Plaza Mayor Company Ltd, and The Orchard release the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to El Silbon Origenes (The Whistler: Origins). In the film, directed by Gisberg Bermudez, a man seeks to save the soul of his daughter from a phantasmagorical creature. Through neglect, mistreatment and sorrow the creature has become a righteous spectre of vengeance and retribution. Composer Nascuy Linares has previously scored Embrace of the Serpent, Cortos Interruptus, and Cyrano Fernandez...

After experiencing some larger than life outstanding film scores and some rather disappointing releases, this is a strange one because it incorporates very little in the way of music. Therefore, it can work only as an ambience piece. 'Infancia' has sounds similar to an old grandfather clock trying to work whilst breaking down. There is the merest hint of a tune involving bells. 'Tema Silbon' is not too dissimilar, only this time with electronica. 'Origenes' has a woodwind sound punctuated by an off-key Wurlitzer noise, fluttering percussion and, bizarrely, clapping. 'Silbon Variacion' has a Pagan or tribal feel, with ringing. Are you still with me? All of this is pretty mad, right?

It continues with 'Brujos 1', which reprises the tribal sounds with a hint of voices. 'Brujos 2' changes the percussion slightly and adds a slightly discordant piano. 'Brujos 3' opens with a rumbling, before being eclipsed with music box tunes and a screech, and then… bongos! 'Brujo En El Rio' is simply a witch doctor-like shaking of bones and a ringing. 'Infante' includes a sawing sound and a return to the early clock/gong. We end with 'Mujer'; this is perhaps the closest we get to music. It portrays a piano sound with rain-like hissing in the background.

The attempt by the composer to create a landscape of outre sound effects plainly doesn’t work. I realise film scores need to include shock sounds of the central character’s environment; however, we all still need to be entertained by the music which essentially enhances the emotions for each scene of a movie. It can lull us into a false sense of security, frighten us, make us feel sad or lighten the mood. This score achieves none of these goals. Very disappointing.

3

Ty Power