Silva Screen Records releases Harry Escott’s soundtrack to the BBC crime drama River. The show explores mental illness, guilt and grief. The script focuses on the emotional repercussions of detective John River’s condition: the conflicts between the world as experienced by River and by those around him. These conflicts create humour, sadness and spirituality but also confusion and embarrassment. River attempts to deal with this, to function ‘normally’...

Harry Escott pulls out all the stops to deliver an emotional roller coaster of a ride for his score for River. It's an impressive achievement; to be able to encapsulate the show's core workings and compliment them while not over powering or watering down the onscreen drama. Escott manages to pull it off quite masterfully and it works wonders in the show.

It slightly, but only slightly, loses a little without the onscreen imagery it was designed to accompany. The album contains 20 tracks (44 min, 26 sec) and there are numerous beautiful themes.

That said, and as much as I really loved this score, there was very little that I was keep to add to my playlist for future listening. This is a score that really only works when played from start to finish.

8

Darren Rea