Moviescore Media releases the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Death of Me, by Mark Sayfritz. In the movie, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, a couple’s holiday in Thailand takes a sinister twist when they come across a video which shows one killing the other. The couple is obliged to search for answers before reality is played-out. Composer Mark Sayfritz moved from record producer and in-house writer for Jive Records to a recording artist signed to Heavenly/EMI. He is perhaps best known for the scores to Abattoir, St. Agatha, and the 10-part series Snatch – based on the film. He recently premiered his symphony Sound of Light (inspired by the northern lights and composed in collaboration with Artificial Intelligence at Brahms Saal, Musikverein, Vienna). This one is described as an ethnically-charged horror, featuring extensive vocal work by Thai singer Yanin Bandhaya. His intention is to create something dark yet beautiful, hypnotic but ominous...

For this one, we begin with harp, deep bass and synthesisers for an at times unnerving setting. Off-beat tribal sounds and edgy Electronica is teased with dark scratching and a return to the jungle percussion. The ethereal echoing vocals of Thai singer Yana Bandhaya is joined by deep rumblings. An electronic bubbling beat comes and goes, with curious hissing and distorted voices. Low throbbing and a light synthesiser is joined by Bandhaya again. A bass sequence and voices attempt to change the game, but once the setting background sound is established it is returned to often and thus loses its potency.

By the mid-point a mystical feel is created with a high and light reverb encompassed by a ringing tone and bells. The haunting vocals are beginning to lose their effect by now. At least the sampled male chanting voices are different, but they’re short-lived. Tapped bottles of liquid create a Buddhist temple feel, which evolves into chimes. 'Don’t You Dare' begins as a nice bit of synthesiser Electronica, which is played over dark and foreboding throbbing machinery effects. It’s a drop in the ocean. Keyboards and distant space-type samples in the following track incorporate a lot of what has been used separately in the previous offerings.

A dancing background tribal beat is played with by the introduction of certain harsher moods. Many sounds and effects incorporate a scratchy central theme late on. We are seen out by plaintive electronic strings. Then the voice returns, with a throbbing bass taking up residence. It carries an underlying threat. 'The Coda' is similar to the opening 'Main Theme'. There are some recurring ideas here, none more so than Yana Bandhaya’s over-utilised vocal tones which are practically the same each time. Unfortunately, this lets-down the overall soundtrack. If it had been an E.P. with just the pertinent sections, it might have been received as a little more original.

5

Ty Power