Silva Screen Records release Rael Jones's bold and anachronistic soundtrack to Hulu & ITV’s 8-part series Harlots, set in the 18th Century brothels of London. The soundtrack mixes electronica and stoner rock genres, underpinning the story and reflecting the experiences and rebellious nature of the women depicted in the programme...

Rael Jones is a classically trained composer and multi-instrumentalist. His writing stems from improvisation and live performance, and he is a highly accomplished player of many instruments - piano, guitars, drums, autoharp and musical saw. Rael regularly tours as a guitarist with Guillemots front man Fyfe Dangerfield, as well as with his own band Thumpermonkey.

His score for Harlots took me by surprise. This is an interesting, if somewhat acquired taste. There's conventional score music, electronic themes and quirky tracks.

The album contains 53 tracks (1 hr, 01 min, 17 sec) and ranges from the beautiful 'Mary's Funeral' to the bizarre, almost robotic 'Master of Music - Ep 4 End Credits'. But you can't beat 'Funky Goat' for catchy weirdness.

For fans of the show this is an essential purchase, and those wanting a collection of very different styles will get a huge kick out of it.

7

Darren Rea