Screamworks Records releases another film soundtrack for digital download. This time it’s the pagan chiller Dogged. The movie, directed by Richard Rowntree, has Sam returning to the island of his birth to attend a funeral. However, things have changed, and Sam discovers a community with a dark secret (The Wicker Man, anybody?). James Griffiths was the composer of The Drift, finalist at the Music & Sound Awards 2016, The Siren, In the Park, and 68 Kill. The folk horror Dogged creates a string quartet, accompanying electronics and gut-wrenching vocals to enhance the gritty performance of the film...

'The Dogged Danse' starts things off with a main theme, a slow-paced retro string piece, which is followed-up by a moderate piano composition which immediately brings back the strings. 'Islander' utilises a creaking reminiscent of a wooden ship, and some industrial noises. There is eerie electronica in track four, but it doesn’t last long before the central theme is back biting at its ankles. Then there is more string and piano with different sound effects and echoing. I thought that the track 'Daniel' was going to be different; there are some inventive noises at the beginning, but the same feel follows.

Twelve tracks in and 'The Chase of the Fox' is the first time anything different happens. The building-up of odd noise develops into the up-tempo chase itself, but the fade-out returns to the same tired tune. 'Displeasure' gives us some much needed atmosphere with distant wolf calls and ambient noises. However (yes, you guessed it), a semblance of the same music intrudes yet again. Even the refreshing chugging organ with woodwind accompaniment is played-out with the slow piano. 'The Cult Parts 1 & 2' are probably the stand out pieces, ostensibly because they are so different from the rest. It’s a taster of what could have been achieved had the composer been more diverse in his offerings.

The last section of 'Bad Majik' shows promise, but it’s too little too late. 'The Dogged Danse' music is slightly faster than the opening version. It reminds me of the kind of theme we might expect to hear for an Agatha Christie TV movie. Although there are 29 tracks on this release, the sheer amount of reprised work means there’s probably only six or seven worth listening to.

3

Ty Power