in the form of tender acoustic moments (Mekhong Hotel, Intimacy). There's also a psych-rock throwdown (The Anthem), impressive on-film singing from Cemetery of Splendor (Apinya Unphanlam's Destiny), and a couple of rather conventional pop-rock numbers (Smile and Penguin Villa's radio smash, Acrophobia).
Not dissimilar to his cinematography, Metaphors offers an immersive experience that evokes moods and memories. Through the seemingly incoherent collage of noises, styles and genres, Apichatpong and his go-to sound designers have crafted vivid sonic palettes that feel familiar and singular all at once. More than just a companion to his films, this collection showcases and highlights the way he approaches his soundtracks through explorations of sounds from various sources.
The Playlist
Summer Dress/ The Beatles Fever
The Beatles Fever is the latest track off Summer Dress' debut, Serious Music, to receive its own visual accompaniment. A standout from the aforementioned record, the seven-minute track proves that the Thai quintet has come a long way since their 2013 single Ratree, which was clearly influenced by the likes of indie acts Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. Having now steered clear from their early sounds, they're pushing the envelope here with nuanced production showcasing intricate guitarwork, synths, vocal harmony and surprising sonic textures.
MGMT/ When You Die
It's looking more and more like MGMT's forthcoming fourth studio album, Little Dark Age, will more than live up to its title. Its second taste, When You Die, is a wonky, baleful ode which sees the band descending further into the subject of death. "You die/ And words won't do anything," frontman Andrew VanWyngarden offers, his murky lyrics clashing with the track's otherwise lighthearted melody. "It's permanently night/ And I won't feel anything/ We'll all be laughing with you when you die."
I, Alexander/ Sturdy Thoughts
Operating under I, Alexander, New York-based multi-instrumentalist Pedro Barquinha is gearing up for the release of his debut album set to drop next week. But until then, we have Sturdy Thoughts to tide us over. The track starts off with swelling organ keys, Barquinha sings tenderly about distance ("Don't tell me I told you so/ Don't wait up if I don't show/ Don't hold my body so near/ Don't whisper sweet things in my ears"). In the background, playful strings soar, harmonising with the soft acoustic guitar and piano.
Bad Sounds/ Are You High?
Calling your band Bad Sounds might not seem like a good idea, but hey, at least if you really do sound bad, nobody could really accuse you of false advertising. It's kind of genius actually. Made up of brothers Ewan and Callum Merrett, Charlie Pitt, Sam Hunt, and Olivia Dimery, Bad Sounds make jolly fine music mainly rooted in '90s hip-hop with sprinklings of dance, funk and soul. Their latest, Are You High?, oozes the sort of irreverent teenage fun they're obviously owning as their brand: ("Are you high?/ 'Cause you're smiling all of the time/ I ain't sucking on lemons, it just looks like it/ Ya know, ain't life a dick?").
Lily Allen (ft Giggs)/ Trigger Bang
"When I was young I was blameless/ Playing with rude boys and trainers/ I had a foot in the rave 'cause I was attracted to danger," sings Lily Allen sings on Trigger Bang, her laidback new single in three years following 2014's Sheezus. Teaming with London rapper Giggs, the British pop songtress reminiscing about fame-inducing troubles while getting real about cutting off toxic people from her life once and for all ("That's why I can't hang with the cool gang/ Everyone's a trigger, bang bang bang"). Looks like someone's done some growing up.
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